Page 27 of Just a Number

“It was, uh, too busy. I figured I’d go back later. It looks quieter now.”

As I walk past the ladies, I glance around and don’t see anyone paying me any attention, so I make my way along the back corridor passing a sign saying ‘Staff Only’.

What the actual fuck do I think I’m doing?I lean against the wall and tilt my head back, staring up at the ceiling.Maybe he just wants to talk. Yeah, right.The little angel and devil that sit on my shoulders get into a fight about Alex’s intentions. And I just leave them to it.

“Hey, you okay?” Alex suddenly appears out of nowhere, coming closer to me, so we’re both hidden from view.

“What did you want?” I squeak, uncertain about what I want to happen here.

“Just to say hi. It was impossible to talk out there.”

I stare into his brown eyes, fascinated by the gold flecks, unable to look away as if he’s hypnotising me.

“Are we okay after the other day?” He’s standing close enough that I have to tilt my head to look at him. He leans a hand against the wall beside my head, caging me in.

I don’t know how to answer that. He cocks his head, assessing something I can’t figure out.

He pushes a knee between my legs and I want to moan. His closeness skyrockets my heartbeat and that pulse echoes in my pussy.

“Alex,” I gasp, even while I want him to wedge his knee in even tighter, creating some friction. “We mustn’t. We can’t do it again.”

“I can’t stop thinking about you, Mel. You’re driving me crazy. I just need another taste.” He leans in but doesn’t kiss me yet, waiting for me to respond.I need it too.He towers over me at this angle, but I don’t feel unsafe. His body so close to mineleaves me breathless. Warmth spreads through my core and he‘s barely touched me.

There’s not one cell in my body that wants to push him away right now. In fact, I think my whole body has been hoping something like this would happen tonight when I came here.

“Just one taste…” he murmurs when I don’t reply, and then he leans the rest of the way until our lips touch.

Our mouths crash together. He takes hold of my chin, tilting my face for the perfect angle. I tremble all over, giddy to have his lips on mine again. I moan as his tongue strokes over mine, possessively dominating our kiss as if he owns me. I have no desire to breathe, I just want his mouth on me. He pushes his knee a little firmer into the apex of my thighs and my body lights up as I grind my hips.

I don’t know how long we stay here, devouring each other, but it’s not long enough. When the crowd in the bar starts clapping, Alex wrenches himself away from me, leaving us both breathless. He rests his forehead on mine, a longer strand of his golden brown hair tickling my face.

“I have to go back. They’ll be swamped with the band taking a break.” He caresses my face with his hand, his thumb reaching across to draw a line over my lips which are swollen again from a kiss we shouldn’t have had. “Can I see you later when I get back from work?”

My heart beats hard and my quickened pulse echoes through my whole body. I should say no.

I give a shaky nod.

“What’s Mel short for?” he asks, taking me by surprise.

“Melody. But no one calls me that.” I reply.

He lets out a hum and then repeats my name out loud like he’s tasting the sound of it. He holds my gaze for a moment longer before he goes back out to the bar, leaving me there with my thoughts, which are screaming one thing again and again.

What the fuck have I just agreed to?

Chapter eleven

Alex

Iuse the spare key that Mel lent me to let myself in. It’s late. The bar was busy right up until closing, when Tom had to bellow to get people out of the door. We were fully staffed, so luckily, the tidy-up went smoothly and we were all out of there pretty quickly.

The ride home gave me a chance to centre myself. I tried hard not to think about what was waiting for me when I got back to the house, not wanting to get distracted while driving. But now the bike is parked and I’m stepping inside, I let my mind wander.

Kissing Mel earlier wasn’t enough; I need more. I think I’m obsessed with this woman. I’ve thought of no one else for days.

I pull off my boots and jacket and put them away in the hall cupboard along with my bike helmet. Then I grab a quick drink of water and peer into the lounge, but there’s no sign of her.

She’d not left the pub until closing herself and I half expected her to be waiting up for me as we’d not had time to do more than glance at each other all night.

---