Page 83 of Hear Me Roar

“Because everyone's watchingus.”

He wasn’t lying. There were dozens of eyes on us, mostly his family, lovesick expressions etched on their faces. I wondered what they saw when they looked at us, if perhaps they thought we were next, that the next time they’d all be gathered around like this would be the day I took Knox’s name. Considering we’d only been together for a year and half, the thought ofthatshould’ve scared me. But after everything that had happened in the last few months, and the fact that we’d overcome it all despite the setbacks, it didn’t. If I pictured my life thirty, forty years from now, I could without a doubt see Knox by my side, and as I glanced up into ardent blue eyes, I wondered if he saw thattoo.

Dropping his forehead to mine, Knox continued to sing softly with the chorus as we swayed in a circle, the words so uncannily in tune with my thoughts it's almost as though he was answering me. An answer that flushed my cheeks and plundered my heart, especially when he took my face in his hands and our lips brushed ever so softly as he vowed to be the greatest fan of mylife.

“Nowwe can go outside,” he murmured, and all I could do was nod, too overcome by a wave of emotion to form an actualanswer.

With my hand on his arm, we trailed out of the ballroom and through the hotel in comfortable silence to the front doors. I was still reeling when the cold December air enveloped me the second we stepped outside, leaving me a shivering mess. Knox promptly slid out of his jacket and draped it over my shoulders as we descended the steps relatively close to other guests who were chatting, some of them enjoying a cigarette too. That left mewondering...

“I wonder where Manny and Maya-oh shit!” I squeaked, yanking Knox behind one of the oversized potted shrubs forcover.

Hopefully they hadn’t see us because there they were… Maya was pressed up against the building and Manny loomed over her, one arm supporting all his weight while the other was draped almost possessively at herhip.

“Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?” he asked her, and she shook her head, her cheeks flaming as red as herdress.

“No, but you did now. I’m curious,though…”

“About?”

“If I admit I think you look stunningly handsome, will you kissme?”

“Maya, I…” He hesitated, and from the look on his face I could tell he was torn between right and what he thought was wrong. “I don’t want you tothink-”

To my surprise, she tugged on his tie, luring him closer. “Iwantyou to kiss me, Manny. Stop acting like you haven’t thought about it on more than oneoccasion.”

“I don't know that I'll be able to stop after onekiss.”

“Who said I wanted you tostop?”

Holy hell, you gogirl.

Cupping her face in hands, he glanced between her eyes, every ounce of self-control he knew slipping away as the seconds ticked by. “You're killing me,” he admitted on abreath.

“Then just kiss me already and stop torturing usboth.”

“Babe, let’s go,” Knox whispered in my ear but I shooed him away. Yeah, I know, private moment and all that, but Ihadto see whathappened.

Just do it, Manny. Doit!

And he did. He held nothing back as he smashed his lips to hers and kissed her with purpose. Even Knox was quietly rooting him on behind me. It wasn't until Maya hummed in satisfaction and wound her arms around his neck that I turned away, smiling at Knox as though I'd just caught Santa under the Christmastree.

“It's a good thing they're not staying in our suite this time,” he murmured, wrapping me in hisembrace.

“I know, can you imagine?” Igiggled.

“Speaking of our suite” – he checked the time on his watch – “party’s almost over. What do you say we head back inside, have one last drink, and say ourgoodbyes?”

“Thenwill you take me upstairs and stop torturing us both?” I asked coyly, mirroring Maya’swords.

But I didn't get ananswer.

Knox simply kissed me and flashed me a naughty grin that promised nothing but sweet, sweet torture awaited me once we stepped foot in that room. Little did I know just how sweet that torture wouldbe...

We stumbledinto our suite at half past twelve, all hands, mouths, and desperate touches. Lodged in his grasp, I clicked the locks in place and inched backward with his determined strides leading us all the way to the bedroom. I expected him to toss me onto the bed, but instead, he spun me around and crouched to his feet, deftly undoing the few buttons under the V-line of my dress. I peeked back as he rose to full height, his thumbs hooking under the sheer edge of the sleeves at my shoulders, pushing them downward until they fell away on their own. With no support, the gown gave away and pooled at my feet, leaving me clad in nothing but panties and nudestilettos.

A wild growl escaped him and I couldn’t help but shiver as the tips of his fingers danced up my thighs. “Take these off,” he ordered softly, snapping the waistband against my skin. “And leave the heelson.”

There was no hesitation as I yielded to his demand. Shimming out of my panties, I let them drop to my feet before crawling onto the bed and leaning back on my hands. His bow tie was already undone, hanging loosely around his neck, but the rest of his strip down was a feast for my eyes. First went the jacket, then the vest. He tossed both of them onto the chaise in front of the bed and swiftly began undoing the buttons of his dress shirt, blue eyes trained intently on me. They looked all the more blue, almost electric, with only the light of the moon pouring in through the window behind me. Each button undone revealed more and more ink-adorned skin and as that deep-set V came into view, I had to bite down on my bottom lip to squelch the moan that threatened to break thesilence.

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