But I definitely can’t take Elle to bed without her knowing the score.
I return to the dance floor to find Elle dancing with her mom. We make eye contact and she smiles, her whole face lighting up at the sight of me. Guess she isn’t going to make this easy on me.
I make my way toward her, slip my hand around her waist, and lean closer to bring my lips to her ear. “Can I get you something to drink?”
She nods, taking my hand in hers and swaying her hips. We dance our way over to the bar, where I grab her another glass of champagne, and we continue dancing.
If I thought Elle was sexy just standing around and talking, dancing with her is a whole other ball game. The way she moves her hips drives me crazy, and it doesn’t take long for her to start rubbing up against me, her arms swaying above her head while she moves her ass over the front of my pants.
Hello, hard dick.
Not helpful.
Slowly, she turns to face me, our mouths only inches apart. Her big blue eyes travel over my face, landing on my lips, and she places her hands on my chest. I need to strategically adjust what’s happening in my pants before I give myself away.
“Want to get some air?” Her breath is hot on my skin.
I nod and take her hand, leading her to the balcony. I guess balconies are becoming our thing.
“So, when you were little, did you imagine yourself going into this line of work?”
Her question is innocent enough, but for a moment, I freeze. Then I remember—she thinks I work in finance. My shoulders relax, and I flash her a smile.
“Not exactly. When I was five, I wanted to be a lion tamer. Probably not very realistic.”
A grin stretches across her face. “Were you afraid of lions when you were five?”
“The Lion King was my favorite movie, so I guess not.”
We laugh, and Elle leans toward me, our bodies dangerously close to touching. It wouldn’t take much to close the distance between us, one of us to make first contact. Just a few more inches, and we’ll be kissing.
But I can’t. I have rules for a reason.
“What about you? What did you want to be when you grow up?”
She sighs and leans against the railing, pushing a hand through her long auburn hair. “I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer,” she says, looking over the railing at the landscape below. “I went through law school and everything, but never had the guts to take the bar exam. It’s too daunting. And I can’t bear the thought of failing it. So yeah, I’m just a paralegal.”
My stomach clenches. Of course she’s brilliant. It makes me like her even more. “I think you’d make a great lawyer. You’ve already won me over.”
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Get a hold of yourself, Nic.
A small smile passes over her lips. “I don’t know about that. But thank you. It’s nice to hear you say that.”
She looks up at me then, her eyes wide and searching. I’m lost in them, lost in their deep, blue expanse, when she opens her mouth and says something I didn’t expect to hear.
“Where did you come from?”
The wistfulness in her voice catches me off guard, almost matched by the yearning in her eyes. They’re boring into me, hitting me in a place I haven’t been hit in a long time—right square in the chest.
Suddenly, everything else fades away. My job, Christine, Case, my rules. None of that matters anymore. I know what I want.
Fuck the rules.
I bring my hand to her face, cradling her cheek in my palm, and pull her toward me. Her skin is so soft, I can hardly stand it. Elle tilts her head as I bring my lips to hers, and for a moment, I hold her there, our lips only a bit apart, so I can feel her breath on my skin. Her eyes close just as our mouths meet, and she practically melts in my arms.
The moment our lips touch, everything seems right. She has the softest lips I’ve ever tasted, and when they part, I sweep my tongue inside. With growing confidence, I increase the pressure, sealing my mouth over hers. Elle makes a low murmured sound of approval, and her hands move to my biceps.
It’s in that moment that I lose my shit. Keeping one hand on her chin, I press the other against her lower back and use it to bring her even closer. I’m sure she can feel what she’s done to me, but in that moment, I don’t care.
Her full breasts are crushed against my chest, and I can feel her heart hammering fast. The sensation of her tongue tasting mine makes me feel so light-headed and filled with need, I can’t help the husky noise that rumbles in the back of my throat. Amazed, I pull back to meet her eyes.
She’s fucking perfect.
This woman is perfect.
Everything about the past two nights has been perfect.
And I’m totally fucked.
Chapter Seven
Elle
Finally, I think, leaning into Nic. His full lips are pressed against mine, and my heart is beating so hard, I can barely breathe.
His kiss is tender, yet demanding. Soft, yet firm. Bossy, yet so accommodating. If this kiss is any indication of how good he is in bed, I’m in for a wild ride.
I don’t know if it’s all the champagne I drank earlier, but I’m drunk on the feeling of Nic’s body close to mine.
He presses his hand to a spot on my lower back, just above my butt, and I let out a little moan. Heat floods my body, going straight between my legs. His tongue teases mine, slowly at first and then more insistently, and a shiver runs through me.
The sounds of the reception have all faded away, and any doubts that Christine planted in my head are gone. When he pulls back, all I can think is that I want to feel whatever I just felt forever.
We stare at each other for a few moments, breathing heavily.
“That was . . .” His voice trails off.
“Yeah,” I whisper, staring into his eyes.
Nic lets out a sigh. “I didn’t expect anything like this to happen.” He sounds almost apologetic.
“We’re both adults.” I smile, putting a hand on his arm. “You don’t have to look so guilty.”
He gives me a strange look before smiling back at me, then nods, his eyes hazy with desire. “You’re right.”
I touch his cheek and pull him in for another kiss. His hand caresses my shoulder, and everywhere he touches feels electrified. I’m desperate for him to touch me anywhere. Suddenly, kisses aren’t enough. I want more.
“Should we get out of here?” I ask, pulling back. I’m not normally so brazen, but what the hell? A sexy man is into me. If the situation in his pants is any indication, I’d say he’s into me big-time. Emphasis on the big.
Nic doesn’t say anything at first, just stares intensely into my eyes. He looks almost conflicted as he leans back and studies me.
Suddenly, my heart skips a beat—did I misjudge this whole thing? I’m never this forward with guys, and I hope I’m not the only one feeling like my world was just rocked by our kiss.
“Are you sure you’re ready to go?” he asks finally, and relief floods through me.
“Yes.” I grab his hand and tug him toward the exit. I walk quickly, glancing around the room to check if Christine can see us. Luckily, she’s on the dance floor with my brother and some of our friends, and doesn’t notice us leaving.
I pull Nic out the door without saying good-bye to my family. I don’t think I could stand the thought of having multiple conversations wishing my relatives farewell when all I can think about is ripping Nic’s tux off. Besides, I’ll see them all at brunch in the morning.