I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly feelin' exposed under this stranger's sharp stare.
"Alright." She downed the rest of her drink and stood, invadin' my space. "Surprise me."
CHAPTERTHREE
Next thing I knew,we were rushin' up the stairs to my apartment above the bar. I didn't have time to be nervous, to feel guilt, because she was practically shoving me.
"Hurry."
I chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."
She shoved me against the stairwell wall, pinnin' me against it from a step below with her forearm to my hips.
Ah, fuck. Hard as stone.
"Call me ma'am one more fucking time and this all ends."
I said nothing. Nodded half a dozen times while her eyes blazed up at me. She took a step up, and her arm shifted, bringin' her beautiful fucking hand to my aching dick. My entire body jerked, ready to come in my goddamn pants after not havin' been touched for so long.
"Kiss me, boy scout."
I swallowed hard knowin' there was no going back after this. By now, Sassy was probably back at the ranch with Rhett. Cryin' into his shoulder instead of mine, lettin' him be the one to hold her together.
This was what I wanted, wasn't it? What I'd practically shoved them toward when I walked away?
So why did the thought of her movin' on make me want to punch somethin'—or someone—preferably myself?
Maybe this was too fast. Maybe I was just tryin' to prove I could let go as easily as I'd lethergo. Or maybe I needed to know that what we had wasn't so special that I'd never find it again.
Either way, I was about to find out.
After tonight, Sassy would no longer be the only woman I'd ever kissed.
And I had to be okay with that.
I'd made my bed. It was time to lie in it.
Preferably with this sexy as sin viper of a woman.
I gripped her face between my palms and slammed my mouth to hers, getting it over with once and for all.
But the moment our lips touched, all thoughts of Sassy vanished. For the first time in over a week, my mind was silent. This woman tasted like freedom from my own guilt.
What began as a hard press of lips exploded into somethin' hot and hungry. Her lips split apart beneath mine, a breathy gasp escapin' as I swept my tongue across her bottom lip, tasting the hops of the beer she'd been nursin' downstairs. She bit down on my tongue—not gentle, not sweet—and the sharp edge of pain sent fire straight through my veins.
"Fuck," I groaned against her mouth, the curse vibrating between us.
She answered by fistin' my shirt, yanking me closer until her tits pressed against my chest. Her tongue slicked against mine, no trace of hesitation or shyness. This woman kissed like she owned me, like she'd been waitin' to devour me whole.
The taste of her flooded my senses—something uniquely her that made my head spin worse than any liquor ever could. Her mouth moved against mine with a hunger that matched the ache in my pants, each stroke of her tongue sendin' jolts of electricity down my spine.
She pulled back just enough to sink her teeth into my bottom lip, tugging until I hissed. The sting mixed with pleasure, blurring every line I thought I understood about want and need.
"More," she breathed against my mouth, the single word a command that had my entire body strainin' toward hers.
I crashed my mouth back to hers, deeper this time, hungrier. My hands tangled in her hair as she worked me through the thin material of my joggers, her palm creatin' enough friction to have me seein' stars. The stairwell felt too small, too public, but I couldn't bring myself to care about anything beyond the heat of her touch.
Without warning, she pulled back. My lips chased hers, desperate for another taste. "Let's go," she said, marchin' up the stairs.
