Текст книги "Strings Attached"

Автор книги: Stephanie Julian

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

“We haven’t been fighting. Hell, we’ve only seen each other once in the past year.”

“Yeah, and that went real well.”

“Well, maybe we need a do-over.”

Nik shook his head. “We can’t start over, Baz. We’ve got too much history.”

Shit, that almost sounded like Nik was breaking up with him, for Christ’s sake. “I know exactly how much history we have. And I’m not willing to let any of it go.”

“Really? Because it sure as hell felt like you didn’t give one fucking shit the last time we talked.”

“You were pissed. I was pissed. Maybe we just forget what happened and go forward.”

Nik just stared at him, his expression devoid of any emotion. Baz felt like his chest was caving in.

Damn it, this shouldn’t have been so fucking hard. Had he really screwed up their relationship to the point they couldn’t restore it?

Baz refused to believe that.

Nik released a short sigh. “I’m not sure we can. I’m not sure—”

“Fuck that.” Baz closed the few steps between them and put his hands on Nik’s shoulders, their faces so close their noses almost touched. “No fucking way. I know I fucked up, okay. I know I have a lot of shit to make up for. But you’ve never given up and I’m not giving up now. I’m ready to get back to our music. And I can’t do it without you.”

Something flashed through Nik’s electric blue eyes, something Baz didn’t know how to interpret and that just pissed him off. There’d been a time when he and Nik could practically read each other’s minds.

Now . . .

Fuck.

The door flew open and Baz took a step away and turned to see Mac and Johnny walk through.

“Nikky. Holy fuck, kid.” Johnny made it to him first, wrapping him in the same bear hug he’d given Baz.

Nik returned it with a huge grin, the first Baz had seen from him tonight.

Behind Mac, coming through the door now, was Tru, who smiled at him as she walked in with Dana.

While Mac and Johnny spoke to Nik, Baz walked over to Tru.

“Sorry—”

She put her fingers over his lips, stopping the rest of his words. “Nothing to be sorry for. Did you talk?”

“Yeah but . . .” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Hey, Valenti,” one of the crew called to him. “I need to wire you.”

Frustration ate at him and he was halfway to backing out of performing, but Tru must’ve seen his intention in his face.

“I really do want to see you play.” She held on to his gaze. “Please?”

And behind him, Baz heard Mac say, “Nikky, come on, man. Baz is playing. You gotta come out and sing a few.”

Turning, he saw Nik’s gaze latch onto his.

“Really?” Nik looked like he didn’t believe it. “You’re gonna play?”

Fuck. Did he say yes or no?

“Yeah, I said I’d play a few.”

A few seconds of silence before Nik nodded. “Okay. Sure.” Nik finally looked away. “It’s been awhile, though. Not sure how I’m gonna sound.”

Mac slapped Nik on the back, making Nik smile as his entire body shook.

“Kid, I have no doubt you’ll sound like you never left the stage. Audience is gonna go batshit when they see you two.”

Yeah. Baz just hoped he and Nik didn’t go batshit on each other before the end of the show.

*   *   *

Watching Nik and Sebastian do that awkward will-they-won’t-they dance, Tru hoped like hell that Baz didn’t want to strangle her after the concert.

For one thing, Greg and Sabrina were on their way.

For another, this impromptu reunion was about to be filmed.

Sure, the thousand people in the audience probably all had phones that they’d whip out to record the momentous occasion. But Tru had taken it one step further.

While Nik and Sebastian had been talking, she’d gotten a text from Greg.

Are you at TLA with Baz?

Yeah, why?

My fucking Twitter feed’s blowing up. Hire a freelance photog to film if he gets onstage and picks up a fucking guitar. We’re on our way. Be there in ten. I hope.

She took a few seconds to consider Greg’s demand because, honestly, she wasn’t sure Sebastian would want this filmed. What if something happened between Nik and him and they ended up beating the hell out of each other onstage?

Then again, what if they were amazing and no one with a decent camera and a steady hand got footage?

She’d leaned over to Dana, still standing by her side, her gaze glued to Sebastian and Nik.

“Dana, I need your help. Can you find out how many freelance photographers have passes tonight? I need to hire one of them.”

The girl’s gaze narrowed, her head tilting to the side as if she didn’t understand. Then her eyes widened and she nodded. “Don’t need to. I’ve got the guy for you. Be back in a sec.”

