Beautiful Broken Rules (Broken, Series #1)(113)

“Sorry,” he whispered. “It looks a little better today though. Why do you only injure your lips?” His voice was reaching that dangerously low level that made me do things I would regret later, but I was frozen up against the wall. “These are my favorite; you should take better care of them.” He bent down and started his spellbinding tender kisses, back and forth across my lower lip. All I could do was open my mouth a little wider and let him.

“Would you rather I injured something else?” I gasped.

His lips moved down my jaw and across the edge of my neck. “Of course not. I’d rather you not be damaged at all, but I love to kiss it better.”

At the word ‘damaged’, I pushed him off of me. “Stop doing this to me. I don’t like to be teased.”

“I’m pretty sure there was no teasing last night.” He eyed me with mischief.

“You know what I mean. You can’t keep kissing me…” Oh hell, the damn tears. I tried to sniff and wipe my eyes discreetly, turning away from him. “Please stop trying to ‘talk’ to me.” I said, using air quotes.

“You think that when I kiss you or… make love to you, that’s what I mean by ‘we need to talk’?” He grabbed me and spun me to face him. “Shit, you’re crying.” He pulled me into his chest and rubbed along the length of my hair. “Please, Beautiful. Please don’t cry. I really do want to talk to you.”

I couldn’t do this. I needed to leave this bathroom. He bent down and grabbed me around the waist to lift me up. I kept my legs hanging down, no matter how much they wanted to squeeze around his waist. He grabbed one leg and curled it around himself and when he reached for the other, I let that one fall back down.

“Please, Emerson, put your legs around me,” he begged.

I stayed there, slack in his arms with my feet dangling a foot off the ground.

“Please, don’t do this,” he whispered.

His familiar words hit me and I wiggled out of his hold. “I seem to remember saying, actually yelling, begging, pleading, those exact words to you a month ago. Let me respond the same way you did…” I saw him flinch right before I turned and walked out the door.

Halfway back down the hallway toward the ballroom I heard Micah say, “Dude, that’s the chick’s bathroom. Gents are that way.” Jaxon didn’t respond.

The ballroom filled up fast. Professor Patterson was beaming ear to ear at all the attendees. Even the Dean made it tonight to donate to our trip, although obviously he wouldn’t be participating in the auction. I weaved through the people, thanking them for coming, when Cole’s booming voice came through the speakers to welcome everyone. He handed the microphone to Professor Patterson so he could let everyone know what this event was for. He explained our trip to Africa and what we would be learning. I noticed Jaxon walk in and take a chair a few tables away from the stage. When Patterson began talking about the dangers of Africa and how we needed to be prepared, I noticed the stress on his face and his hands fisting the tablecloth. He looked over at me with a nervous expression and I turned my attention back to the stage.

“Okay guys, I hope you packed your wallets because we have twenty beautiful women back there ready for you to bid on them. Cash only, pay before you leave or I’m giving them to someone else. Treat them with respect or Jace and I will pay you a little visit.” He pointed to the back of the room at Jace.

I’d never thought of Jace as anything but a teddy bear, but he looked different with his tall body leaning up against the back wall. He had his muscular arms crossed over his wide chest. He looked dangerous and mean standing there glaring at everyone. I wanted to giggle at the apprehensive looks the other guys were giving him.