This One Moment (Pushing Limits, #1)(25)

For my sanity’s sake (as well as my dick’s), I tried not to imagine her legs wrapped around me while she was wearing only those shoes. I tried but failed.

The dress didn’t help either. It was sleeveless and would have covered her breasts if it weren’t for the cut-out in the front that pointed down, ending just below her cleavage.

Hailey turned around, and I sucked in a hard breath. The back of her dress cut away, so the skin from her shoulder blades to her lower back begged me to caress it. Her shiny brown hair flowed down her back, brushing her bare skin.

Shit, I was in serious trouble.

But who was I kidding? I’d been in serious trouble the moment my lips touched hers the night before last. I hadn’t meant to kiss her. That didn’t mean I hadn’t wanted to. But Hailey wasn’t interested in me, not that way.

Or so I’d once thought. But after the other night, I wasn’t sure anymore what was true and what wasn’t. She’d kissed me back. That much was true. Then she had pulled away and couldn’t get out of my room fast enough. She could have thrust a hot knife into my heart and it would’ve hurt far less.

Before that night, I had craved to touch her, to taste her. And after I did? The craving grew stronger, until it got to the point where it was all I could think about. On the plus side, I’d poured my emotions into a new song, and I had to admit it was damn good. Even Jared had agreed with me after I played it to him via Skype this afternoon.

“How do I look?” Hailey bit her lip and looked down at the dress.

Amazing. Hot. “Good.”

“Kayla loaned it to me.”

I was officially going to kill Kayla.

“Are you…?” I wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence and how she would react if I did. But the thought of her bringing home some random guy was too much to even think about. All I knew was if some guy hit on her, I was likely to punch him.

Which would make me no better than my old man.

“Am I what?” Hailey asked.

“Are you planning on hooking up with someone tonight?” My gaze dropped to her lips, and the craving to taste her again was a kick in the gut.

She shook her head, eyes locked on mine. The bruises on her face from the attack were faint, mostly hidden by her makeup. “Are you?”

I barely heard her. I was too focused on the image in my head of making love to her. And once again my dick got excited at that possibility.

Brilliant going, dickhead. As if I wasn’t already in enough trouble with Hailey dressed like this.

“No. The only person I’m going home with tonight is you.” My voice came out husky, and I silently cursed—again—my body’s reaction to her. Hailey had already made it clear she was only interested in one-night stands. The last thing I wanted was to be another of her one-night losers.

She blinked and quickly looked away. “Are you ready?”

“Yep. Brandon texted that he’s on his way. He should be here soon.” Kayla and her boyfriend were meeting us at the club.

I waited while Hailey grabbed her coat and purse, then we headed down in the elevator to the main floor. The easygoing feeling that used to be between us had shifted. Now an odd tension blanketed us. Hailey stood several feet from me in the empty elevator, but that did nothing when it came to her sweet vanilla scent. Even in the stale air, her scent made it impossible to pretend she wasn’t there.

Brandon’s truck was waiting for us outside the building when we stepped out of the lobby. I opened the passenger door and waved for Hailey to get in. But given what she was wearing, it was nearly impossible for her to climb in without flashing her ass. And while I might have appreciated seeing her sweet ass and panties any other time, I didn’t want anyone else to witness the view. Plus, seeing her this way would only make things more difficult for me. I was already in a shitload of trouble as far as Hailey was concerned, and I didn’t need to make things worse.

I gripped her waist with both hands and hoisted her onto the seat. A faint blush swept across her cheeks, and I did my best not to chuckle at her response. Instead, I focused on the way Brandon was checking her out, and I frowned. Hailey’s skirt had hiked up her thighs when she scooted over, leaving only a thin strip of skin covered.

Before I could say something we would all regret, Brandon turned his head to look out the driver’s window. Smart move, douchebag. I wasn’t sure if Brandon knew how I felt about her, but he’d never shown any interest in her before. But who was I kidding? Who wouldn’t be interested in Hailey? She was too sweet and too hot for her own good.

Hailey readjusted her skirt, wiggling it down her thighs as I climbed in next to her. My leg pressed against hers, and I silently lamented wearing jeans, which prevented me from feeling her soft skin.

“Remember, if you see the guy,” I said, “let me know. All right?” Brandon knew the real reason we were going to the club tonight, as did Kayla. While I trusted Brandon to be cool, I wasn’t too thrilled that Kayla knew why we were there. She was just as protective of Hailey as I was. I was worried about what she would do if she saw the asshat. But I didn’t have a choice. As soon as Hailey had told her what we were up to, Kayla insisted—correction, Kayla demanded—we take her with us.

“I will,” Hailey said.

“And don’t for any reason go off on your own. If you want to go somewhere, Brandon or I will go with you.”