Suddenly, Carter cut into the circle, grabbing his sister and spinning her into his arms. “Come on, Ally-Cat. Show me your moves.”
Ally’s face lit up under her brother’s attention. “I love you, bro,” she said with a sigh, making him laugh while he guided her in tight loops around the crowded floor. “Best man of honor ever.”
“Man HO,” Avery popped in, shooting him a glare. The champagne had loosened her tongue. “In my world, it’s Man HO.”
Ally cracked up. “Imagine my brother as a Man HO. Maybe you’ll get lucky tonight,” she teased her brother.
The look he shot Avery held little humor. In fact, his gaze narrowed with such intensity, she shivered and hid a bit behind Judith, who was still bouncing back and forth in an imitation of dancing.
“Maybe I will,” he said, his dark voice making lava bubble through Avery’s veins. Suddenly, he traded off Ally to Judith and reached for Avery. “Switch,” he said. “I’d like to dance with the wedding planner.”
Ally giggled, and the ladies drifted off toward the right, getting closer to the DJ booth.
“What was that about?” he asked, lowering his mouth to speak close to her ear. “Did I miss something?”
Temper and embarrassment and alcohol mixed together in an explosive cocktail. “You missed dancing with your hot blonde,” she said. Heat rushed to her cheeks. It was awful to know she was acting like a jealous girlfriend and unable to stop it. “Didn’t she want to dance with you?”
Amusement glinted in his pewter eyes. Her body tensed, and her nails dug into his upper arms. Did he think that was funny? “Actually, she did. I told her I had a bachelorette party to take care of and wanted to dance with my sister.”
“I’m not your sister.”
He sucked in a breath and leaned in. Sexy stubble clung to his jaw and hugged his lips. “No, you’re not.” He paused. “You jealous?”
“No. I don’t care if she turns you on. Go sleep with her. Isn’t that exactly what you’re looking for? A bit of fun with no strings?”
His lips firmed. “Sweetheart, holding your hand gives me a hard-on. That woman could strip naked in front of me and I wouldn’t be interested.”
His words pummeled her defenses like rocks against glass. She didn’t speak, caught between the need to believe him and the awful ache tearing her apart that urged her to move in and claim him. Touch. Pleasure. Possess.
Love.
He lowered his head and spoke against her mouth. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you or what you said. And I need to figure this shit out soon because I need you too damn bad. Now, let me hold you for a little while, sweetheart. Dance with me.”
She shivered and moved closer, her body giving up the fight and melting against him.
He growled her name and pulled her in, his hips cradled against hers, his arms wrapped around her waist, palms on her ass. In the dark and the neon flashing lights, they were just blurry silhouettes, mashed into a crowd of strangers. His lips coasted over her cheek, his breath a warm rush of air, his lips inches away from hers. Surroundings drifted away until she was caught in a cocoon of warmth and want, his scent in her nostrils, her fingers in his hair, drowning in a wave of hunger she no longer wanted to fight.
When the song ended, it took a long time for them to break apart. The release of his hold pained her, until they stood staring at each other on the crazed dance floor.
Ally and Maddie danced in between them, grabbing her wrist, and she was pulled away to disappear back into the crowd.
But his words haunted her.
She didn’t know if it was one hour that had passed or three when she realized the group had reached its limit. Ally was slurring, Judith was screaming from being music deaf, and Maddie had a wasted smile on her face. Noelle was a happy drunk and kept hugging everyone. Avery was just about to go find Carter and let him know they were done, when he appeared with one of the smartly dressed VIPs who held chilled bottles of water.
“Drink up, ladies,” he said cheerfully. “We’ll get you to your suites so you can relax and get some sleep.”
Everyone nodded, hydrated, and headed up to the elevators. Carter tipped the guy and personally escorted each of them into their rooms, which were all right next to each other. Avery had stopped drinking champagne after the dance with Carter, so she was more tired than tipsy, but she helped him make sure the ladies were okay by themselves and weren’t about to be puking all night.
Finally, the last door was shut. Avery stopped in front of her own room and slid out her key card.
“You okay?”
She swallowed and tried not to look at him. “Yep. I switched to water a while ago, so I’m fine.”
“You think they had a good time?”
That made her swivel her head to meet his gaze. She smiled. “Yeah. They had a great time. It was the perfect evening. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun dancing.”
“Me, either. Sometimes I get caught up in all the dos and don’ts and forget how to live.”
She stiffened. His words pummeled her like sharp, tiny stones, tearing at her defenses. “I do that, too,” she admitted. “I’m in my head a lot and like to plan things out so there are no surprises. It’s good in my career. But lately . . .” She trailed off, afraid to finish her statement.
He moved closer. The leashed heat and strength of his body pulled her in. “What?” he asked softly. The masculine scent of spice and whiskey surrounded her.
She swallowed. Poised on the edge, she uttered the truth. “Lately, I wonder if I’m missing out from all my self-inflicted rules. I haven’t allowed any space for mistakes. For stolen walks on the beach after hours, and magical adventures and passion.” All she could think of were Taylor’s words, urging her to take a chance, to grab the opportunity for pleasure even with an unknown future. Was she so scared of living she’d rather lock herself up into a safe relationship and miss out on being with a man who rocked her world? All this time, she’d hidden and been safe. Where had that gotten her? Content, but lonely. Satisfied with her career, but not her personal life. Was it finally time to stop doing the right thing and grab what she wanted?
Grab who she wanted?
As if sensing her inner struggle, his breath rushed out, and he laid his hands on the door beside her, trapping her in but not touching. “Avery.” Her name was a whisper and a shout, a mixture of longing and need and hunger that called to her, promising her endless ecstasy. “If I step in that room with you, I’ll be in your bed. I won’t be able to stop myself. But you need to be sure. I can promise you till Labor Day. I can promise to open myself up to you and see what happens between us. It needs to be enough. And it needs to be your choice.”
She bowed her head and shuddered, her mind and body engaged in a bloody, silent war of long-term habits versus the awakening of feelings she’d never experienced before. It didn’t take long to make her decision.
She slid in the key card, and the door clicked. He removed his hands and stepped back. Avery opened the door, turned, and reached out her hand.
Their gazes locked, and sexual energy crackled and seethed between them, a warning of what was to come.
Carter took her hand and walked inside, kicking the door closed behind him. For a few endless, aching seconds, he stared into her face as if needing assurance this was what she really wanted. And then, a tiny smile touched his lips. Without another word, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed.