He grips my hair tight, before angling me just right, and teases my bottom lip with his tongue, but he doesn’t try to own me with his tongue or explore everything I have. My hands fall to his shoulders, and he groans at my touch as my fingers dance along his neck before they drop to his biceps. I cling on for dear life as he deepens the kiss, stealing my breath, and sobering me up.
When he pushes me away, my fingers hover over my bruised and swollen lips, as I stand here staring at him.
“Do you like me, Luna?” My nerves tingle as I try to stop fixating on that kiss, just to clear my mind enough to respond.
“Yes,” I breathe out.
“Do I scare you?” He rests his hand on the base of my throat, and I swallow hard.
“Yes. I’m scared of what I feel when I’m around you.” I’ve never sounded more sure in my whole life.
“Do you trust me not to hurt you?” He tightens his hand, and I know he can feel my thumping pulse against his thumb.
“Physically, yes,” another whisper and he places his mouth at my ear. Tingles shoot down my spine as I wait for his next words.
“Mentally?”
“I think you’ll destroy me.”
He pulls back and we stand here staring at one another, with so much hanging in the air between us, and a tension that is fueled by so many feelings. I wonder where we’ll go from here?
Five minutes until the fireworks will explode across the sky, and I can’t avoid it any longer.
“Where are you going?” Aeron asks, his eyes staring down into the public dance floor.
“The little girl’s room, I’ll be right back,” I say with a smile and his eyes meet mine with a forced smile on his lips.
“Don’t be long or you’ll miss the countdown,” Tucker says as he grinds against me, and I give him a smile.
“I won’t be, I’m sure the line won’t be that long,” I say with a sigh, and they both give me a dubious look as I head to the toilets.
I guess I’ll be eating my words. This is crazy. I can barely even see the door. Darius is standing beside me and earning a few looks. From curious to downright lust filled. I don’t like it, but it isn’t as though I can say anything. I don’t have a right to be jealous, not while I’m here with the guys.
I finally make it to the door and get my business done, but it’s true what they say about ladies and bathrooms. They really do like to get their gossip on.
“I’m telling you. They are Harkwrights. I wouldn’t mind putting one of those as a notch on my bedpost,” a girl says, before she is joined by laughter. I can’t help but roll my eyes, any higher, and they’ll end up getting stuck in there.
“Come on, they’re with the Academy girls. Why would they even bother with you?”
“Have you seen the guys up there? I’m telling you I’ve only seen one girl. And no way can she offer them what I can.” More snickering joins her comment, and I’ve had enough of listening to it.
I open the stall door and walk over to the sinks; I don’t even bother looking in their direction, but I know they’re not showing me the same courtesy.
“That’s the girl. I’d bet my inheritance on it.” Whispers ensue before someone stands up beside me.
“Woman to woman, I’m making a move on one of the guys. I hope you have a way to get home. They won’t even remember your name by the time I’m done.”
I don’t respond as I rinse my hands and then dry them off on a paper towel, before I suddenly turn around and look her up and down. Silver spiked stilettos. A gold sequin dress that clings to her and cuts low across her chest. No doubt she’ll be giving someone more than a nip slip before she goes home. Her dress is short, if she bends over, she’ll be showing everyone exactly what she has. Now, I’m not a believer in slut shaming, but this bitch is making it hard.
“Be my guest, but I doubt you’ll get the reaction you are hoping for. I don’t care who you think they are, because you don’t know a fricking thing about them.” I square my shoulders before I shake my head at her, her friends, and turn around to leave.
“Says you, aren’t you a sanctimonious little bitch? The only way a girl like you could get one is by whoring yourself out for three years. You’re replaceable, and I could have done the same, I just have more self respect.”
I rest my hand on the door, and I just let her words wash away. Last year, even a few weeks ago, that would have affected me. Maybe even brought me to my knees, but I’ve learnt a lot since fighting my feelings for the guys in my life. I’m better than this, and I won’t miss out on kissing the only person I can imagine sharing the first kiss of the new year with.
I step out into the hallway and I can hear the eager chants as my eyes fall on Darius, waiting for me. He’s always protecting me, he may have intimidated me in the beginning, but now, I see him for who he really is. A man who went to prison to protect a woman he didn’t even know, someone who stands up and defends me. A guy who is too good for this place.
“Hey, whore.” My hair is gripped from behind, and I can feel myself losing my footing before Darius grips my waist. Tears prick my eyes at the pain it’s causing in me, but I blink them away.
“Let go,” he demands, his gaze falling over my shoulder.
My hair is released as she pushes past me and places her hand on his arm. Damn, this girl has some balls on her.
“Honey, you can do so much better than this ‘girl’. Believe me, a guy like you deserves the best, and you couldn’t do better than me.” She arches her back, pushing her chest into the side of his arm. Her eyes stay trained on his as she takes her free hand and starts to run her fingers down between her breasts.
“Get your hands off me. I’m not interested. Trust me, there is no one better than her.” He looks at me as he says this last part, and I melt as my skin tingles with electricity.
“Come on, Tiffany. They’re about to start the countdown from ten,” one of her friends declares and she bares her teeth at us before sauntering away, and shaking her hips exaggeratedly. No way is anyone going to believe that she walks like that all the damn time.
Darius grips my hand before leading me into a storeroom full of various bottles and kegs. He looks at me with kind eyes and this sweet gesture, giving me a few moments to compose myself, undoes me completely. I watch him as he leans against the wall and I put a foot in front.
“Five,” I step forward, counting along with the crowd as I close the distance between us. What the fuck am I doing? What if someone walks in? “Four.” His eyes are staring at me, questioning what I’m doing without uttering a word. Yeah, I’m right there with him. Come on, Luna, use your head. “Three.” I place my hands on his shoulders. “Two.” Rise up on my tiptoes until our mouths are level.
“One,” I breathe the word across his mouth as I press mine against his, and steal the kiss I’ve been craving ever since we came together. All doubts fly out of my head and my mind goes blissfully blank, where the only thing I am aware of is the feel of him under my hands, my mouth.
He sinks beneath my touch, as I glide my tongue across the seam of his lips and they part instantly until our tongues are tangling with one another. Our kiss is slow, languid, and reaching into the darkest depths that I have inside.