Just so we’re clear, I meant what I said—I only want you.”
He kept his voice pitched low, so I answered the same way: “I know.”
He frowned, confused. He’d expected drama. I tried not to let the amusement show on my face.
I’d seen him a few times throughout the night, sometimes speaking to someone, sometimes with one of my guys, but always off to the side and always watching me. Which made me wonder . . .
“Are you on duty?” I asked.
“Working? Not tonight. But I’m always on duty when it comes to your safety.” He leaned in a little as he said it, making the statement that much more dramatic.
I rolled my eyes. The buzz of the alcohol was making me bolder. “Why do you have to be so fucking intense all the time?” I flashed him a cheeky smile. The bartender slid two Long Island iced teas across to me, and I thanked him.
Alec was frowning so hard the scar in his right eyebrow was puckering. “I’m not—”
“You’re pretty fucking intense, bro.” Ethan did not keep his voice down as he slapped a big hand on Alec’s shoulder, gaining a few nervous laughs from the people nearby.
“Hey, my little pony.” He flashed me a dimpled grin. The nicknames were getting ridiculous.
“Hey, care bear.” I smiled back and took a long drink.
Alec snatched the other cocktail. It was intended for Dot, but he threw the straw on the ground and gulped the drink in one go, not even flinching at the amount of alcohol. “I am not—” he began again, but Ethan’s and my burst of laughter interrupted him. The look in his eyes was just so . . . intense!
“Come dance with me!” Ethan demanded and, without waiting for an answer, threw me over his shoulder and headed for the dance floor. I shrieked but managed not to spill too much of my drink. I waved at Alec, who was staring after us, his hands in fists.
I finished my drink as Ethan and I found Dot in the middle of the dance floor. Someone coming past took the empty glass, and I wrapped my hands around Ethan’s neck. His hands went to my hips. Every inch of my front was pressed up against the hard muscles of Ethan’s body.
After a few songs, I felt the heat of another body at my back, but Ethan smiled mischievously and the touch felt familiar, so I didn’t panic. Another pair of hands landed on my waist, just above Ethan’s, and when I turned my head to look, my eyes found intelligent gray ones.
I was a little surprised to see Tyler and not Josh, but I wasn’t complaining. He caught my lips with his, teasing my mouth with his tongue as he pressed closer. The three of us moved seamlessly in time with the music, and I lost myself in their touch.
To see Tyler, who was always so careful and controlled, with a little bit of glassiness in his eyes—to feel him gripping my waist with his hands, kissing me so passionately in a room full of people—was driving me nuts! I loved to see him let loose a little. It was so rare, but when it happened, I just about went weak at the knees.
As the music changed to a slightly slower, more sultry beat, he broke the kiss and, always the leader, set the pace. It wasn’t long before the three of us were pretty much just grinding on each other, and I was loving every second of it.
I glanced around the room. Alec stood near the hallway leading to the front of the house, his stare fixed on me. I didn’t care how much he denied it—he was intense in everything he did. But as much as I teased him, I wouldn’t change that. Alec didn’t do anything by halves, and something about that was intoxicating, even as I got more and more frustrated by his assholeish behavior.
I kept my gaze fixed on his as Ethan and Tyler swayed with me, their hands running up and down my sides, gripping me, stroking me. Having Alec watching added another layer of desire to my already heated state.
The music changed to a loud and fast crowd favorite that had everyone jumping up and down to the beat. It broke our lust haze, and we pulled apart to join in.
My skin was still flushed, and the ache low in my belly wasn’t going away. I looked back to where Alec had been standing.