She chews her lip in thought.
Me: You don’t have to like me to fuck around with me.
There, I put it out there. Can’t take it back now.
Ava’s eyes round wide, and she looks up at me. I have no idea how to read her. She looks around the room again before skating those gorgeous dark eyes back to mine. She holds my gaze for a solid minute, and the noise of the room around us fades. It’s just her and I, warring with our wills against what we think we want, how we think it should be, and what our bodies desire.
I fully expect her to give me the finger, but instead, she holds my gaze. Candlelight flickers in their reflection as she thinks her choices over. Not sure whether or not the dancing lights in them or her indecision excites me more. The moment of truth comes as I expect when she lifts her shot and tosses it back, then whispers something to the girls. She stands, and her satiny emerald green gown shimmers in the candlelight. She grabs her clutch and walks off toward the hallway leading to the bathrooms and exit. When she stops and looks over her shoulder back at me, my breath stills in my lungs. Nowthat, I did not expect. My throat goes dry.
Oh. Fuck.
11
Mark
Holy. Shit.
I get up from my chair and nonchalantly walk to toss my trash into the receptacle near the exit, not taking my eyes off of Ava as she walks toward the bathroom.
I let her disappear beyond the door and count to sixty… Twice. Surely there’s nobody else in there. Looking around, there’s nobody in sight. I take the short twenty steps that feel more like a hundred to the bathroom door as quickly as possible, pushing it open as quietly as I can. Ava’s leaning against the counter, looking into the mirror, debating if she made the right decision. When her gorgeous dark eyes meet mine, I know that there’s no turning back. I look toward the stall doors then back to her to silently ask if we’re alone. She answers by walking up next to me and flicking the lock to the bathroom door.
My stomach bottoms out in anticipation, and I press her chest against the door, leaning in to run my nose up the length of her neck from behind. Her breath hitches, but she doesn’t move. She just allows me to explore the silken skin between herear and shoulder with the lightest touches of my nose, fingers, and a skim of my lips. I resist the urge to nip her shoulder. She’s not ready for that. I don’t want to scare her off before I even get started. I draw my fingers down the back of her thin dress, enjoying the feel of her curves. As I slip my palm over her ass, she sighs, but we both freeze when the door handle rattles. I close my eyes in frustration, cursing quietly under my breath.
Her eyes go wide, and she looks to the stall closest to the door, hitching her chin to indicate that’s where she wants me to go.
“Just a second!” she hollers toward the entrance door.
She flicks the lock as soon as I close the door and opens it.
“I’m so sorry. I slipped out of my heel right by the door. I didn’t want someone to waltz in while I was bent over fixing it and knock me on my butt. All good now.”
“That was smart thinking, dear. I don’t think I would’ve thought to do that,” an older woman answers.
Ava can clearly think quickly on her feet, even with alcohol in her system. Impressive. As soon as the woman locks her stall door, I “flush” my toilet with a square of toilet paper since I won’t be able to wash my hands without getting caught. When I exit the bathroom, I catch her eye and hold up a finger telling her to wait for me. I step into the men’s room and properly clean my hands, because I fully intend on getting them on her in a minute.
I pull open the door, half expecting her to have changed her mind, but see her looking at the bulletin board with community news on it. I clear my throat loud enough to get her attention but not loud enough to draw eyes from anyone lingering around. I hitch my chin, indicating for her to follow me. Instead of a nasty bathroom where anyone could just walk in, I pull a Colin and lead her toward the bridal party rooms where we got ready. There’s a closet area between the two that’llbe perfect. I see her coming around the corner and make sure she sees me enter the closet. I leave the door cracked.
Buzz.
Ava: Give me a second.
Me: Hurry before I change my mind.
I’m not going to change my mind. I don’t back down. If she’s in, I’m in.
Just a couple minutes pass by before I see the sliver of light from the cracked door widen. I left the lights off. I see her shadow slip inside before she shuts and locks the door, shrouding us in darkness, only allowing us to feel each other’s presence. Her scent envelopes me as I feel her step closer, and anticipation fills the thick air between us once again. My fingers reach out to where I imagine she’s standing, and she gasps when I make contact with her arm. I trail my fingers down to her wrist, circling it gently while pulling her toward me slowly and insistently. I’m backed up against a countertop, which I plan to put her on top of. Here and now, in the dark, we can forget who we are to each other and just feel.
When she’s nestled between my thighs, I blow out an anticipatory breath, skimming my fingers up the smooth satin of her dress, searching for her hip to pull her in closer. I let go of her wrist to pull her dark hair aside and skim my lips up the length of her neck, getting back to where I’d previously been showering her with attention in that bathroom. She smells delicious. I nip the bottom of her earlobe, and she shivers. Goosebumps erupt along her skin. I hum in approval.
“Mark,” she whispers as if I better kiss her before she loses her nerve.
“Shh… no talking.”
“This doesn’t change anything between us.”
I grab her tightly, letting my deep voice rumble through the tiny space.
“I said no talking.”