Nik and Sebastian had disappeared, and she made arrangements with a seasoned pro whose eyes had glowed like a kid on Christmas morning when she’d told him why she wanted to hire him.

He’d taken her card, on which she’d written the amount he’d be paid, tipped his fingers to her and walked off with a smile, whistling.

Now she watched as one of the crew wired Sebastian for the guitar and another wired Nik for a mic. Johnny and Mac kept up a steady stream of conversation, which she suspected was designed to keep Nik and Sebastian from thinking too closely about what they were about to do.

Nik kept looking at Sebastian, as if to make sure he was still there, while Sebastian familiarized himself with the guitar Mac had put in his hands seconds ago.

When one of the crew popped his head through the door and announced, “Three minutes,” she saw Nik take a deep breath and shake his head. Then he rolled his shoulders, hopped up and down four times and shoved his hands through his hair, pushing the inky black mess away from his face and showing off his incredible bone structure.

She certainly appreciated his look, but the guy didn’t do it for her the way Sebastian did. Sebastian was handsome in all the right ruggedly masculine ways.

Nik had that perfect male-beauty thing going for him.

And she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. Dana couldn’t keep her eyes off him. But Nik only saw Sebastian.

Three minutes later, everyone was moving toward the stage. Sebastian held the guitar in one hand and Tru’s hand in the other.

They didn’t say anything as they walked through the maze of equipment and cables and people to the wings, where Nik and Sebastian stayed just out of sight of the crowd.

Obviously members of the audience had seen Sebastian in the wings during the first intermission, which was how Greg had found out he was there. But she’d been checking social media and hadn’t yet seen mention of Nik.

Johnny and Mac stepped onstage and Sebastian’s hand tightened around hers as the crowd began to cheer.

She tried to think of something to say but doubted he would’ve been able to hear her over the crowd or the music.

After two songs, Mac set down his guitar and leaned back in his chair, a huge smile on his face to match Johnny’s.

“Now we’ve got something special for you that you’re gonna love,” Johnny said. “We’ve known these guys since they first started touring—”

The outcry from the audience drowned out whatever else Johnny was going to say and continued to get louder as a crew member brought out two chairs and set them on either side of Johnny and Mac.

Tru swore she felt the floor move beneath her feet and she looked up at Sebastian to find him watching her, a slight smile curving his lips. He raised an eyebrow and she knew exactly what he didn’t need to say. She felt the rush for herself, all that energy focused directly at the stage.

He looked so damn happy, his eyes shone with it.

Then he bent to kiss her, and it was no sweet little brush of lips. No, he took her breath away as he prized open her lips and slid his tongue against hers, stealing her breath and making her weak in the knees.

When he pulled away, his grin widened, just before he turned to Nik. His smile tempered a little but there was a hint of a challenge in his eyes when he looked at Nik.

Nik stared back and waved his hand out for Sebastian to precede him. Instead, Sebastian wrapped his arm around Nik’s shoulders and got Nik moving beside him.

Dana stepped up to Tru’s side and she exchanged a smile with the girl before Dana’s gaze snapped back to the foursome onstage.

Nik and Sebastian acknowledged the crowd with smiles and waves but didn’t say anything as they took their seats. Sebastian played a few chords, adjusted the tuning on the guitar for few seconds, then looked at Mac and nodded.

Mac started to play, Johnny started to sing, Sebastian began to play and Nik joined in with Johnny on the second verse.

With a sinking heart, Tru realized something she’d never considered.

She’d never be able to compete.

Chapter Ten

Johnny and Mac had announced the last song and the outcry from the audience was so loud, Baz figured they could hear it all the way to Society Hill.

They’d already played fifteen minutes past the scheduled time and if they went over any more, they’d be paying a hell of a lot in penalties and overtime.

But they had to stop sometime. Even if Baz didn’t want the night to end.

Holy shit. He hadn’t felt a rush like this since . . . Well, since two nights ago when he’d come inside Tru.

Yeah, it was that kind of high.

For the past hour and forty-five minutes, all he’d known was music. The music he loved to play. The music that spoke to him.

Not to say he didn’t love what he was doing for Greg, but this was different. It spoke to a different part of his soul, to a primal part of who he was.

The fact that Tru had been there to see it had made everything that much better. And with Nik by his side . . .

As Johnny and Mac thanked the audience for coming and the four of them stood to bow, the applause rose to thunderous levels that would probably mean noise violations for the TLA.

