I grasped her hands. I understood how torn she must be feeling. “I think he likes you.”
She answered with a laugh that held no trace of humor. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“Then how do you explain this? He can’t take his eyes off of you. And he looks at you all the time.”
“He bullies me all the time.”
“Hopefully not anymore.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
I told her about my conversation with Blake earlier. Her face scrunched up in a grimace of disapproval, but then Kevin bumped his hip against hers as he made a clumsy spin, and her scowl transformed into a smile. Abandoning her worries, she stepped over to dance against him. I grinned as I watched them almost dry hump each other, moving faster when the tempo of the current pop song picked up.
I put my hands around Mel’s neck and swayed my hips, matching her movements. We smiled at each other like fools, both doing some sexy moves I’d never done before, but right now it all seemed so natural. Everything was a blur, and my coordination was poor, but I didn’t care. It was New Year’s Eve, and it was turning into the best night of my life.
I spun around with Mel’s hands on my hips and met Hayden’s stare, which took all the air out of my lungs. Even from here I could discern the intensity in his eyes as he watched my every single move, and I longed to feel him against me.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you two slept together tonight,” Mel said into my ear.
I glanced over my shoulder at her, chuckling. “Why?”
“Because of the way he looks at you. He clearly wants you. So are you going to do anything about it?”
My breath hitched, and I looked back at Hayden, who was unaware of anyone or anything but me. I felt like he was undressing me with his eyes, but then two girls approached him and Blake, hiding my view of him, and jealousy tore through me. I stopped dancing and fixed my gaze on the short blonde who twirled a strand of her hair around her finger as she spoke to Hayden, while her brunette friend ended up on Blake’s lap.
My heart thumped wildly as I waited for Hayden’s reaction that never came. He looked disinterested, with his hands pushed into his pockets, but that didn’t quench my jealousy. No, it burned stronger the longer she stayed there without getting the message to leave him alone. He shook his head at her and focused his attention elsewhere, but she didn’t give up. The moment she placed her hand on the back of the couch and leaned closer to him was the moment my jealousy exploded, leading me closer to them.
Not fully aware of what I was doing, I pulled the blonde away from Hayden and got in her face, taller than her by a few inches that gave me an immense sense of power. “Stay away from him,” I hissed with a voice I didn’t recognize. “He’s not interested in you.”
Her sneer altered her beautiful face into something downright ugly. “What did you say, bitch? Nobody cares what you think. Scram!”
She flicked her long hair as she turned back to Hayden, which hit me directly across my face. My anger spiked big time. I didn’t know where this courage came from, but I grabbed her shoulder and yanked her around to look at me. “He’s my boyfriend, so you’re the one leaving. Scram!”
The displeasure on her face replaced the initial shock, but she remained silent as she gave me a condescending glare. She marched away, and I grinned, proud at myself for acting this fiercely.
I couldn’t believe I’d said those things! It was liberating and fulfilling, and I wished I could be this fearless after I sobered up. It felt amazing!
I finally turned to look at Hayden, and my lips parted when I read the expression on his face. It was a mixture of awe, pride, and something dark that stirred everything in me. Briefly glancing at his friends, I saw they all watched me with either respect or surprise, and I barely stopped a smug smile from breaking out.
Hayden stood up and halted in front of me, never breaking our eye contact. “You’re something else when you’re drunk, baby.”
I sucked in a long inhale. “Do you think what I did was wrong?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Wrong? Fuck, no. Come with me.”
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me after him, pushing through the crowd on the way out of the living room.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked him. My breathing quickened as excitement permeated my every pore. I needed this moment with him badly.
“To one of the guest rooms. We’ll have some privacy there.”
A guest room. My blood hummed with desire. He was opening a part of me that wanted this more than anything, and I remembered what Mel told me.
He wants me. So am I going to do anything about it?
Chapter 17
HAYDEN TOOK ME INSIDE a room on the second floor. The outside lights coming through a large set of windows provided enough light, so we stayed in the dark. I barely had time to take in the king size bed in the center of the room when he locked the door and spun me around, fusing his lips to mine. My purse dropped to the floor.
I moaned into his mouth. The taste of Coke was sweet on his tongue.
He moved his hands down my waist, backing me to the bed. “You’re so fucking hot when you’re jealous like that.”
He covered my mouth with his again and kissed me like he starved for me. He pushed me down on the mattress and covered me with his body, supporting himself with his uninjured hand as he kissed my neck.
“Hayden...”
I wasn’t able to think. I wasn’t able to form even one coherent sentence as he trapped me with addictive kisses and touches. I threaded my fingers through his hair and pressed his head against my neck. His fervent kisses seared my skin. He rolled us over so that I straddled him with his hands holding my hips, and he captured my lips once more, rocking me against him slowly. I leaned away to look at his face.
He looked different. His features were distorted with desire, making him look even more attractive and irresistible, and his half-lidded eyes burned into me. His swollen lips invited me to nibble them, and I did just that, eliciting a moan from him.
“You’re perfect, Sarah.”
I could feel his rapid heartbeat getting faster under my hand on his chest. I needed him so much. What was he doing to me?
His hands reached the hem of my dress and started raising it, caressing each inch of my uncovered skin. I grabbed his hands and stopped them.
“I want you, but please not here,” I whispered, unsure of where this would lead us.
He didn’t move as he studied me, impatience etched into his face. Groaning, he let go off my dress and ran his hands up my sides, tugging me down for another kiss. His tongue slid through my parted lips and stroked mine fiercely, which spurred my need for him even more.
“You’re such a tease,” he said, his voice completely husky. “You seriously have no idea what I want to do to you.”
“I know, but I don’t want to do it here. It’s my first time, so...” I looked away, embarrassed to talk about this, even drunk.
He pressed my forehead against his before he gave me the softest kiss ever. “I understand. And I don’t want your first time to be here either. Besides, I need you to be relaxed and sober.” He pecked my forehead. “You know I won’t hurt you?”