know you’re going through a lot emotionally and don’t want you making a bad decision with the wrong man. You know?”
“Is this minding your business?” I asked semi-jokingly, but I meant it. She smiled. She was tanked. I gave her one more squeeze and then moved away to go.
Dad was behind me suddenly. “Where you goin’?”
“Upstairs to crash. I’ll be down to help with breakfast in the morning.”
“Night.” Dad pulled my head to his mouth and kissed my forehead. I put my arms around him for a hug and then I fished in my pocket for my keys as I made my way toward the restrooms, waving at people as I went.
Christian Forker was coming out of the restroom. He froze.
No one was around. I thought back to my plan for the cheesy pickup line in the alcove with the kiss, and decided just the kiss would say enough. But I didn’t want us to get caught. Yet.
I grabbed his hand while I simultaneously tapped the security panel beside the stairwell door with my key fob and pulled him into the dimly lit stairwell and pushed the door shut before anyone else came that way.
“Baby,” he said, grabbing me. My back slammed against the closed door. His mouth was instantly on mine.
Oh. Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.
His mouth moved over mine like he couldn’t get enough of me, like he’d been waiting a lifetime to kiss me. My hands went into his hair and I tugged the elastic out while putting my tongue in his ear.
He groaned, then ran his nose up behind my ear and inhaled my hair before he nipped at my throat with his teeth. “Fuckin’ killin’ me,” he grunted and put both hands to my ass. “You really are.”
“Good,” I said, absorbing the feel of his teeth on me. “Though I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Can’t stand seein’ anyone look at you. Tryin’ to dance with you. I don’t fucking dance, Jojo.”
“I could tell,” I joked.
He squeezed my ass with both hands and then nipped at my throat again with a growl. My head rolled back, and I whimpered.
“Wanna line up the singer, that little puke, and fuckin’ Justice execution style for even thinkin’ anything about you.”
He did a partial squat and thrust his hips up, making the hard ridge of his erection slide over my pelvis.
“You don’t have to do that. Claim me in front of the whole club and it won’t happen anymore.” My eyes were half mast and I pushed my body into his.
He put his forehead to mine and his right hand moved up my side slowly until resting on my neck at the side.
“Take me to your room, Christian,” I nuzzled into his jawline.
He shook his head. “Can’t.” But his fingers tightened just a little, like he didn’t want to let go.
“Why?”
“Jojo,” he whispered, and his eyes were closed tight.
I heard laughter coming from the other side of the door.
“Better go,” he said and then he physically turned us, so my back was facing the staircase. He took my shoulders and twirled me so that only I was facing them. He whacked my ass.
“Go.”
I jolted.
“Go,” he repeated.
“Come with me,” I said then took a step back and leaned back against his body.
“Can’t happen,” he denied.
I closed my eyes and leaned against him. Neither of us moved for a long, long time. We stood in the stairwell with my back against him. Music from the band loudly vibrated through the door. My eyes stayed closed as I absorbed the feel of him for seconds, minutes, I don’t know. Finally, I turned around in his arms and looked up at him.
“You want me. I want you.”
He stared. But his fists were clenching and unclenching.
“You are good enough to have something you want, you know.”
His upper lip curled and then he turned and stormed back into the bar, leaving me there in the stairwell, swaying with the loss of his heat.
10
I couldn’t find Marshmallow. And I’d really wanted, no needed my cuddly little kitty. Begrudgingly, I slept alone.
I did hear noise in his room thirty minutes later, making me pause my aquarium channel to listen. I heard a drawer open and close and had confirmation it was him. So I didn’t sleep badly, because I had him on the other side of the wall. I also had confirmation that he was having trouble shaking cravings for me. Progress. And I knew we would get there. I knew it; he just seemed to need to fight