Nik and Baz headed offstage before Johnny and Mac, who wrapped their arms around each other and took another bow before leaving. The two older guys had huge grins and were slapping each other on the back when they left the stage. Dana immediately ran up to her dad and gave him a big hug, which he returned before tucking her into his side as they all made their way back to the green room.

Baz and Nik had said a few words to each other onstage and for a minute it’d felt like old times. Like before everything had gone to shit.

But when he’d walked offstage, he’d wanted to see Tru. And there she’d been, sweet smile on her face and her eyes bright. He’d bent for another kiss and lingered a little longer than he had before he’d walked onstage. This time, she responded with a little more heat of her own, which made him want to get her somewhere dark and private. But they couldn’t do that. At least not yet.

No, he still had to talk to Nik. Had to tell him how much he’d missed him and how he didn’t want to make Baseline Sins music without him. Tell him how much he needed him.

And then he realized Greg and Sabrina were there, standing off to the side, out of the way of the crew who were breaking down the equipment.

Greg had a huge grin on his face as he glanced at Johnny and Mac, and Baz remembered how he and Greg had spent an afternoon discussing Silence Divided music and how much Greg loved it.

He wanted to introduce Greg to them, wanted Sabrina to meet them and Dana. And he wanted Nik by his side, where he’d been since they were ten.

Looking around, he spotted Nik heading for the bathroom. After a quick look at Tru, he headed there, too.

He found Nik standing with his hands braced on the sink, head down, just breathing.

Shit. “Hey, you okay?”

Nik didn’t say anything at first, just kept his head down.

A few seconds later, before panic could start to rear up again in Baz’s chest, Nik lifted his head and looked into the mirror and into Baz’s eyes.

“It’s been a long time.”

“I know.”

“I’d almost forgotten what it felt like, you know? That rush.”

Baz shook his head. “I’m sor—”

“No.” Nik shook his head. “Just . . . don’t. Just stop apologizing, okay? I’m not asking for any more apologies. I realized tonight I should probably be making some of my own.” Turning to face Baz, Nik leaned back against the sink, arms crossed over his chest, intense blue eyes latched onto Baz’s. “I wasn’t fucking there when you needed me, was I? I left you hanging in the wind, even after I found out you nearly died. And that just made me even more pissed off.”

“Yeah, I kinda got that feeling the last time we talked.”

Nik dropped his head for several seconds. “I fucking suck as a friend.”

“No, Nik, we—”

“I came tonight because I knew you’d be here, and I couldn’t figure out what to say to you. I just needed to see you. And say I’m sorry.”

The self-loathing Baz saw in Nik’s eyes took him by surprise. Baz hadn’t seen that look in years. He’d thought Nik had gotten over that shit, left it behind like he’d left his childhood home and the abusive dick his mom had married who’d made Nik’s teen years a living hell.

“Nik. We’ll get through this.”

Pushing away from the sink, Nik walked straight up to Baz, put his hand on the side of Baz’s head and wove his fingers through the short hair.

The affection with which he did it wasn’t shocking. They’d never had hang-ups about touching. Hell, they’d slept in the same damn bed more times than not those first few years on tour when money was tight and they couldn’t afford more than one room for the five of them.

But when Nik leaned in and kissed him . . . That shocked the ever-living hell out of Baz.

Because this wasn’t a friendly kiss.

Nik kissed him like he wanted to make Baz kiss him back. Pressed their lips together hard, Nik’s scruffy chin rubbing against Baz’s, a sensation that made every nerve ending in his body snap to attention.

Holy fuck.

Stunned, Baz grabbed Nik’s shoulders but he didn’t push him away and he didn’t pull him closer. Jesus, he could barely breathe. Nik’s lips felt soft against his, softer than Baz ever would’ve expected a man’s lips to feel.

Then Nik stepped away, released Baz completely and stared straight in his eyes.

“We need to talk but it can wait until tomorrow. I’ll call you around noon. Maybe we can meet for lunch.”

Then he walked past Baz and out the door.

*   *   *

Talking with Johnny and Greg, who was fangirling all over Johnny, Tru saw Nik leave the bathroom and waited for Baz to make an appearance. The guys hadn’t been in there long enough for her to get worried that they were having a fight and Nik didn’t look any worse for wear when he left.

Baz didn’t immediately follow but she wasn’t about to barge into the bathroom to make sure he was okay. And when he finally emerged thirty seconds later, he looked a little stunned but not upset.

Looking around, he stopped when he found her and made his way to her side immediately, putting his arm around her shoulders and gripping her tight, as if he thought she might try to get away.

