Redeeming You (Before You #2)(10)
“Friends don’t let friends drink alone,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning her neck, making her knees tremble.
“We’re friends now?” she questioned. As much as she didn’t want to be swayed by his proximity, her body moved closer to him of its own volition. Like most rock stars, he had a gravitational pull a mile wide.
“It’d make this month easier for both of us,” he answered, brushing his knuckles along her bare leg just below her short black skirt.
The heat of his fleeting touch, while light and almost nonexistent, seared her skin and she just barely succeeded in holding back the shiver that begged to be released.
“Friends would be nice,” she said, a little confused by her reaction to him.
Cam looked amused. “Well?” he questioned, pointing to the bottle in the center of the table.
Taylor looked at the glass, the bottle of Patrón and then Cam. “I don’t do tequila without salt and lime. Not even Patrón.”
Smiling wickedly, Cam winked. “Ahh…so you still need training wheels.”
She nodded, unable to speak when Cam focused all of his sinfully dangerous attention on her. She could drown in him if she wasn’t careful.
“Salt and limes coming up.” He tore his gaze away from hers and waved to the waitress behind her. “One more shot glass with salt and limes.”
Within minutes, the waitress placed everything she needed to indulge in several shots of Patrón in front of her. She hesitated, taking in the artful display of debauchery in front of her. She hadn’t been remotely close to drunk and reckless in over two years, which was depressing in and of itself at the age of twenty-three.
One of the many things Miles had forbidden was drinking alcohol. At the time, she never protested because her mother was an alcoholic and that was reason enough not to drink. But now, as she watched the rest of the people her age dancing, laughing and enjoying life, she resented her ex-boyfriend even more than when she caught him naked with Natalie, her neighbor and friend of two years. He had truly robbed her of a year and a half of her life.
Cam lifted the bottle, pouring the clear liquid into her glass until it nearly spilled over the rim. He did the same thing with his glass.
She could feel Cam’s hot gaze on her as she licked the skin of her hand between her thumb and forefinger. Cam lifted the saltshaker, sprinkling it on her damp hand. Her eyes never leaving his, she licked the salt from her hand and tilted her head back as she poured the clear liquid into her mouth. When she slammed the glass down, Cam handed her a lime that she promptly sucked into her mouth.
“Your turn,” she said pushing the saltshaker and plate of limes in front of Cam.
Cam twisted his shot glass in circles on the table. “I think you need to have two shots for every one of mine. I’m way ahead of you.”
“No, I don’t drink much. You have a higher tolerance.” She lifted his hand. “Lick,” she said.
“I don’t need training wheels,” he said lifting the glass to his lips and then pulling it away. “Unless you plan to let me lick the salt off of you, in which case, I’m all for training wheels.” He lifted one eyebrow, the clear shot glass resting against his plump lower lip. Could she be jealous of that glass? Because right now, she wanted to be touching those lips.
She licked her lips, and his eyes tracked every movement like he wanted to devour her, and at that moment, she’d be incapable of resisting if he tried.
When she didn’t respond, he reached for her hand. “I could use the same spot you used.” His thumb pressed the still damp skin between her index finger and thumb, rubbing it gently. “Or maybe your neck.”
His fingers traced the thin skin along the side of her neck and she moved her head to the side to give him more access. More than likely, he could feel her pulse hammering against his fingers.
“So, which is it?” he asked suggestively. Her eyelids grew heavy at the sound of his voice and every nerve ending in her body came to attention. He captivated her without even trying and she told herself to walk away and find her brother, but she couldn’t. Her legs wouldn’t move if she begged them to.
“Just drink it,” she finally managed to say, her voice breathless and way more vulnerable than she liked.
Cam lifted the shot glass, pouring the clear liquid into his mouth. She watched his throat move as he swallowed. Then her gaze shifted to his tongue as he licked his damp lips, and she felt compelled to climb in his lap and lick his lips for him. What was it about his lips? They hypnotized and seduced her without even trying. She shook her head, trying to refocus the direction of her thoughts. Exhaling a long drawn out breath, she lifted the bottle with her shaky hands and refilled their glasses. “Another?” she asked.
He nodded. This time they took the shots in unison, the salt and lime forgotten.
Three or four shots down and her inhibitions significantly lowered; Taylor grabbed Cam’s hand pulling him out of his chair.
“Where are we going?” Cam asked. Laughing that deep sensual laugh of his that inappropriately raised her blood pressure, he placed his hands on her hips pulling her close to him.
She couldn’t help it. Her breath hitched in the back of her throat as his body brushed against hers. “Dancing. I want to dance,” she said, her voice husky and thick with something she didn’t want to admit.