Page 71 of Take My Hand

“We’re gonna go dance,” Hayden says to the rest of the guys. Walker claps a hand on his back in response, but Nikolai and Reid don’t bother as they chat up a group of women that have sauntered over to our section. Nikolai talks with them, while Reid stands there, brooding. But that doesn’t deter the women. If anything, two of them only try harder to get his attention by discreetly lowering the tops of their dresses to highlight their cleavage and toss their hair from one shoulder to the other.

Good luck with that one, ladies.

Hayden takes my hand and leads me through the VIP section until we’re back out in the main area of the club. We stay toward the perimeter of the dancefloor so we’re within eyesight of one of the bodyguards as well as the front entrance. Hayden relaxes the slightest amount once he assures himself of those details and pulls me closer to him.

“Never Been Hurt” by Krewella and BEAUZ pulses through the air, lulling my body in a smooth glide. Between the burn of Hayden’s skin against mine and the alcohol swirling in my system, my body becomes putty in his hands as we dance. He pulls me this way and that, moving me how he wants and demanding that I follow along to his rhythm. I let myself free fall into it, trusting him and following his lead. It’s liberating and sexy, having him take control over my body, exactly how he does it when we fuck.

I’ve never seen him dance before, but now I can’t get enough.

I loop my arms around his neck and he tucks his head in close, licking a line up the side of my throat. My feet stutter for a moment but he keeps me upright and moving, not allowing me to miss a beat. The sensation sends a spark straight between my legs and the need to taste him right here, right now overrides every other desire and thought.

Gripping his hair with both of my hands, I bring his mouth to mine, demanding a desperate, needy kiss. My lips part his, and I dart my tongue inside, moaning as the taste of him explodes across my every nerve.

His hands dig into my hips and he pulls me impossibly closer, grinding our bodies, and I curse the layer of clothing separating us. Teeth dig into my bottom lip, and I relish the sting. My hands leave his hair and explore the plains of his shoulders and back over his shirt, needing to feel every lean muscle and groove.

The songs continue to morph from one into another, bodies dance and grind around us, but it all fades into nothing as we stand here, devouring each other. No one and nothing else exist except Hayden.

I have him and he has me and it’s enough.

This moment is ours.

24

CARTER

Our bubble is popped when Walker finds us and taps Hayden on the shoulder. He leans in, speaking into Hayden’s ear, and I can’t hear anything he’s saying over the music. I take the interruption as a moment to catch my breath and brush my hair away from my neck.

Time has become irrelevant and I have no idea how long we’ve been dancing over here. By the ache in my legs and throbbing of my feet in my platform heels, it’s been a bit.

Hayden’s face goes from hazy and relaxed to stone cold and pissed in a fraction of a second. I look around to see if something is wrong. The crowd is still riding the high of the night and nothing sticks out immediately as being amiss.

Until Hayden’s arm wraps protectively around my back and pulls me against him, eyes now drilling holes at our area of the VIP section.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, but I find my answer when I follow his line of sight.

Daniel stands there, drink in one hand and the other tucked into his pocket, smirking directly at me. But it’s not a playful way in which he watches me. It doesn't send a bolt of arousal and excitement through me like it does when Hayden smirks at me.

No. This one chills my blood and zaps all the energy out of my system. Daniel eyes me with a cruel glint in his eye that sets me on edge even from a distance.

His eyes travel the length of my dress and suddenly I wish more of my skin was covered by it. It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before, but the way he looks at my body with a twist of his mouth brings every single insecurity I ever had to the surface. Words begin cycling through my head, his old insults demanding my attention once again after long since being buried.

Your chest is so small.

You could lose that bit of flab on the back of your arms if you tried.

Have you ever noticed that one of your eyes is higher than the other?

My brain tries to shut them down, focusing on the way Hayden is holding me to him and instead filter in everything good he tells me about myself.

You’re so fucking beautiful.

I can’t believe you’re mine.

Your body was made for me.

I turn to Hayden. His jaw is clenched so tight it’s a miracle his teeth don’t crack.

“He’s here with some friends,” Walker says to us, concern written all over his face as he looks at me. As if it’s his fault that Daniel showed up here tonight.

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