Page 32 of Collide (Collide 1)

Staring into her green-and-gold-flecked eyes, a knot suddenly formed in Gavin's chest, nearly blocking his ability to breathe. She was forbidden fruit, and God knew he wanted a taste. He had been ready to do anything to have her. He craved her. He needed her. But he realized as much as he ached for this moment, he couldn't take her drunk, and he wouldn't allow himself to have her like this - in some stranger's home. He wanted her when she was in the right state of mind - and in his bed. He wanted to wake up with her beside him, and he needed to know that this wasn't just the alcohol making the decision for her. He withdrew his fingers from inside her in an attempt to stop, but as soon as he did, she reached for his wrist and pulled his dampened fingers into her mouth - sucking on each one like a lollipop.

The simple act was so deliciously hot to Gavin; he felt his blood rush through his body even faster. Once again, his lips slammed into hers, stifling her moans while he plunged his fingers back inside her warmth. He kissed her harder, groaning as her legs lifted to frame his waist. When Emily released her hold on his hair and ran her fingers down his stomach to unbutton his pants, it was then that he knew he had to stop again.

With tortured, brutal, agonizing restraint, Gavin shot up from the bed, his chest heaving up and down. He walked clear across the room, dragging his hands through his hair.

Lying on the bed in utter shock and trying to catch her breath, Emily looked at him with the flush of desire still blooming on her cheeks. "What's wrong?" she breathed out, her voice a ragged mess.

"I can't do this, Emily. " He plucked his shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head. Grabbing for hers, he tossed it across the room onto the bed, making sure he didn't get too close to her again. If he did, he knew there was no turning back. "Get up and get dressed. "

Sitting herself up, humiliation tore through her as she shrugged into her blouse. She was panting and confused beyond any rational thought. "But I thought this is what you wanted. "

At a loss for words, staring at her beautiful face and still trying to talk his own raging hormones down, Gavin swallowed and simply shook his head.

"Oh my God, I knew this would happen," Emily whispered, stumbling to her feet, her head still dizzy with alcohol. "You don't want me. You never wanted me. I'm just one of your sick, twisted void fillers for the night - another pawn in the let's-fuck-with-women's-heads game for you. "

In two quick strides, Gavin was across the room. Taking her chin in his hand, he rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. "No, Emily, just listen to me. "

She swatted his hand off her face as tears sprung in her eyes. "I can't believe this. I feel like such a fool. "

"Emily," he whispered. Seeing that she was clearly drunk made him feel less of the man he thought himself to be. "Please don't think that I don't want you. What just happened. . . what just occurred. . . " he said, pointing to the bed. "That little bit I had of you makes me want so much more - just that little bit puts anyone I've ever been with to shame. I want you more than anything. I just can't have it happen like this. "

Seemingly unaffected by his declaration, Emily attempted to button her shirt. "You don't want me. I need to leave," she sniffled, trying to make her way toward the door.

Gavin caught her

by her elbow and spun her around, placing his hands on her hips. She tried to pull away, but between his ironclad grip and the amount of alcohol running through her system, her effort was worthless.

He leaned down and looked her in the eyes. "Do you think it was easy for me to stop, Emily? You have no idea how much I want to do this with you. . . to touch you again," he whispered, brushing his hand across her cheek. "To taste you again. " He licked his lips, savoring her lingering juices. "To finally feel you beneath me. " His fingers slowly teased into her hair. "I told you. . . I want you more than anything but not here in this house and not while you're drunk. "

A frown marred the space between her brows as she wiped a tear from her face. "Oh, the epiphany comes now, huh?" She yanked herself from his hold, wobbling toward the door again. "Go to hell, Gavin. "

Still trying to assist her out of the room, Gavin scooped her up off her feet in one graceful movement, like a groom carrying his bride over the threshold.

Having no choice but to cling to his neck for support, Emily breathed out heavily. "Put me down. "

"You can barely walk. "

"I can walk just fine. Now put me down!"

