My mouth parts in a wordless question as the meaning behind Cal’s words finally hits me. The heat of anger I’d welcomed as a distraction flares into desire, flooding me all the way to my toes and settling into a steady percussion between my legs.
His gaze homes in on my lips when I wet them, but he doesn’t offer another word to break the tension between us.
My nipples pebble beneath my bra, pushing against their barrier as it becomes increasingly difficult to draw a breath. It’smydecision. He isn’t pushing, but he isn’t backing away either.
I’d really like it if you find it in yourself to be brave right now.
That’s what he said the first night we met. And I’ve regretted playing it safe ever since. I refuse to have those same regrets tonight. His jade eyes darken imperceptibly when I tip my chin down.
“Yes.”
20
CALLUM
For an endless second, I rejoice in the single whispered syllable.
I’ll be damned if I don’t memorize the exact moment Alia chose me.
I’m acting on pure instinct when I grab her by the back of her neck and tug her into me. Her lower lip notches perfectly between mine and everything clicks into place. A kaleidoscope of colors burst behind closed eyelids, her touch igniting the simmering fire I’ve unsuccessfully tried to douse.
Her hands land on my shoulders with a soft thump and I prepare myself for a rejection. Instead, her fingers curl into my t-shirt, and I lose any will to slow down. I lock one arm across her lower back and yank her flush into me, swiveling and walking her backward to trap her against the fence. Cradling the back of her head, my fingers slide into her hair, keeping her in position while I take what I’ve wanted to for weeks.
My tongue traces the seam of her lips, begging for entry. She shivers, gasping in surprise when I nip at her mouth, tugging her lips apart until her warm breath greets my skin. I push through, drinking in her sigh as I mold her lithe curves against the hard planes of my body. I’m a tall man and, with the heels she’s wearing, Alia’s usual height is propped up enough that I don’t have to bend too much to keep our mouths locked together.
Every lash of her tongue against mine, each swipe and suck, makes me harden at the thought of her doing exactly that to my cock. Her muted whimpers shoot straight to my head, dizzyingly delicious. I’m desperate to find out what other sounds she’d make in bed.
I suckle her, tasting the sweetness of her last drink, drawing out a breathy little moan that drives me wild. My hands shape her back, needing every part of her perfect body to touch mine, dropping one palm to her rounded ass. Her breath hitches when I squeeze and I almost come when she rises up on her toes, straddling my thigh, pushing my erection right against her hip. Jesus, I’m so fucking hard and all we’ve done is kiss. She’s everywhere I need her to be yet not close enough.
My chest burns when I’m finally forced to pull away from her.
“Cal?” She’s breathing heavily and, the bastard I am, I want to make her scream my name instead.
My blood is thrashing so loudly in my ears that I wouldn’t have heard her quiet words if my gaze wasn’t stuck on her lips. Her swollen, kiss-roughened lips.Idid that. Caveman-Cal beats his chest victoriously somewhere within me.
“Your hands?” she croaks, finally looking up at me with drugged eyes that make me inordinately proud. I spread my fingers over the curve of her ass, bunching into her skirt, enjoying the automatic flex of her muscle in response to my touch. I press my hips closer, making no attempt to hide how turned on I am.
“Would a man not attracted to you kiss you like this?” I husk. “Hold you like this? Get so fucking hard from kissing you that it hurts to stand still?”
Her chest rises and falls in stuttered breaths, brushing against mine in a sensuous torture she doesn’t realize she’s wreaking upon me. The prettiest shade of red kisses the tip of her nose and cheeks and I groan, dropping my forehead to hers to stop myself from thrusting my tongue down her throat again.
“B-but,” she stammers, gulping audibly. Her fingers clench and unclench against my chest. “That night, after tacos. I thought you were going to kiss me then but you didn’t.”
“Rohan.”
One name is enough for her to understand why I backed away. Why I’ve insisted on maintaining this facade of a platonic friendship for weeks.
“Oh.”
She glances away, lower lip tucked between her teeth in consternation. She fidgets and I unwillingly loosen my grip on her. My body screams in protest when I give her space, already addicted to the sensation of her soft tits pressed against me.
When she looks up again, her gaze is more focused. The oddest sense of loss blankets me because I don’t want her thinking clearly when I’m still shaken. I want that deliciously hazy look of pleasure in her eyes for a lot longer than a couple minutes.
“I’m sorry,” she sighs, defeatedly. “I didn’t realize the position I was putting you in, having to choose between a friendship you’ve had for years and. . . me. Or maybe I did realize and was naive to think it might not matter. You made the right call. I understand.”
Does she? She assumes I’m picking Rohan, but I’m here, my lips tingling from her taste and my entire body aching for her touch.
“What’re you saying?” I’m genuinely bewildered by how quick she is to dismiss our kiss when I feel like my central axis has tilted to a degree I can no longer correct.