Bait (Wake, #1)(5)

I didn’t know where it came from, but it felt instinctive. My hands went to his cheeks and pulled him to my mouth. I had to. The choice was made for me. My lips were thankful.

Casey reached for me and pulled me to him. I stood in between his legs, with my hands still framing his beautiful face.

I parted my lips and it was enough of an invitation for him to accept. Before I knew it, our mouths were swimming with each other, cognac and desire like I'd never tasted before.

But I had a boyfriend.

With that thought I begin to pull away.

“Stop it,” Casey whispered around the kiss and smile on his busy lips. “We'll sort it all out tomorrow. Be with me tonight. Please?” Then he held me tighter and lifted his eyes to mine and repeated his plea, “Blake, please?”

I wasn’t sure why he had such a strong pull, but I couldn’t imagine he’d ever had to plead with a woman before. He had captivated me from the moment I set eyes on him. I knew he was dangerous, that he was trouble, but I lost myself there for a few long moments. The depth of yearning in his eyes coerced me.

God, what was I doing?





Saturday, May 24, 2008


GOD, WHAT WAS I doing?

I hadn’t even broken up with Aly. Yet.

I didn't care. I had to have that girl. And there she was looking at me like I had all the answers. I really laid it out there. She must have thought I was a pushy prick.

I still didn't care.

I know I'd kick my own ass if I let her walk out of there without saying something.

Fuck. The feeling of her, as she hung onto me while we were dancing, made me want to take her to the bathroom and strip her bare, right there in the bar. So, I supposed I kept hold of my control as best that I could.

Say yes, Blake. Ask me up.

I willed her to want it like I did. She was taking too long. I had to kiss her again, while I still had her there, just in case she said no. I reached down and picked her up. I put her back on her stool.

Thank God we were the only ones in the bar and Nate was leaving us alone. I wished the doors were locked and the shades drawn. I would have had her right there. As I sat her back down I shimmied my hips between her legs and I was only a little surprised when she wrapped a leg around to pull me closer. My lips crashed into hers and I couldn't slow down. She tasted like honey and cognac.

I was desperate to be everywhere, in her mouth or otherwise. I couldn't put my finger on why, but one look at her f*cking knocked me in the gut when I walked in and saw her.

She was obviously all strung out from the rain. Her long, brown hair was messy. It was sexy as shit. Those pouty lips and, f*cking hell, her big brown eyes. I couldn't even f*cking look at her. I was totally screwed before she even knew my name. Blake wasn’t dolled-up like most of the women from my past. Not requiring any tweaking, she was gorgeous, just as she was.

Jesus, I really needed to get a grip.

“Come up to my room with me?” she murmured around our kisses. That was all the answer I needed.

“Good choice, honeybee. Kick that drink back.” I took the last half of mine and fished some cash out of my wallet to pay Nate.

“I'm staying across the street. Give me a few minutes to get situated in my room? Where's your cell?” She stood there looking at me like I wasn't moving quickly enough. “Come on, Cocky. Chop-chop.”

I handed my phone over and in no time I heard Seven Nation Army playing from her purse. I thought that was kind of badass.

“I'll call you, in like, ten minutes with my room number. Is that okay?” She looked almost afraid I might say no. She was bat-shit crazy if she thought I'd change my mind.

“That's fine with me. I'll hang here until you call.”

She didn't say anything. She smiled and it was refreshing. I watched her walk to the door and when she went to open it, she turned back around and caught me ogling her. Her petite hands came up in a “ten” and then she left.

I was screwed.

Still holding my phone, I looked down to the number she dialed. Normally, it wouldn’t occur to me to save a girl’s number in my phone.

Honeybee entered a lot more than my phone’s contact list that night.

I waited. It felt like it took three f*cking years. I couldn't get the initial image of her out of my head. I'd never looked at a chick before and immediately wanted to talk to her. Fuck her? Sure. Get my dick sucked? Lots of times. But she was so beautiful and real looking that I wanted to talk to her.

Then, I heard her voice and knew I needed to leave her alone. Her laughs, from across the room, made it torture for me to keep my ass on that barstool.

I had to fight going to her really f*cking hard.

I texted Cory a 'thanks for not warning me' not long after we arrived. He knew I only came for a drink, or so, and then I was going to go break it off with Aly. That got shot all to shit when I saw Blake.

I wasn't going anywhere, until it was to one of our beds.

When you saw a girl like that, like Blake, you didn’t approach. The dumb ones liked drinks; the aggressive ones liked a nice ass-grab as you walked past. It was the smart, out-of-your-league types that had to come to you.

And in my experience the only way to get a reaction from them was to leave them the f*ck alone.

Just enough.

Be the ball. Or, rather, be the bat that they wanted to give a swing with later.