Page 23 of Before I Knew

Nobody was paying attention to us now, as the emcee was making their rounds, so I tugged on her hand and pulled her around the corner.

“Aston,” she said with a laugh, and I did what I had been wanting to do since I first saw her. I pressed my lips to hers.

She didn’t pull away, didn’t freeze. Instead wrapped her fingers under the lapels of my jacket and pulled me closer.

Groaning, I deepened the kiss, my tongue sliding along hers.

“We need to stop. Someone can come around the corner at any minute.”

“I’ll stop. Soon.” I kissed her again, needing her taste, craving her, and when I knew that it would be too much if I continued, I wrenched myself away, my chest rising and falling in deep pants.

“Holy hell,” I growled.

“Oh.”

I looked over at Blakely, her hand over her bruised lips, her eyes wide. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

“Not at all. I don’t think I’ve ever been kissed like that before. Which probably isn’t something I should say.” I had barely any control when it came to her.

I felt like a cat who caught the canary, and a smile slid across my face. “That sounds like a compliment.”

“Maybe. Or maybe I need to get out more.” She grinned up at me.

Her eyes danced, and I wanted to know more. I wanted to know everything.

Who was this woman? And why did she do this to me?

“Sorry to interrupt, but they need you.” I cursed at Flynn’s timing, and Blakely’s face drained of color, while she tried to hide behind a potted palm.

“It’s just my brother. Everything’s fine.”

“I’m so embarrassed. I’mworkingfor God’s sake.”

“It’s okay, nobody saw. James and I had the exits covered.”

“Should it worry me that it sounds like you guys have a plan for this sort of thing?” she asked, slight frost in her tone.

I cursed my brothers and everything they stood for, while I glared at him and James who walked up from behind him. “No, this is new. But we protect our family.”

Flynn looked over my shoulder and winked at Blakely. “I’m Flynn. The quiet one here is James. It’s good to see you.”

“Hi. I’m going to go fix my face. And then I have to…work.”

“You look wonderful,” James said softly, and I glared at him before turning my back to them and looking at Blakely.

“I have to go be The Cage,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“I love the title.” I heard the humor in her tone—even above the slight panic.

“I don’t,” I said softly. “I want to see you again.”

Her eyes widened marginally. “Okay. Maybe not in the middle of a hallway?”

“No. Let’s not. I’ll call you.”

When she let out a soft laugh, I relaxed. Marginally. “Good. And then I’ll have my wits about me.”

“I need to go.” Long before this.

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