Page 19 of I Am Lioness

I hissed through my teeth and clenched my eyes shut, tipping my head back against the hard surface behind me as his nails raked up along the outer span of my thighs. His warm lips fell to my neck, dragging up the exposed column to my ear where he tugged on the lobe with his teeth.

“Do you know how many times I've imagined this in my head...” His voice was pure sex, luring a fresh wave of goosebumps over my skin as his thumb brushed over my lips. “How many times I’ve taken this mouth, how many times I've ran my hands over every perfect inch of your body until you begged for more?”

YES, I wanted to scream because I knew, I knew how vivid fantasies could be, but words failed me. My brain had taken a vacation to Nirvana and all I could do wasfeel. Mewling in his grasp, I raked my fingers into his hair and yanked him impossibly closer. One of his large hands curled around my throat, not forcefully, but withjustenough pressure that combined with his heady, drugging scent, I was suddenly lightheaded.

Breathless.

Aching…

My eyes fluttered shut. “Is that all?” I managed to whisper.

He chuckled darkly beside my ear. “Far from it, baby, but the extent of my imagination may have you running for the hills and I can't risk that happening. I’ll just keep those vivid and obscenely tantalizing visions to myself until I'm certain you can handle all that.”

“Assuming I can't handle it is a quite a big mistake on your part, Mr. Carr. I am more than positive”—I pulled his hand from my throat—“that my fantasies are equally obscene and tantalizing.”

“And just what are these delectable fantasies of yours, Miss Perry? Do tell…”

I was completely lost in the moment, a breath away from answering, when suddenly Knox was being yanked off me, a dark figure holding him captive by the back of his shirt. Then a bright white light flooded the corridor and when I realized who the mysterious figure was, my blood boiled over in an instant.

“What in the actual fuck, Jason?” I snapped.

The soundof his name set me off. I growled, completely enraged, and yanked myself free from the bodyguard’s grasp. If it hadn’t been for Hazel stepping in between us, I would’ve shoved him into the wall, strangled him, and slammed my fist into face. Repeatedly.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She spat, sounding as furious as I felt.

Jason chuckled, seemingly unaffected by her tone. “Saving you the humiliation of getting caught by someone else.”

She took a few steps toward him. “How did you even know we were back here?”

He switched off the bright light, drowning us in the darkness once more. The red glow from the sign above us washed over his smug face. “I didn’t, but when I lost sight of you two and couldn’t find you anywhere else, I began searching every darkened corner in this place.”

“When youlostsight of us? How long have you been here, Jason?”

“Since before the four of you strolled in. Manny and I had a table fairly close to the bar.”

“Are you kidding me right now?” She nearly squeaked. “You’ve been lurking in the shadows watching me all night?”

“Don’t sound so surprised, Hazel. Did you really think you were going out to a club and I wouldn't be trailing closely behind?”

“I can't believe… I don't….” She groaned, exasperated, her arms flailing in the air. “Just meet me by the bathrooms. I'll be right there.”

“Not likely. Say your good…”

“I said meet me by the bathrooms, dammit!” Hazel roared, effectively cutting the asshole off mid-sentence.

I’d half expected him to fire back with an objection of sorts, but much to my surprise, he retreated without another word or a glance back in our direction.

Hazel turned to me then. I couldn't make out much of her face but I could feel the rage radiating off her in sweltering waves. She closed the distance between us, all but crashing into me, and took my face in her hands.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I don't know what the hell he was thinking.”

I wrapped her in my arms and dropped my forehead to hers. “Don’t apologize for him. It was a dick move but honestly, with the way things were going, he did us a favor.”

“What do you mean he did us a favor? He ruined a perfectly good evening for absolutely no reason at all.”

“My self-control was nearly non-existent, baby. I was one kiss away from devouring you whole. ”

“I wasn't far behind, in case you didn't notice.”

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