money for the center, which meant people were going to bid outrageous amounts on the items.
That made him even more curious about what she was bidding on. He moved a step closer to the table and saw the guitar bearing The Void’s logo and signatures from the band’s members. He was about to speak when she turned to find him standing there.
“There you are,” she said.
Pleased by her enthusiasm, he grinned. “Yep.” He looked at the guitar. “Did Katie turn you into a Void fan?”
“She did.” She moved closer before clarifying, “But that bid wasn’t for me. It was for Katie.”
The words struck him squarely in the heart.
He took her hand. “Come with me.”
Thank God she didn’t voice any objections. He maneuvered through the crowd, doing his best to avoid making eye contact with any other guests. Though he hadn’t been to the facility before, he knew his way around a building. There were always areas off-limits to guests and staff.
Three minutes later, he found what he was looking for. On the far right-hand side of the room behind the floor-to-ceiling draping was a hallway leading to an unlocked maintenance room. It was large enough that it split into three different spaces and new enough that it smelled of fresh paint and lumber. All of that worked well enough for him.
Locking the door behind them and turning on his phone’s flashlight, he pulled Jasmine over to a small side room with a workbench against the far wall. He strode over to the workbench, put his phone down, and pulled her hard against him, claiming her lips in a searing kiss.
She immediately sank into it. He heard a soft thud that he vaguely registered as her purse hitting the floor. She reached up to clutch the lapels of his suit jacket. His hands spanned her waist, itching to pull her even closer. When she parted her lips, he tasted her like he’d been craving to all evening, though he knew he was playing with fire.
God, he wanted her…more than he’d ever wanted another woman.
This was just a kiss, he told himself. Then the delicious taste of her blended with her irresistible scent, and she made the most erotic sound in the back of her throat.
He hardened instantly.
When she abruptly pulled away from him, he assumed she’d come to her senses. Half-expecting a slap, he stood and watched with a baffled expression as she reached for the button to his suit jacket and pushed the jacket until it started sliding down his arms.
Not only wasn’t she putting a stop to this, she was moving things along.
The sound of their harsh breathing filled the silence as he tossed his discarded jacket onto the workbench. She grasped his tie and tugged him closer, resuming the kiss.
This time he gave in to the urge to pull her completely against him. He wanted to feel her magnificent body, wanted her to feel what she was doing to him. Based on the sounds she made while they kissed, she appreciated that.
Her hands ran along the hard planes of his chest. He imagined she felt his racing heartbeat beneath her touch. When his hand moved up along her back, he felt the same response from her. His other hand slid down along the side of her body until his fingers brushed the bare skin of her thigh through the slit that had been tempting him all night. The sensation of her silky skin against his fingertips sent sexual heat rampaging through him.
She lifted her leg and hooked it around his waist, giving him even more access beneath her skirt. He eagerly took advantage. His hand glided along her thigh, shifting the fabric of her dress aside until he reached his goal. He grazed the curve of her hip, brushing against the scrap of lace she wore under the dress. When the sounds she made grew more insistent, he allowed his hand to stray even further.
They both groaned as he stroked the firm roundness of her backside. Her hips lifted, pressing against his raging erection.
So he did it again.
Then he squeezed her taut flesh, evoking a nearly incomprehensible mewling sound from her. The scent of her arousal reached him. It ignited an almost animal instinct to fully claim her. Spurred by her reaction, he lowered his other hand and slid it under her skirt to join the first one. He massaged her ass as their tongues continued to dance.
After a couple of minutes, he broke away from her mouth