“I was just telling Johnny how much I love their music.” Greg nodded in Baz’s direction. “You know I love you, but Johnny and Mac have been part of my life much longer than you have.”

Sebastian smiled but she could tell it was forced. “I don’t blame you. I know exactly what you mean.”

“You sounded great tonight.” Johnny slapped Sebastian on the shoulder. “So did Nik.”

“Yeah, Nik sounded great. But then, he always does.”

“So what’d you think, Tru?”

She felt Sebastian turn to look at her and she smiled up at him. “He’s amazing but I already knew that. You wouldn’t have hired him if he wasn’t.”

His smile seemed a little more natural now and the look in his eyes promised all sorts of things he’d better not say in front of these people. Just in case, she raised her eyebrows at him and his grin turned wicked, telling her he knew exactly what she didn’t want him to say.

“Nice to hear.”

The group continued to talk and Tru listened but her gaze wandered over to Nik, who kept stealing glances at Sebastian while he talked with Mac and Dana on the other side of the room.

A few minutes later, she saw Nik hug Mac, saw him nod as Mac whispered something in his ear, then pull back and smile when Mac put one big hand on his face and patted his cheek.

Nik shifted his gaze to Sebastian and Tru saw so much frustration and longing in his expression, she couldn’t help but feel for him. Then she felt Sebastian’s arm tighten around her shoulders and she looked up to find him staring back at Nik.

The contact didn’t last long, just until Nik nodded and turned toward the door, quietly opening it before slipping out.

Beside her, Sebastian released a heavy breath and visibly relaxed.

Five minutes later, when Johnny and Mac invited everyone to come back to their hotel room with them for drinks, Sebastian immediately declined.

“I think I’ve ignored my date enough for one night,” he said. “We’re gonna get going.”

She wanted to tell him it was okay, that they could spend another hour with his friends. But honestly, she wanted to get him alone, away from everyone who had a claim to him, so she could have just a few hours to herself.

Selfish? Maybe.

Right now, she didn’t care. Because she had the feeling she wouldn’t have him in her life that much longer.

“I think we can deal with that.” Johnny smiled at them, nodding, while Mac and Dana made their ways back to join their group. “Don’t be such a stranger, kid.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“We’re gonna hold you to that.” Mac squeezed Sebastian’s shoulder. “Nice to meet you, Tru. Hope to see you again soon.”

They said their good-byes to Greg and Sabrina, who gave Tru a private thumbs up as they were leaving.

Sebastian held his ball cap in his hand but hadn’t put it on yet, and they stopped just before reaching the outside door, where another bouncer waited to release them out into the world.

“I don’t think that’s going to do any good.” She smiled as she pointed to the cap. “If there’s a crowd waiting outside, they’re going to know it’s you because of your clothing.”

“Yeah.” He sounded resigned. “So, you ready to run the gauntlet?”

“Do you really dread it?”

He shook his head. “Not really, no. But I’m dying to get you alone and naked.”

Combined with the heat in his eyes and the sound of his voice, her body reacted as if he’d put his hands between her legs and stroked her.

Her heart turned over and her lungs felt deprived of oxygen. And, oh my god, she wanted him to fuck her. Right here against the wall. She wanted everyone else to just disappear so it was only the two of them. And then she wanted him to take her like he couldn’t get enough of her. Like he wanted to devour her.

His expression said she wouldn’t have much trouble talking him into it. And he’d probably be willing to forgo having everyone else disappear.

Just the thought made her go wet between her thighs.

She took a deep breath. “Then let’s go back to my place.”

Nodding, he took her hand and they walked up to the door.

“Not too many people out there anymore.” The bouncer grabbed the door handle but didn’t open it right away. “Tried to keep them moving. If you can slip out quick, you might not get caught. Good show tonight, man. Nice to see you onstage.”

“Thanks.” Sebastian stuck out his hand and the guy shook it with a smile. “It was nice to play again.”

“Let me check to make sure there’s no one right outside the door.”

The bouncer stepped outside for a few seconds then stuck his head back in. “Head right immediately and don’t look back. See you again soon.”

They slipped out, keeping their heads down and made it almost a block before someone caught up to them.

He was probably twenty-five or so and had a huge grin on his face. He handed Sebastian a ticket from the show and a pen.

“Dude, you were awesome tonight. Seeing you and Nik with Johnny and Mac was mind-blowing. I saw you guys out on tour with them seven years ago. Best night of my life.”

