Wet (34 page)

That’s my girl.

Lots of wine at weddings can lead to some clueless dancing and this wedding is no exception. While out on the dance floor I’ve finally discovered the second thing DD doesn’t do well, after being a crap husband . . . is dancing. He looks like he has a Paul Bunyan-sized stick up his ass. I take great pleasure in watching him embarrass himself.

It’s a different story on our side of the dance floor. I know I’m a good dancer, and Elle’s an even better one, so her sexy moves inspire me to be my best. I catch people watching us move together.
Yeah, take notes people. This is how it’s done.

When the music finally slows, I’m so charged up that my nerve endings are sparking. There’s an awkward moment when Elle asks if I’d rather sit the slow stuff out but I answer her by pulling her into my arms.

I shake my head at her slowly as we start to sway. “You’re not getting away from me.”

“Who said I wanted to?”

The corners of my mouth turn up. I’m liking this. There’s a feeling in the air, a current of possibilities as Billie Holiday serenades us under the golden light. I’m just buzzed enough to feel reckless but not wrecked, and I’ve got the most beautiful woman in my arms. I’m liking this a lot.

She trails her fingers up the buttons of my dress shirt and tugs on my collar which pulls the shirt open where I’ve undone a few buttons. “Hey, where’s your bowtie?”

I nod back toward our table. “In my jacket pocket. Why? Are you missing it?”

“Nope. Not one bit . . . I like your sleeves rolled up. You and your sexy, strong arms.”

“You know I wasn’t teasing earlier, right? You’re the most beautiful woman here.”

She grins. “Well, except for the bride of course.”

“Bride, what bride?”

She pushes me on the shoulder and gives me a side look. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d swear you were working on getting laid tonight.”

“Hmmm,” I say as I slowly spin her around. “What if that wasn’t all I wanted?”

“You know you don’t have to work it so hard with me, right? Just say the word . . .”

“What fun is it if you haven’t worked for it . . . earned it?”

“Earned? Let’s not even go there . . . I owe you so much. Everything really.”

Leaning into me, she rests her head on my chest and I hold her tighter as we take small steps.

I don’t know if this weird feeling comes over me because I’m in an unfamiliar place and surrounded by people I don’t know, or that we’re dressed like movie stars at a premier—but I feel like I’ve stepped into a different reality. I close my eyes and rest my chin on top of Elle’s head, trying to get my bearings. She holds onto me tighter as if she senses I need reinforcement.

I have a dreamlike image behind my closed eyes and I see myself running at a steady pace through an endless, dimly lit tunnel. I can feel my chest rise and fall, the pounding of my feet on the unpaved ground and my laser focus as I look ahead trying to see the end of the tunnel and finally find my destination.

My eyes pop open and I take a sharp breath. It all hits me hard. For two fucking years I’ve been running . . . running away from who I was but never certain where I was going. But right now I can feel the surge of relief from figuring out the answers to what I’ve been searching for. I’ve finally arrived where I’m supposed to be. It’s like that goddamned tunnel ended at the doorway to this ballroom and there was Elle, lit from behind like a vision, waiting for me.

I pull back from Elle, intending to ask her to come with me out to the patio so we can talk, but her attention has shifted to her ex and his girl as they dance not far from where we stand. She looks distressed.

“Elle, look at me,” I instruct as I skim my fingers across her lower back.

She glances at me briefly and then her focus moves back to DD and Pinchy.

I cup her chin in my hand. “Come on. He isn’t worth your attention, Elle. Stop looking at him.” I run my thumb across her chin and she sighs.

“Look at me.”

Her eyes grow wide as she studies me. “Yes?”

“Repeat after me . . . He is nothing, Paul is everything.”

She gives me a coy smile like she thinks I’m playing with her. “He is nothing. Paul is everything.”

I tip my head back and look down at her with narrow eyes. “Say it like you mean it.”

“He is nothing, and Paul is everything!” She smiles. “And for the record, I knew that already.”

I nod. “Good.”

“I was just remembering something I’d rather forget, but that’s all gone now.”

I watch her gaze move over my face, down to my chest, and then back up to my eyes.

“What?”

“The way you’re staring at me. I remember that look.”

“You do?”

“Yes. You look like you want to kiss me.”

