Page 24 of Undeniable

All the while, blue eyes bored into the side of my face. And I was more focused on those than the brown eyes staring at me from only a few inches away. My cheeks flamed under the attention, and it felt like each breath was going to be my last.

Under the strobing lights with music blaring and surrounded by a gym full of our classmates was not where I would’ve chosen to have this conversation. I liked Brendon, but I didn’t think Ilikedhim.

“I know this is a lot, but I think we could be good together.” His thumb brushed over my cheek, and a small part of me softened at the sweet gesture.

But it didn’t last long. Brendon’s hand dropped from my face, and the intense glare that had been watching me from afar all night was suddenly at my side.

“We need to talk,” was all James said before he grabbed my hand and tugged me free of Brendon’s hold.

“Dude, what the fuck?” Brendon challenged, following us off the dance floor.

I could do nothing but go where James led me. His forceful grip on my hand didn’t leave me much choice.

On a dime, James turned. “Don’t follow,” he warned Brendon. Brendon stopped in his tracks, his eyes darting to me quickly. I knew the silent question in his eyes: do youwantme to follow?

The movement was so slow I worried he wouldn’t see it when I shook my head. But he must have noticed since he didn’t follow us into the hallway.

I didn’t know why James was still moving so quickly since Brendon had obviously thought better than to trail behind us. But his pace didn’t slow as he banged out of the gym doors and threw open one that led into the women’s locker room.

I couldn’t move as quickly as usual in heels, and I finally found my voice as he tugged me farther into the dark, quiet space.

“What are you—”

The words were lost in my gasp as my back collided with the cement wall. Then James was there, in front of me, glaring at me with the same intensity, except I was finally close enough to see the fire building. Only a breath away, I watched his sharp jaw work as his eyes roamed my face.

His hands were poised against the wall above my head, caging me in like he was scared I was going to run.

When his eyes dropped lower, sweeping over my cleavage, I took in a sharp breath. He was so close. I could smell the alluring mix of his cologne and his sweat, but the traces of Madison’s perfume had the opposite effect.

“I can’t stand,” he finally said in a low, ragged voice, “to watch him touch you for one more minute.”

I cleared my throat and straightened. “Why? He’s my date.”

“Why?” he questioned, repeating it back to me. “Why don’t I want him touching you?”

“Yes, did I stutter?”

James took a deep breath and stepped closer to me. I could nearly feel the heat radiating off him. “Because he’s my best friend and I don’t want to have to kill him.”

I coughed out a laugh at the seriousness in his voice. “James—”

But the shake of his head and the brush of the tip of his nose and then his lips against my cheek kept me from saying anything more. His hot breath against my neck made me shudder and goose bumps erupted over my flushed skin.

“I can’t watch him touch you when I haven’treallytouched you yet. When I haven’t felt you.”

His lips lingered against my neck, just below my ear. Brushing against me in a way that couldn’t be considered a kiss but was a promise of something more.

Each word was like dousing my confidence in lighter fluid. I turned my head just enough that our noses touched and our breaths mingled.

“Well, are you going to do something about that?”

As quickly as the words left my mouth, his lips were on mine. One hand tangled in my hair at the base of my neck, the other one gripped my hip in a punishing hold.

Relief. That was the only thing I felt when his body finally pressed against mine, barricading me between the wall and the wall of man in front of me. He kissed me like he’d always wanted to do it and like he never wanted to stop.

Never had a kiss been so consuming. And in that moment, I knew that, without a doubt, nothing would ever compare.

His tongue licked against my lips, and I willingly, eagerly opened for him. As his tongue brushed against mine, I fastened my hands around his neck and pulled him closer. I didn’t know how much closer we could actually get, but I wanted to try all the same.

---