Crazy Stupid Love (Crazy Love #1)(16)
“The bartender?”
“Yes, he was bartending the night you were there but he’s more than that; we run the bar together. He’s my business partner.” He nods towards Marie who reappears with our waters.
“Should be out shortly,” she says, sliding the glasses in front of each of us.
“Thank you,” I say, smiling in her direction as she turns and walks away. “Wait, so you own the bar?” I jump right back into our conversation the moment she’s out of earshot.
“I do. Well, with Gavin. We bought it four years ago. Of course, it was a complete dump back then, but we managed to turn it around.”
“I would say so,” I agree, having seen the bar firsthand.
Even though it’s a bit out of my comfort zone, my statement is the absolute truth. Deviants, while wild and a bit untamed, is a very nice establishment.
“You didn’t seem too thrilled with it last Saturday.” A slow smile creeps across his impossibly handsome face.
“It’s just... a little different than what I’m used to,” I admit.
“I’m starting to gather there are a lot of things that are different than what you’re used to.” He leans towards me, his elbows coming to a rest on top of the table in front of him.
“Is it that obvious?” I question.
“It’s not a bad thing.” He reaches out and takes my left hand, twisting his fingers around mine. “In fact, I find it quite refreshing.” His voice drops low, and my stomach immediately erupts in butterflies.
“So you said you’re from around here?” I redirect, desperate to take the conversation off of me.
“I am,” he confirms not giving me anything else.
“Why did you leave?” I ask when he makes no attempt to continue.
“Why did you?” His obvious avoidance of the topic tells me everything I need to know.
“It’s a long story.” I sigh, my eyes falling to our hands as his thumbs trace circles across the back of my skin.
“Lucky for you I’ve got all night.” He grins, the action causing my stomach to bottom out.
Every little thing this man does makes me feel like I am going to melt into a puddle at his feet. He just makes me feel, I don’t know, alive I guess. There’s no other way to explain it. The world just suddenly seems so much more vibrant.
“I...” I start but then stop, pulling my hand away from Decklan as Marie reappears at our table, sliding a large pizza and two plates between us.
While the food looks incredible, I’m not sure my stomach will accept it. It’s so knotted and full of nerves it’s almost painful. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I try to push aside the nervous energy surging through me.
I wait for Decklan to grab a slice of pizza before I help myself to one as well. I make sure he isn’t watching me as I slowly lift the slice to my lips and take a small bite. He’s right of course, the pizza is amazing, but it still takes everything I have to force it down.
I can’t focus, can’t find a way to silence the loud thud in my ears as my heart pounds rapidly in my chest. I can’t concentrate on anything except the way his incredible gray eyes keep finding mine, the heat behind his intense stare, and how my entire body tingles beneath it.
I am in so much trouble...
Chapter Six
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Decklan
This is f*cking torture.
Having Kimber wrapped around me, clinging onto me for dear life as if I’m the only thing tethering her to the world; it’s enough to make me f*cking insane. All I want is to bury myself deep inside of her and shatter her perfect little exterior. With her pressed so tightly against me, it’s nearly impossible not to pull over somewhere and do just that.
She tenses as I maneuver the bike around a curve in the road, her grip growing impossibly tight. I can’t help but let out a light laugh, the sound lost to the noise of the wind whipping around us.
Pulling up outside the dorm building Kimber advised me that she lives in, I pull into a vacant parking spot and kill the engine. She immediately loosens her grip; the loss of her arms wrapped around me the last thing I want to feel right now.
Fuck this girl has me so mixed up.
She slides off the back of the bike before I make any attempt to move, handing me the helmet as she steps around beside me.
“Thank you for dinner.” She gives me a sweet smile, the familiar blush returning to her pale cheeks. “And for the ride.” She pushes up on her tiptoes and leans in, laying a light kiss to my cheek.
When she lingers there a second too long, I can’t fight the urge to taste her any longer. Turning my face inward, I latch my fingers into the back of her hair and pull her mouth roughly to mine.
She tenses for a brief moment, my action clearly catching her off guard, before she finally relaxes into the kiss, her lips parting slightly on a soft moan as I trail my tongue lightly across her lower lip.
Her hand finds my upper thigh, her nails digging into my flesh as I deepen the kiss, pulling her towards me. I let out a deep groan as I slide my tongue against hers, feeling her tremble slightly against me. It’s enough to make me almost frantic with need.
But just as I feel like I might split apart if I don’t have her right now, she slowly eases out of the kiss, her breath coming in short spurts as she pulls away and meets my gaze with heated eyes.