Kickin' It (Red Card #2)(47)

I turned around, his face was stone-cold sober like he refused to give anything away as we danced together. He put distance between us, and then I took that distance right back.

We danced like we argued.

And I refused to lose.

When I looked over my shoulder it was to see Slade jerk his head toward me. What? He wanted me to seduce my agent on the dance floor? In front of everyone?

I had a better idea.

Wine cellar.

Jagger wasn’t there.

Did that mean it was empty?

A tortured look crossed Matt’s face when I wrapped my arms around his neck, and yet he kept a respectable space between us. I smirked, which just made him scowl even more.

I’d never taken control of anything with Erik.

He never gave me that option.

He just took.

Spread his poison.

And took some more.

At least with Matt, I was going to go down swinging.

I fell against him and winced.

“What’s wrong?” He gripped my body with both hands, while I lied into his ear.

“I think it’s my ankle.”

“Fuck!” He wrapped an arm around me. “Can you walk?”

“Yeah, just need to go somewhere, not here.” I was a horrible liar, but he must have believed the pain on my face as we slowly walked out of the private banquet hall.

I immediately saw a sign for the wine cellar and turned to my right. I was walking just fine.

In fact, I was almost sprinting.

He chased after me.

When we stopped in front of the wine cellar, I nearly choked. There were private little rooms everywhere, maybe tasting rooms? But each one had a crazy-looking fur blanket, couches, tables, and candles lit everywhere. No wonder Jagger wanted to end up in here; it was like your own private castle.

I tugged Matt into the first room and closed the doors, then locked them.

He paced like a caged animal in front of me. “Parker.”

His voice was raspy, filled with exactly zero self-control.

“Yes?”

“Is your ankle really hurt?”

“No. But my heart is . . . you should probably start making it better.” I put my hands on my hips.

He gaped. “Listen—”

“I’d rather not.”

I slammed my mouth against his.

And prayed he’d respond.





Chapter Twenty-Four

MATT

I had zero restraint left.

I’d used it all trying not to peel her clothes off her body when we were dancing. I hauled her into my arms and drank, sucking on her tongue first, then deepening the kiss as I pulled the halter part of her dress free. More like tore it. I wasn’t in control anymore as I nipped her lips with my teeth and tugged the rest of the dress down to her hips.

“Does this mean you forgive me about the ankle?” Parker laughed as she worked the buttons down my shirt and then spread her palms over my naked chest as she shoved it off my body.

I gripped her by the wrists. “Not even a little bit. You scared the hell out of me. Next time just . . .” Our chests heaved as my eyes fell to the sexy-as-fuck black strapless bodice. It was connected just above her ass in the back and thrust her breasts in my face. “Just . . .” I licked my lips as visions of exploring the valley between her tits had my entire body pulsing with excitement. I would do that, I would do so many things before this night was over.

“Just?” She put her hands on her hips and stepped back. “What? You like this?”

I cupped her ass and tugged her toward me. Holding her against me felt better than I could ever have possibly imagined. My length throbbed against her dress, too many clothes stood between us, but I had to get a better look at that bodice.

“It’s . . .” I lifted a fingertip and ran it down the curve of her breast and up the other. “Teasing me.”

“The bodice?”

“Yeah, I can’t decide if I want to rip it apart and buy you a new one or slowly undo each hook and torture myself with what I’ll find underneath.”

She sucked in a breath and then turned away from me. “I choose torture.”

I chuckled darkly against her neck. “Why am I not surprised?” The scent of candles and luscious wine filled the air, and the scent of her skin, the taste of whiskey on my tongue mixed with each kiss I stole from her back. Each hook I undid had me ready to explode.

A small part of me still felt like I was taking advantage, but then she’d sigh my name, her head falling forward as I trailed kisses down her back.

She was mine.

Fuck whoever saw.

My body tensed and throbbed at the final hook. After tossing her bodice to the side and slowly pulling her dress over her hips, I stared at her ass long enough for Parker to look over her shoulder. “You gonna make it, old man?”

“Call me old and I really will spank you,” I growled, running a palm down her lower back and resting it against one perfect cheek. I pinched.

She let out a squeal and turned in my arms, facing me the way I’d imagined since I first saw her on my doorstep with freshly baked cookies.

“Tell me this isn’t wrong.” I swallowed against the dryness in my throat, the intense need to taste her, to claim her, to calm this erratic beating in my chest, this roaring in my blood that said she’d always been mine, that this was the most right thing I’d ever do.