Time After Time (Sweetbriar Cove #14) - Melody Grace Page 0,51

against him, resting her head on his shoulder as they swayed together, there in the middle of the crowd.

It was intoxicating, having him so close. She could feel the heat of his body, blazing even through their clothes; the rise and fall of his chest with every breath that whispered hotly by her cheek. The music played on, but everything else melted away, until her senses were so attuned to his every small movement that even the slow stroke of his thumb against her palm sent shivers of awareness ricocheting through her body.

Stella’s heart beat faster. Her stomach clenched.

Aidan moved his hand on her back, resting it just low enough for his fingertips to graze where her dress was cut in a low swoop.

He stroked her bare skin softly, back and forth, back and forth and Stella’s whole body went up in flames.

How could one touch make her feel this way? One tiny, gentle touch; the barest of caresses as they kept swaying to the song. Nobody would have even noticed, but to Stella, it seemed like the whole universe had contracted to that one small motion, sending desire curling like a drug through her bloodstream and stoking the wicked fire, low between her thighs.

She closed her eyes, glad that her flushed cheeks were hidden in his embrace. But that just seemed to make the sensation more intense.

More intimate.

Time slowed, suspending them together in the dance, until the song ended, switching to an upbeat party number. Around them, people whooped, getting into the spirit, but Stella felt dazed, still reeling from their embrace.

And maybe Aidan felt just the same, because when she looked up at him, the expression on his face was ragged; eyes dark and intent.

“Do you want to get out of here?” she found herself asking, whispering under her breath.

His grip on her hand tightened. He nodded.

“Let’s go.”

They slipped through the crowd, not even pausing to say goodbye. The party was in full swing, and nobody noticed as they made their escape, pushing open the main doors and practically racing down the front steps. The night air was cold, and hit Stella in a rush, but her pulse was already racing with exhilaration, and she barely felt a thing.

Aidan pulled her across the square, and then tugged her into the shadows of the gazebo, finding her mouth in a hot, steamy kiss as they stumbled back against a wall and Stella lost all sense of reason.

This man’s mouth would be her undoing.

Aidan devoured her, his tongue sliding deep as Stella pressed up against him with a breathy moan. If that dance had stoked the embers, then this was pure wildfire: A rush of hot desire that made her crazy. Made her want to beg for more. Her fingers tangled in his hair as his hands roved over her body, possessive; his hardness pressed against her. It was reckless, and passionate, necking like a pair of teenagers right there in the middle of the town square as the music and laughter from the party echoed around them, but she couldn’t have stopped if she’d tried.

Aidan finally drew back with a groan. “My place,” he said, his voice throaty and raw. Stella could only nod her agreement. She wasn’t sure how they made it the short drive back, but finally, Aidan closed his front door behind them and shrugged off his jacket.

“Drink?” he asked, eyes bright in the shadows of the foyer.

She shook her head.

“Music?” he asked, moving closer.

Stella shook her head again. Here in the silence of the empty house, her heart was pounding so loudly, she was certain he could hear.

“So what do you want?” Aidan asked, impossibly seductive.

Stella felt the answer settle through her, vibrating in every cell of her body.

“You.”

He kissed her again, and Stella arched against him, chasing that rush of adrenaline; the quicksilver in her blood. They stumbled down a hallway, a tangle of hands, and heavy breathing, and restless, hungry mouths, until they reached the bedroom. Stella fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, running her hands across his bare chest and reveling at the feel of his smooth, broad muscles beneath her touch. But when she pulled back to fumble with the zipper on her dress, Aidan stopped her.

“No,” he said, placing his hand over hers. “Don’t rush. I want to look at you.”

Her stomach did a slow pirouette.

Stella stepped back, and slowly brought her hands to the side zipper. She teased it down, inch by inch, not taking her eyes off