Page 24 of Tequila Lime and Sunshine

I’m sliding back into my seat next to Hawke when I hear someone say, “Hey, do you want to dance?”

I look to my left and see a man, maybe a year or so younger than me. He’s wearing a Hawaiian print shirt unbuttoned, showing off his toned stomach. I almost laugh because I’m sure showing off his toned body was his plan to pick up women tonight. But before I can say anything, a hand wraps around my waist, and a deep voice says, “She’s busy.”

I look over my shoulder at Hawke standing behind me.

The open-shirt dude raises his hands up. “Sorry, man. Didn’t know she was taken.” Then he walks off.

“I’m not busy.” I turn to him, confused.

He leans to my ear and says, “I don’t want his hands on you.” His voice is husky and so damn sexy. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or my unexplainable hormones, but I’ve never noticed it before.

I swallow. “That’s not really your decision, is it?”

He gives me a sideways smile. “We’ll see about that, Sunshine.”

He pulls me back to my seat and settles his hand on my thigh, theoretically claiming me. I should push it away. Something must be really wrong with me, though, because I don’t want to push it away. I like his rough fingertips tightening around me. I think I want him to claim me.

Holden turns to us. “Hey, we’re headed back up to the room. You guys good?”

One look at them tells me exactly why they’re going back to the room. Jealousy washes over me. Not because I want Holden. No, that ship has definitely sailed. But because I don’t have what they have, and I’m not sure I ever will. Seeing them together makes me realize how lonely I am. Even when I was with Brady, I still felt lonely.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Hawke answers for us. I try to give them a goodbye smile, but I don’t know how real it looks.

“Should we do another shot before we go?” I suggest.

His eyes darken as that smile reappears. “How about a body shot?”

My heart rate picks up. I should say no. But I nod. “Ok.”

He gets us another round of shots. He hands me a lime and the little shot glass of tequila. I tuck the shot glass in my cleavage and put the lime in my mouth. I can’t believe I’m doing this with Hawke, of all people. But it’s all in good fun, right? It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a shot.

Just a shot.

I stare at him, and the look in his eyes like he wants to devour me. Wetness pools between my legs. This is not good.

This is not just a shot.

He takes a step closer and zeros in on the shot glass. He traces a finger across the top of my breast, sending a shiver down my spine. Hawke has never touched me like this, and I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy it.

His head bends down to my chest, and I feel his warm breath against my skin before his mouth wraps around the shot glass, taking it from my cleavage and tipping his head back to swallow the liquor. He puts the shot glass down and immediately comes in for the lime in my mouth.

His hand slides along my exposed stomach to pull me closer as he takes his time getting the lime. The slow touch ignites a fire in my core. I want him to take me right here and now.

When he takes a step back, my eyes focus on the lime in his mouth, and my jaw hangs open as I watch him suck on it. He’s doing this on purpose. He knows how turned on I am; it’s written plainly on my face. I’m staring at him like I want to memorize everything about him.

He puts the lime in his empty shot glass.

I’ve got to get out of here. I clear my throat. “We should go. I’m tired.”

He cocks an eyebrow. “You haven’t done yours yet.”

“Yeah, I think I’ve had enough.” If I drink anymore, I’ll end up doing something stupid.

He nods without further questions and puts his hand on my lower back to usher me through the crowd. He only drops his hand when we walk through the quiet resort hallways.

We wait for the elevator in silence, standing a good five feet away from each other. When the metal doors slide open, I step on first and lean up against the back wall. Hawke presses the button for our floor and stands next to me.

His pinky comes out and grazes mine. I look down at our fingers. I want him. So damn bad. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or all the small touches throughout the night, but I’m wound up, and the only thing that can release my tension is him.