Knock, knock, knock.
He’s here. My heart thunders in my chest and I have to force myself to take a deep breath and approach the door. Swinging it open, anything I might have planned to say immediately dissolves from my mind.
Leaning against the doorframe, he looks like a dark god who has come to claim his woman. It should be illegal to look this good. He has dressed up for the occasion, wearing dark jeans and a shirt. The top two buttons of his black shirt are undone and I can see some of the artwork across his chest. It’s taunting me, teasing as it wraps around his skin, only to disappear from sight. All of a sudden, I’m not bothered about his plans and want to spend the evening exploring where that tattoo leads to…
“Holly…” He trails off, his voice practically a growl, and for a moment I wonder if I’ve done something wrong. Then I notice the gleam in his eyes. A deep grumble of appreciation emits from his chest, sending a bolt of arousal straight through me. Shaking his head slowly, his tongue comes out to wet his lip. “You are going to make this very difficult for me.”
Transfixed on the movement of his tongue, it takes me a moment to process what he said.Phew, is it hot in here, or is it just me?My cheeks feel flushed and my whole body is on fire. Blinking, I tear my eyes from his lips and meet his gaze. “What do you mean?”
A crooked half-smile tugs at his lips as he does a slow perusal of my body. “Any guy who so much as glances in your direction tonight is going to get barred. Are you trying to make me go out of business?”
I know that he’s joking, at least, he’s only teasing about me trying to make him go bust. What I’m not so sure on is him barring guys who look at me. That seems like a very Clay move, and one I wouldn’t put past him.
Raising a brow, I give him a teasing look and twist slightly like I’m about to walk away. “I can go get changed if you want–”
A gasp gets caught in my throat as I’m suddenly pinned in the doorway. “Don’t you dare,” he orders, resting an arm above my head as he leans down, his eyes intense. “I shouldn’t do this yet, but I can’t help myself.”
He’s so close, all I have to do is lean forward and we would be kissing, yet I’m completely mesmerised by him and his internal struggle.
“Just a taste.” His words are whispered across my lips and I’m fairly confident that he’s talking to himself.
I am not about to protest, though, and as his lips finally touch mine, fireworks go off within me. He leads the kiss, slow and passionate, like he has all day and nowhere else to be. Every time I try to take control and speed things up, he presses me back against the door fame and nips my lower lip until I submit to his kisses.
The warmth of his body is suddenly gone and I feel the loss of his touch immediately. Eyes opening, I’m surprised not to find him in front of me, but several steps away. He looks like he’s in pain, as though pulling away from me is causing him physical discomfort. I know the feeling; my body is pining for him.
“Let’s go, before I do something stupid and mess up our plans for the night.” His smile is reluctant and I can tell how hard he’s working to make this a ‘real’ date for me. Honestly, I’d be happy to skip the club and go straight to my bedroom, but this is how he wants to do it, so I’ll respect that.
Catching my breath, I try to remember what he told me earlier about the date. “We’re going to the club?”
Nodding, Clay gestures for me to take the stairs, following behind me. “Yes, there’s an amazing band playing tonight and I wanted to bring you.”
“The band starts at 5 in the afternoon?” Glancing over my shoulder, I let him see my cheeky smile.
“No,” he chuckles, squeezing past me at the bottom of the stairs to get the door. “I have to be there in case anyone needs me during set up, but it gives us a chance to chat and have a few drinks before everyone else arrives. Then we’ll go to the VIP booth and enjoy the show.”
I have to admit that he’s pulling out all the stops to make this a great date for me. A voice in the back of my mind keeps bringing up an important question though, making it harder for me to focus. What about Bear? I loved my date with him and certainly want to see him again, but I can’t deny I have a connection to Clay that goes beyond the physical that I want to explore.
They are both aware of each other – I’m not keeping secrets and no one is getting hurt. At some point I’ll have to make a decision, but that is not tonight. Pushing the thought from my mind, I smile up at Clay and let him lead me to his car.
The journey to the club is filled with laughter and music. I discover that we have a similar taste in music and have both been to some of the same concerts over the years. Reaching our destination, everything is in a state of organised chaos as the staff and band get everything set up for the show. Of course, Clay jumps straight in, helping move heavy speakers.
During all of this, I sit at the bar and watch him. He doesn’t say much, but he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty and help out. I notice the looks of appreciation his staff shoot in his direction, although I’m not sure he does.
Lifting my glass to my lips, I finish my second cocktail, smiling into the glass at the story the barman, Joe, is tellingme. I’m fairly certain that everything he’s saying is a gross exaggeration, but it’s amusing to hear some of the more interesting happenings at the club.
“Don’t listen to anything he says about me,” Clay murmurs from behind me, placing his hand on the small of my back. A thrill shoots through me at his casual touch, my eyes drawn to him naturally. Leaning in, he presses a kiss to my cheek, his lips lingering against my skin, and whispers into my ear. “It’s all lies.”
Joe smirks and places a glass on the bar, already filled with an amber-coloured liquid, sliding it into Clay’s open hand. While I’m vaguely aware that this is going on, I am wholly distracted by Clay’s touch, my blood heating and mingling with the alcohol moving through my veins to create an entirely intoxicating sensation. Arousal. Need. Obsession.
Humming with amusement, I twist on my stool so I can fully face him. “He was actually just telling me what a good boss you are.”
Clay grins back at me. “He’s definitely lying, then.”
He takes a seat with me at the bar; we talk about our lives and what brought us to where we are today while the club opens around us. I discover that Clay actually went to the Hinton Institute for a while – apparently he’s a musical prodigy on the guitar. However, his parents split up and he had to leave the Institute. I find it funny that we have been so close on several occasions over our lifetimes, yet never met until now – almost as though fate had a hand in it.
The band is playing and the club is packed, bodies swaying to the music and dancing around. Music pulses through me and the atmosphere around us is great. However, with the bar getting so busy, it’s difficult to hear him over the noise – not great for two people wanting to get to know each other. There are other ways to learn about your date, though, ways that don’t requirespeaking. Clearly Clay has the same idea as he stands and offers me his hand. Without waiting for an explanation, I slide from the stool and take his hand, following behind him. I don’t need to know where he’s taking me; I trust him.
I’m no longer nervous, but anticipation of what could happen between is making me alive with excitement. The coloured lights flash over us, somehow making him look even more handsome, which I didn’t think was possible. Alcohol probably has a part to play in this, but he seems so at home here, surrounded by the music with plenty of dark spots to hide in and watch the customers. I feel like I’m in one of those movies where the lighting is soft and romantic, the music faded and I’m walking with a spring in my step, his outstretched arm my lifeline and our every movement in slow motion. In the morning I’ll probably laugh about it, but for now, I’m going to embrace it.