“Thanks, man. That means a lot.”

“So is Baseline Sins gonna have new music soon?”

For the first time since she’d met him, Sebastian’s smile held no trace of indecision. “I hope so, yeah. I think we will.”

The guy’s expression couldn’t have been happier. “That’s fucking awesome. I can’t fucking wait.”

Sebastian thanked him, shook his hand, then took Tru’s hand again and started walking. No one else bothered them on the way back to her place and they didn’t talk.

But he didn’t need to say anything to let her know exactly what he wanted to do to her. It was there in the heat in his eyes and the way his hand tightened around hers. In the way he picked up the pace the closer they got to her house until they were practically running.

Giddy anticipation made her heart pound, which made it hard for her to catch her breath.

So by the time she had to dig her keys out of her purse, her hands were shaking with excitement and she could barely get the key into the lock.

She nearly dropped the key when Sebastian plastered himself to her back and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Problems?”

“No.” Although she did sound pretty out of breath.

“You sure? You need help?”

Oh, hell, yes, she needed help when he pulled her ass back against his pelvis and pressed his rock solid erection against her.

She finally got the key into the slot but stopped to turn and look over her shoulder at him.

“If you keep doing that, I’m not sure I’ll ever get the door open.”

“Then I guess you do need my help.”

His mouth pressed against her neck and he bit down, hard enough to sting. She tried to contain her moan but couldn’t stop the shiver that wracked her body.

Her ass wiggled back into Sebastian’s cock, making him thrust forward.

A second later, the door opened as if by magic since her hand was nowhere near the knob.

And then she was being pushed through to her living room. She barely realized she’d dropped her purse by the door before Sebastian spun her around and pushed her back against the hardwood.

His body meshed against her at the same time he dropped his mouth over hers. Something came over her then, something she’d never felt before. The undeniable urge to let him have his way with her. It almost frightened her, the intensity of her desire to submit because she had no idea where it was coming from.

The lash of his tongue against hers made her knees go weak and the only reason she didn’t sag to the floor was because he had her pinned to the door.

She could barely breathe but she didn’t care. All she cared about was easing the pulsing ache spreading out from her lower body.

Her pussy clenched like a fist, causing her hips to roll forward, seeking more pressure. Her mouth opened a little farther, letting him in just a little deeper. Her body softened, all thoughts of anything not Sebastian gone between one heartbeat and the next.

He took full advantage, his tongue engaging hers with furious abandon, as if he’d sensed her surrender on some level. His hands reached for hers, their fingers lacing together. Then he pulled them up to hold beside her head. His arms caged her in and the heat of his body seeped into her skin.

Everything that wasn’t Sebastian faded into oblivion. The hard door behind her back and head, the floor beneath her feet.

Nothing remained except the taste of his mouth on hers and the scent of his skin. He’d worked up a sweat under the lights onstage and she could still smell it on him. Not unpleasant. Just all man.

It drew her in, made her want to run her tongue along his neck and bite at his skin.

But right now, she could do nothing but let him kiss her. He did it with such thorough, wicked intensity she felt it like a drug seeping through her system. Her body felt dense and heavy, her muscles like jelly.

Sebastian must have felt that because he groaned into her mouth, the sound rumbling up from his chest.

His hands released hers and she immediately reached for his shoulders to hold herself steady. His hands went to her waist, his fingers digging into her side for a second before tunneling under her shirt and spreading across her hips. The new calluses on his fingers felt like sandpaper against her sensitized skin and her breasts ached to feel that texture against her nipples.

She wanted him to strip her shirt off, wanted them to be completely naked, but Sebastian seemed to be taking his own sweet time getting where he wanted to go. His fingers crawled at an incredibly slow pace up her sides to brush against the bottom of her bra. Her back arched, trying to push her breasts into his hands.

He pulled back to look down at her with a lazy smile. “Oh, not yet, sweetheart. This time I’m not rushing.”

“Rush this time.” She was practically panting. “Slow next time.”

He laughed, a wide smile making her lungs stop working for several seconds at the sheer masculine beauty of him. When had he become the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen?

She stared up at him, waiting. Hoping.

“No way, babe.” He thrust forward, his cock settling into the notch of her thighs and pressing against her clit. She felt an electric current zap through her body and wiggled closer, though she really couldn’t move much. “This is gonna take all night and we’re gonna enjoy the hell out of it.”