I take a deep breath as I study her lips, imagining how they’ll taste. I bet they’ll be sweet as all hell. She breaks my concentration by biting her lower lip.

“Well?” she asks, her eyes searching mine.

I nod and take a deep breath. “I do.”

She blinks and tries to pull back but I hold onto her tighter.

Her eyes become stormy. “Please don’t tease me with this again, Paul. I don’t think I can take it.”

“Do I look like I’m teasing?”

She studies me and the longer I don’t back down the more she relaxes into my arms.

“You have to know that I’ve always wanted to kiss you . . . and I’m not talking about just the affectionate kind of kiss,” I whisper as I run my hand up the back of her neck until her head is cradled in my hand.

Her lips part as her gaze searches mine. “Really?”

I answer by pressing my lips against hers and the feeling is perfect. Once the kiss starts I immediately know that all bets are off. I just let go of the edge of the cliff and I’m flying.

Judging from Elle’s reaction, she’s flying with me. This is way different than that first kiss we shared on my bed. With this kiss we’re sharing each other’s secrets, and while people continue dancing around us, we’re in our own world.

Damn, how I love her in my arms. Her soft lips are full and lush, and move perfectly with mine. I feel her fingers slide up the base of my neck and bring me closer—every part of her is projecting heat as she presses against me: her breasts, the rest of her body, but most of all her lips. The intensity of her passion is wild, like any minute she’ll forget where we are and her hands will be all over me.

Maybe I’m okay with that. Who am I kidding, I’m more than okay with it—it’s exactly what I want.

When we finally pull apart to breathe she gives me the most blissful smile, like she’s coming down from an orgasmic kiss.

“Epic,” she says.

“Epic,” I agree.

I look up and notice the ex glaring at me. Giving him the most shit-eating, satisfied grin I’ve got, I run my grabby hands down over her curvy hips, then rest them just above her ass.

How that asshole could have given this woman up will baffle me the rest of my life. He’s the Grand Poobah of idiots. Seriously, when you look up
idiot
in the dictionary, his picture should be there.

Leaning closer to her, I press my lips to her ear and whisper, “Poor Pinchy, I think DD is jealous that you’re mine.”

She laughs so loud it’s kind of a shriek and then looks over at the ex and Pinchy, and back at me. “You’re right,” she says as she bites my earlobe and grabs my ass.

I love this girl.

“So am I yours? Really, Paul, or is this for show?”

I give her what I’m pretty sure is a smoldering look. “Let me get you home and show you. It’s time to blow this popsicle stand.”

She glances back at our table with an ecstatic grin. “Let me grab my purse.”

Something occurs to me and I turn to her. “Stella won’t write you off if we leave a little early?” Frankly I don’t give a shit about bailing early, but I don’t want Elle to lose her best friend.

She shakes her head and winks. “Nah, we talked in the bathroom after dinner. She said that with someone as hot as you, she couldn’t believe I’d lasted that long. We understand each other. Just give me a minute to tell her that we’re leaving.”

I nod and she dashes off. As I watch her disappear into the crowd by the main door I feel someone brush against me.

I turn to see her ex. Judging from his point of focus he was watching Elle hurry through the room too. He has a smirk on his face.

“Still a bitch in heat,” he mumbles.

Every muscle in my body tenses, and I spin around. My glare hardens as I stare him down.

“What was that?” I growl.

He sways and I can smell the sour stench of bourbon as I lean into him.

“You heard me. Take it to a motel, and if you’re smart, when you’re done you’ll leave her there.”

Raw adrenaline courses through me as my fingers curl into fists and my eyes focus on his lower jaw where I intend to pummel him first. Through a haze of rage I see Pinchy rush up beside him and grab his hand. My arm tenses as I hold back my punch.

I grit my teeth. “You know you’re going to pay for that,” I say to him with a snarl.

“What’s going on?” she whines.

“I’m going to beat the crap out of your pussy boyfriend,” I spit as I grab him and my fingers curl around his throat.

He’s cursing and flailing which just pisses me off more. My fingers dig under his collar and twist until his bowtie is strangling him and I yank him forward. “Outside,” I growl.

I’ve dragged him several feet forward with Pinchy squealing behind me when I see Elle rushing toward me.

