Page 36 of Fever

Hunter smiled down at Selena, and if I didn’t know any better, I thought at any moment she’d faint.

“I don’t like keeping secrets, so I have none to offer you.”

“No secrets, huh?” Octavia said.

“That’s right,” Hunter agreed. “No secrets.”

Hunter turned his attention back to me, but something over my shoulder stole his focus. He inclined his head.

“Josiah,” he greeted.

I snapped my head to the side just as Josiah closed the distance to stand at my other side. My stomach rumbled as I got a close look at the pecs brilliantly designed in his shirt. The polo was doing nothing to hide them. My eyes lifted to his strong neck, stubble on his jaw and perfectly moist lips. A shudder ran through me, and I shifted my weight in my seat.

“Hunter,” Josiah responded, taking his soulful eyes from Hunter to me. The rapid beat of my heart threatened to knock me out of my chair as Josiah dipped down to me, casting an arm around my waist and pulling me out of the chair, flushed against his broad chest. My hands instantly clutched his shoulders to hold myself steady from the sudden movement.

“Hey, baby,” he crooned, “I’ve missed you ever since we departed the other day. What a pleasure it is to see you here tonight.” Josiah tightened his grip on my waist and slanted his mouth over mine. A dizzy spell fell over me as his lips engaged with my lips, and he sucked in my tongue. I moaned into his mouth and felt the heat of his passion between my thighs. John Legend was singing about tonight being the best he’d ever had, and I couldn’t disagree with him at the moment.

Josiah’s hands explored my backside, lightly at first then with a firm grip. I tried to pull away from him as I was still somewhat aware that we were in front of an entire room of people. But it was of no use. The probing of his tongue held me longer, enchanted by his predatorial claim. He inhaled me, unwilling to give me a moment of reprieve even to breathe as I shared lungsful of air through his silken mouth. Desire ached through my body, and my leg lifted without me giving it instructions. Josiah gathered my bottom, effectively pulling me into his arms, and my other leg wrapped around his waist.

It was this moment that a smile tapered across his beautiful mouth as he feathered kisses down my jaw. He turned purposefully, leaving the table as I nibbled on his ear, completely lost in his entrapment. I didn’t care where he was taking me as long as I was with him. Briefly, I saw images of my girls and Hunter with surprised looks on their faces. Selena was speaking, but I continued to nibble on his ear as they all became a blur in my sight. I was drunk. To be clear, I was debauched with lust, not alcohol. I’d only had two drinks, and they weren’t enough to coat me with such an unrestrained craving. The path before us opened as Josiah carried me into what I assumed was the VIP area. Security at the entrance closed it off as we floated in cutting off his buddies who trailed behind. They instantly began to gripe about how they were with Josiah, but the stone-faced security guard ignored them, standing with perfect posture, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Josiah!” They called after him. “Yo J!”

Josiah’s movements didn’t pause until we were upon a plush sofa in the back of the room. Currently, we were the only occupants of the section, and I had a feeling we would be until Josiah said otherwise. He sat down with me still strapped to his waist. My knees sunk into the heated sofa as I now straddled him. My eyes felt heavy, and my lids lowered as I was still salivating over the primal way he’d taken me.

“I thought you weren’t feeling well,” I managed to say. “What are you doing here?”

“Whatever you put in your soup has me feeling like my old self again. What can I say, I’m cured,” he drawled. “I don’t remember you mentioning coming to the club tonight.”

“That’s because I didn’t.” My fingers drifted up his chest and played with his collarbone, and I felt him shiver under my touch.

“Why didn’t you?”

I barely shrugged. “I didn’t realize it was something I needed to mention.”

His nostrils flared, and he tilted his head slightly as he peered at me through squinted eyes. “How long have you known Hunter?”

I pulled my bottom lip in my mouth, giving it a slight suck with my teeth.

“I don’t know him at all.”

“So, this is the first time you’ve met him?”

“Yeah.”

He rubbed his chin in thought.

“What’s the problem?” I asked, curious with his sudden intrigue with Hunter Valentine.

“He’s the type of guy that wants anything that doesn’t belong to him.”

“You guys are rivals?”

“He’d like to think that. But I ignore his efforts most of the time, except when my interference is warranted.”

“Like now?”

His compelling gaze washed over me with a slow dragging appraisal. It was like he wanted me to feel his dangerous observation reach out and touch me. He draped an arm across the back of the couch.

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