“If I promise to enjoy it no matter how fast or slow it is, will you hurry up?”

“No fucking way.”

He dipped his head again and sealed their mouths together, immediately sliding his tongue into her mouth and drugging her once more.

Her hands fell on his shoulders, fingers digging into the tight flesh before sliding around to spread across his back. The flex and play of his muscles against her hands made her thighs quiver.

He took his own damn sweet time, coaxing her into playing with him, forcing her to go slower, even as her heart continued to race.

Minutes passed while he kissed her, his hands continuing to rest on her sides. Until they weren’t just resting there. Now, his fingers were moving, flirting under the edges of her bra. Goosebumps rose on her skin, making her wriggle against him as the ache between her legs intensified.

As his tongue lazily played with hers, his fingers inched farther beneath her bra until he just touched the sides of her breasts. The pace he set was torture and she moved one hand to his hair to slide through the strands until she had a good hold on him. Then she tugged.

No response. He didn’t move any faster, didn’t change his infuriatingly sexy rhythm. But he did take one hand away from her bra.

No, damn it. That’s not what she wanted.

She tugged a little harder this time and felt his mouth curve in a smile against hers.

He began to press kisses along her jaw to her ear, where he nipped at the lobe. She shuddered and moaned, the hand not clenched in his hair falling to his hip. She had some vague notion to tease him the way he was teasing her, but she lost her train of thought when he unclipped her bra with one hand.

Her breath hitched as his hand immediately slid under her bra and cupped her breast. His warm skin molded to her soft flesh and squeezed. Not hard, just enough to make her want more. So much more because, oh my god, she needed it. Needed whatever he wanted to give her because she ached.

“Harder.”

Her voice barely registered above her breathing but he’d obviously heard her. He’d been licking and biting his way down her neck to her collarbone, left bare by her t-shirt, but he stopped for a few seconds just to breathe.

“You’re making me more determined to go slow, Truly. And when I set my mind to something, I can be pretty damn stubborn.”

She knew that firsthand. It’d made her furiously angry more times than she could imagine. Tonight it frustrated the hell out of her.

“Sebastian.”

His hand started a slow, steady massage and her nipple hardened to painful stiffness.

“I fucking love hearing you say my name.”

And she fucking loved having his hands on her.

Cupping her neglected breast in his free hand, he pressed his mouth over her collarbone again and swirled his tongue on her skin. The slight roughness of his tongue stirred her blood, heated it to just under boiling.

Releasing his hair, she let that hand drop to his waist, then thrust both hands under his shirt and curved them around him. The warmth of his skin incited her to sink her fingernails into his back. And when he shuddered against her, his breath blowing hot against her skin, she raked her nails upward, loving the sound he made in response.

Feeling like she’d regained at least a little bit of control, she turned her head and nuzzled her nose against his neck, breathing in deeply. She couldn’t get enough of his smell. It made her want to lick him all over.

Groaning, his hands stopped and she knew if she could see his face, he’d be wearing that look of intense concentration. The one he had when he played.

It made her want to throw him back on her bed so she could be on top and watch him while she rode him until they both came.

Damn, she wanted to do that right now.

She must’ve made a motion or maybe he could actually read her mind because he crushed her a little more tightly to the wall.

“You’re trying to make me lose control. Not gonna happen, sweetheart. Those days are gone. I’ve learned a few things in the past year. Like how to control my urges.”

“Maybe I don’t want you to be in control.”

“Oh, yes, you do. Trust me, Truly. You’ll enjoy the hell out of it.”

His mouth caught hers again, and this time his kiss was just as ravaging as before, but now it held a darker edge. She sensed he was bringing that control to bear on her again.

And now, she wanted to melt. She felt like she was melting from the inside out, her muscles and bones going liquid as he continued to caress her breasts with firm hands.

Soon, it wasn’t enough and her hips began to thrust against his in a rhythm he couldn’t deny. His own hips soon followed hers, until they were practically fucking each other through their clothes.

A second later, Sebastian reared back, breathing like he’d been deprived of oxygen for minutes. His eyes met hers and she saw a wildness in them that made her want to strip and do him right there against the door.

Groaning, he grabbed her for another hot kiss, his lips melding into hers like he couldn’t get enough. Then he pulled back and held her at arms’ length. “Where’s the bedroom?”

“Up the stairs and to the right.”

“Christ, I hope it’s not too far.”

Reaching out, he swung her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing and headed for the stairs at a fast walk.