Page 48 of Shattered

When the woman wasn’t successful in slowing him down, she practically jumped in front of him to stop him dead in his tracks.When he finally did, so as not to trip over her, she took advantage of the opportunity and tried to wrap her hands around his neck.She was blatantly trying to pull him in for a kiss.

Before I could do or say anything, Kael jumped up from his seat and darted over to where his friend was being accosted.As soon as he approached, he gave the woman a disgusted look and saved his dear friend, pushing him out of the way and back toward our table.

Adara spoke up, probably to help distract me from what I’d just witnessed.“Unfortunately, you have to get used to it, Sara.It’s part of being with a sexy-as-hell man.”She gave me an empathic look, trying to squash any ill feelings I was having at the moment.

“How do you deal with it?Your husband falls right in the same category.”I hope she doesn’t mind me saying so.

She thought for a second before responding.“I’m still trying to figure it out.Even though they play off our reactions as ‘cute jealousy’, that’s not what it feels like.But let some guy talk to us, or God forbid even touch us even in the slightest way, and they would go postal, raging all around, looking to put someone in the ground.”

When I laughed, she looked really solemn for a second.

“Seriously, a few times, I thought Kael was going to be arrested for his actions.Some of the men he went after deserved it because they were being disrespectful, but there were some innocent bystanders, as well.But he’s working on it.”

“Yeah?How’s it going?”

“He’s a work in progress.” She laughed.

As soon as Alek approached, he felt as if he should explain.

He slid into the seat next to me, leaned close and placed a kiss on my temple.“Sorry about that, sweetheart.I tried to move away from her as soon as I saw her coming my way, but she was a persistent one.”He chuckled at the end of his statement, to which I glared in his direction, showing him my disapproval.He stopped immediately, darted his eyes toward the floor and whispered, “Sorry.”I shook my head and smirked, allowing him to witness I wasn’t as upset as I’d let on.

“Listen, I can’t be held responsible for my actions if that skank tries anything with you again.You may be bailing me out of jail tonight.”Shrugging, I finished with, “Just saying.”

Apparently, my statement was enough to cause all three of them to laugh, which was exactly the type of mood change we needed.

After another half hour of chatting, Adara and I decided we wanted to dance.The drinks I’d consumed loosened me enough to have the courage to give in to the beat.As we were about to leave the table, Alek circled his fingers around my wrist and pulled back so fast I fell into his lap.The kiss he bestowed on me was downright dangerous.

“Be good,” he warned.

“I’ll behave myself.”I stood, grabbed Adara’s hand and walked away, but not before I shouted, “As much as I can,” over my shoulder.The look on his face was priceless, as if I’d actually gotten one over on him.But I didn’t.

I heard him shout, “I’ll be watching you,” before we disappeared from his line of sight.

“I’m sure he’ll be out here soon enough,” she yelled next to my ear.“Actually, both of them will be. What the hell am I talking about?There’s no way they’ll leave us out here alone for long.”

“I don’t know if Alek even dances.Does Kael?”I had to admit I was more than a little curious as to whether or not Alek would succumb to the thrum of the music.I couldn’t picture it, but at the same time it wouldn’t completely shock me, either.

“Yes, he’ll break out his moves every once in a blue moon.”Adara looked quite dreamy as she uttered her next proclamation.“He has quite the moves, on the dance floor as well as in the bedroom.”She winked and pulled me into a free area on the dance floor.

I was still laughing when we let the beat of the music take over.There was something about the mix of alcohol, the song playing and the fact all the people around us were strangers, which made the perfect environment to let loose and simply have fun.

When the third song queued up, I was jerked backward until I hit a solid mass of muscle.A quick look of alarm paralyzed my features before I’d realized who snatched me.His scent weaved through the air, calming me immediately.

Alek spun me out before pulling me back close.When his body pressed against my own, I could clearly feel he was aroused, his excitement hitting me in the stomach.“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asked as he continued to entice me with his expert dance moves.The way he was grinding on me was enough of an indication I knew exactly what he would rather be doing.Leaning in, he nuzzled my neck, licking and biting my hyper-sensitive skin.

“Why no, you haven’t,” I lied.He had, but I couldn’t help myself; my ego needed a little extra adoration.I knew I was being petty, but whenever there were other women around, especially when they were gawking at him, I loved the extra attention he gave me.I chalked it up to being a woman.

Placing his soft lips over mine, his tongue came out to play, caressing my mouth and asking for permission to enter.Of course, I complied.I wanted to taste him as much as I wanted him to ravage me, but he broke the kiss as quickly as he tempted me.

“You are the most beautiful woman in the world, Sara.Tonight.Tomorrow.Ten years from now.”

“Only ten years,” I teased.

“Forever.”His words relaxed my needy self.

My thoughts drifted to a different version of myself.I’d been the one who was so quick to dismiss any advances someone paid me, shying away from almost everyone in order to protect myself.After what had happened to me, I’d put up a stone wall.Scratch that.I’d put up a concrete tower, surrounded by a moat and fierce, fire-breathing dragons.

No one was going to trick me again.

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