Her lips leave mine with a wet pop. She pulls back. Looks at me with wide eyes, like we just finished committing a crime. A crime of passion. The hot lust splattered all around us like blood evidencing our sin.
She's flushed and breathless, staring at me with dazed eyes and her jaw loose in shock. "I-I lost control..." she explains, visibly embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I lost control.”
I really like you out of control.
That's what I should say, but I already feel like a bastard. Like I've taken advantage of a fragile situation. I’ve taken advantage of a vulnerable woman. I’ve touched her the way no man should ever touch a woman that used to belong to his best friend.
So when she scoots her body along the wall and closes the door in my face, I don't say a thing.
I drop my head back, face up to the ceiling and I flinch.
I'm the world's biggest dumbass.
I drag myself into my room. Hours pass but I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about Iris’s hungry kiss. My fingers lock around my cock and I give myself a few listless strokes. But I know that jerking off won’t satisfy me. Only Iris herself can quench this need.
Regret is my bed buddy tonight because I wish I’d taken it further. When she’d started apologizing, I should have shut her up with another kiss. But I didn’t.
After staring up at the ceiling for far too long, I decide to go fix my dumb mistake. I drag myself out of bed and pad down the hallway to her bedroom.
But as I stand outside her door, trying to work up the nerve to knock, I hear a sensual sound. Almost sounds like a groan.
I lean closer. I hear Iris speaking in a sultry voice. “Oh, baby, that feels so good. I never knew what a real man could feel like until I met you.” There’s a heavy pause. She groans again. “Mmm. I swear I’ve never seen a cock so big, so long, so…girthy. I don’t know if I can handle it but I want you to give it to me. All. Night. Long.”
I blink. Half a dozen times. I rub my ears, shocked, dumbfounded. I think my toes are going numb. I scrub a hand down my face as I take myself back to my own room. My ass lands heavily on the edge of my bed.
Shit, the woman isn’t some sad and lonely divorcée. In fact, it looks like she’s already gotten herself someone else to keep her company.
I read Iris all wrong.
22
Iris
I nearly mow down one of Lexi’s customers when I storm through the front door of Renewed Gowns, Crescent Harbor’s only pre-owned bridal gown boutique.
“Excuse me. Sorry. I’m so sorry,” I say to the woman who seems too love-drunk to care as she floats out the door with her just-bought bridal dress.
Lexi grins and waves from behind the cash register as I amble across the room. “You finally ready to get rid of that thing?” She gestures at my wedding gown in the clear garment bag slung over my arm. “Sheesh! Finally! And no offense but that dress has some bad juju on it. We’re gonna have to dry clean it and power wash it and exorcise it before I can sell it to anyone.”
With panic ripe enough to burst inside my chest, I slam down my garment bag on the counter between us.
“I kissed him.”
My loud declaration draws the interested stares of the shoppers browsing the racks of secondhand bridal gowns lining the walls. A blush sets fire to my cheeks.
I haven’t been able to work or to sleep or to think in the past twelve hours. All I can think of is that kiss. I needed to get out of the house because the whole damn building seems to be throbbing with the reminder of my moment of uncontrolled lust.
I need my bestie to talk me off the ledge.
“What!?” She’s even louder than I am and I can virtually see her customers’ ears bulging out to grab pieces of our conversation.
I circle behind the counter with her and lower my voice. “Well, maybe Jude kissed me first.” I frantically shake out my tingling fingers. “But then I got carried away. And I practically tore his clothes off in the hallway.”
Lexi is nearly vibrating with excitement. “In the hallway? That is so hot, Iris Merlini. I’m freaking proud of you.” She squeals and claps her