No Weddings (No Weddings #1)(63)
Because it resembled the just-been-thoroughly-f*cked look she wore in my fantasies.
My body had been aching far too long for the woman smiling up at me. All week, my thoughts had drifted at random times to wonder what she was doing then, how she felt, and when I thought about what she might be wearing (or not wearing), which positions were her favorite.
And after all the torture of being away from the very thing I wanted most in this world, there she stood, here with me now, taking another tentative step toward me.
She smirked, a gleam sparking in her eyes.
My heart raced. I’d become the excited kid who got the exact toy he’d wished for all year for Christmas. And all I wanted was to run off to my room, lock the door, and play with her all day. And all night.
Shaking my head clear of the riot of dirty thoughts she incited merely by being naturally sensual Hannah, I put my hands on her shoulders and turned her toward the door. “C’mon. Let’s get inside before I do something stupid and go caveman on you.”
With a fiery look in her eyes, she bit her lower lip. “Is that something you do? ‘Go caveman?’”
I growled, lowering my mouth to her ear. “Don’t tempt me, Hannah. Remember, I’m hanging on by a frayed thread here. Play nice, or I’ll take it as a sign you want to be thrown over my shoulder and then down onto my bed.”
Her dark eyes widened, and she sucked in a fast breath. The pulse at the base of her neck jumped faster. When her gaze dropped to my lips for a fraction of a second, and she licked her own, I knew we were in trouble on the whole “take things slow” plan.
Desire pulsed inside her just like it raged through me.
I crooked the tip of my finger under her chin until her gaze locked onto mine. She blinked. “In. Now. Before we start something neither of us can handle yet.” Not entirely true on my part. I was ready to take the leap with her. Even if I hadn’t yet dealt with all of my demons, something deep in my gut told me they would work themselves out.
With Hannah, I believed anything was possible. She made me a stronger man in all the ways controllable and made me want to smooth out every other rough edge.
I ushered her forward and into the club, nodding at the doorman I knew well. A subtle buzz of energy hummed in the atmosphere inside the club. Which meant, as charged as we already were, we needed to calm down a notch or two with a drink—STAT.
When we crossed the dance floor, I spotted our group. The girls all sat to one side of a VIP section huddled together, laughing. Kristen glanced up and waved. I tipped my chin up toward her in greeting.
We worked our way through the light crowd, and every male turned his head toward Hannah, staring at her with blatant hungry expressions. The hairs rose on the back of my neck and I growled. Alcohol and testosterone made guys stupid *s. A gorgeous girl magnified the effect tenfold, making the idiots blind to the fact that my arm was around her.
I tightened my hand on her shoulder, and she instinctively leaned closer as we walked. Her natural calm to my possessiveness chilled me a fraction.
We climbed the few steps into the private area our party had reserved for the early part of the night. The bouncer unfastened the velvet rope as we approached with a small nod.
“Cade! You made it.” Kiki sprung up from the red upholstered couch, launching herself into me with a body-bouncing hug and a squeal, accidentally knocking Hannah away from my side.
I winced. The bubbly girl on steroids, who I swear had kidnapped my sister, looked up at me with bright eyes and a huge smile. I raised my eyebrows, directing a look at Kristen and Kendall. They pressed their lips together, but lost it seconds later, laughing.
I glanced back down at her, squeezing her shoulder. “Kiki, how many drinks have you had?”
She furrowed her brow in concentration, sliding a glance back to the table. Her finger bobbed as she tallied on her midair imaginary chalkboard. “Three. But I got here early. And Tiffany introduced me to their new house special. It’s sooo good.”
I laughed, shaking my head as I guided her back to the couch. “I can see that. Maybe ask Tiffany for something milder for your next round, before you start inspecting floor fibers.” I nodded to Kristen’s husband. “Hey, Jason. This is Hannah, the cake designer for our team. Hannah, this is Kristen’s husband, Jason.” I paused, tilting my head. “You may have met each other at the Super Bowl party.”
Hannah gave him a warm smile and reached over to shake his hand. Jason snorted, pulling her in for a big hug. That’s how we did things in my family. No half ass about it. You were friends and family, or you were other.
“It really is good.” Kendall gestured to the green frothy drink beside Kiki. “You should try one, Hannah.”
I glanced at the drink, wondering if she’d take the recommendation. “And these two party girls are Stacy, Ben’s girl, and Laura, who Mase belongs to.”
Laura laughed as both of them waved from the couch.
A dozen martini glasses sat empty, collected on their tabletop. Inside each was a green, curled glow stick and a pineapple wedge on the rim. When Tiffany returned, I beckoned her with a curl of my fingers. “Let’s do a round of club sodas for the girls.” I pointed to the group while they laughed a little too loudly over something Laura shared. “I’ll have a Konrad’s Stout. And Hannah will have…”
“Single vodka tonic in a chilled draft glass with lime.”