“What happened?” she asks as her fingers graze my forearm.

Twisting his collar tighter, I shake my head. “This ass has quite a mouth on him, I’m going to take him outside and teach him some manners.”

I see a fire flare up in Elle’s eyes as she bites her lip. What do you bet she thinks this is hot? The ex’s shock is wearing off and he’s growling and putting up a fight. I need to keep moving so I don’t lose my grip. Jerking him forward, I take another step.

Jumping in front of me, she presses her hands against my chest. “Did he slut shame me again?”

“Damn right. I may have to kill him.”

“Let go of me, asshole,” he sputters in a squeaky voice. His face is turning purple.

Elle’s face is flushed as she turns toward him, and before I even realize what’s happening she swings her leg back and full on kicks him in the shin.

Damn,
those fancy shoes she’s wearing are pointed.

He yelps like a puppy.

When she leans into him, I tighten my grip. “You think you’re all that, but you can’t hold a candle to this man. He takes care of me in
every
way.” She arches her brow at him to make her point and turns and winks at me.

“Let him go, baby. He’s
so
not worth it.”

“You sure?” I ask, twisting my fist tighter as I brace for the regret I’ll feel letting him go.

She steps back and reaches her hand to me. “So sure. Come on, sexy, let’s get home.”

My heat of fury morphs into another kind of heat as I see the desire simmering through her.

I loosen my grip on his collar and shove him with enough force to send him stumbling backwards. We don’t even look to see if he falls as I grab her hand and move forward, picking up speed until we blast out of the ballroom, dodging guests as we go.

When we’re outside on the landing I stop her for a moment and turn toward her. “You okay?”

She guffaws and then curls over laughing. “Okay? That was awesome!”

“Really?” I wish I could laugh but I’m still so amped up.

“Well I may have messed up my big toe, kicking him. But hot damn, Paul! I’ve never had a man defend me like that. It was so hot . . . straight out of one of my books, fucking hot.”

I pull her into my arms because I’m really needing to feel all of this woman pressed against me. “Glad to be of service,” I whisper in her ear.

She looks up at me, her gaze full of lust. “I have never wanted anything as much as I want you right now.”

“Me too,” I gasp.

We rush down the stairs to the valet stand. I wave my car ticket in the air like it’s on fire. A compassionate valet, who with once glance at Elle seems to understand my plight, runs off at full speed to get my car. That dude is getting a good tip.

Elle is so anxious she’s bouncing on her heels. “Stella and Brandon snuck off and did it in the bridal changing room right before the cake cutting. She and I are two peas in a pod.”

“Well that explains one thing . . .” I say as the valet pulls up, I hand him the twenty, and we jump in the car. “That’s the most relaxed and happy I’ve ever seen a dude look to have cake smashed in his face.”

Chapter Nineteen

EDGE OF HEAVEN

I’
m a little frustrated when Elle insists on us going to her place since it’s ten minutes farther than mine, but she makes it worth my while by groping me in ways I’ve never been groped. I’m going to add Magic Fingers to my list of affectionate nicknames for Elle, right after Filthy Mouth.

I take on the winding road over the hill of Laurel Canyon like a race car driver. Luckily, it’s late enough that the traffic is sparse, either that or God is finally looking out for me. It’s a good thing we’re both buckled in tight because I’m pretty sure I take a few of those curves with two wheels instead of four. Elle shows off her upper body strength by holding on even tighter, with a death grip on the passenger handle, and the other on my thigh. For that part of the canyon ride she doesn’t full-on grab my cock, perhaps for fear that I’ll lose control of the car, but once we’re on the flatlands of Studio City the game goes into overdrive.

I tear into her driveway and almost forget to turn the engine off as I’m peeling her hands off me long enough for us to get inside. She leaps out of the car and I’m right behind her, unzipping her dress as we wobble across her front porch.

We haven’t even closed the front door when the dress becomes a grey puddle in the middle of her living room. Leaping into my arms, she wraps her legs around me, and I swallow back a yelp when her sharp high heels dig into my ass. The pain is instantly forgotten however when I press her against the wall. It’s all just too fucking good. I take a moment to revel at the feeling of my hands groping her ass as she does some kind of Zumba thrusting move against me.