Gavin ignored her request and pulled the door open. Upon emerging from the room, the once empty hallway now looked like a certified brothel with couples making out in every direction Gavin turned. It only sickened his stomach further, knowing that he had Emily pent up inside that room in a scene like this. He belted down the stairs with her in his arms. Although she tried to squirm out of his embrace, her efforts were futile as her head lolled backward and her eyes closed with every step he took. Not even the deafening music pulled her from her drunken stupor.

Scanning the maddening mess of intoxicated bodies, Gavin made eye contact with Trevor who had Fallon curled up in his lap on a recliner. Trevor's forehead creased when he saw Gavin with Emily. Seeming to be out of it herself, Fallon stayed rooted to the chair when Trevor stood up and walked over to Gavin.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She doesn't feel good," Gavin answered. "Go find your sister and meet me in my car. "

Emily gingerly lifted her head from Gavin's shoulder. She smiled in Trevor's direction. "I feel fine, Trevor," she slurred. "But Gavin's an asshole. "

And with that, she closed her eyes, her head plummeting back against Gavin's shoulder with her arms dangling to the side.

Trevor cocked a brow.

"Don't even ask right now," Gavin remarked. "Just do what I said. "

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm going back to Fallon's place tonight," Trevor beamed. "Go ahead, get Emily into your car, and I'll find Liv and send her out. "

Gavin gave a quick nod and weaved his way through the party. A few guys whistled and cheered for him, yelling that he was going home with "a nice piece of drunken ass. " Fighting back the urge to set Emily down for a brief moment and knock them all out, Gavin continued to snake his way through the throng of partiers and eventually made his way out the door.

Emily's eyes fluttered open as Gavin attempted to place her on her feet while he opened the passenger-side door. "I'm not sitting up front with you, Gavin," she slurred.

Stumbling away, she grabbed for the rear door and slid herself across the backseat. Within a split second, she was out cold.

Shaking his head, Gavin moved around the car, got in, started the engine, and pulled to the front of the house. A few minutes later, with the aid of her brother, Olivia got into the front seat.

Trevor smiled. "Make sure you get my two girls home safe. I'll call you tomorrow, man. "

Gavin nodded.

"Love you, bro," Olivia laughed and blew him a kiss as they drove away. After glancing back at Emily, she slipped her heels off and propped her feet on the dashboard. "She's fucking down for the count, huh?"

Gavin didn't answer as he stared straight ahead.

Olivia looked back at Emily and then flicked her eyes over to Gavin. "Oh shit. Did something happen between you two?"

Shaking his head, he clenched the steering wheel tighter. "Just do me a favor, Olivia. You let her know when she wakes up in the morning that I stopped for all the right reasons and nothing more. "

Having known him long enough, Olivia didn't prod further and remained silent for the rest of the ride. The only time Emily awoke was when the car came to a stop while Gavin paid a toll going back over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. She mumbled something inaudible and quickly fell back asleep. By the time they arrived at the apartment building, Olivia was also dozed off into dreamland, and Gavin had to wake her up.

The sound of car doors closing awoke Emily, and she sat straight up, swaying from side to side. With her vision blurred, she was slightly able to make out Gavin standing next to the car, talking with Olivia. Sliding across the backseat, Emily threw the car door open and all but fell to the ground in an attempt to exit the vehicle. Gavin caught her by her arm before her knees kissed the concrete.

Emily shot him an icy look and yanked her arm from him. "Don't touch me!"

Grabbing her by the waist, Gavin pressed her body to his and pinned her back against the car, his breathing heavy and his expression granite.

Olivia's eyes widened at their exchange.

"Go inside, Liv," he said, without turning to look at her, his eyes locked on Emily's. "I'll bring her up in a minute. "

"Gavin, I'm sorry. This whole thing was my fault. I shouldn't - "

"Olivia, it's not your fault. Just go inside," he replied, his voice harder.

Olivia cupped her hand over her mouth and walked away.

Emily looked up at him, a wry smile tipping her lips. "You sure do love breaking girls' hearts, don't you?"

With his calculated eyes searing into hers, Gavin's large hand came around the back of her neck and pulled her into his mouth. Emily didn't resist. As a matter of fact, she gripped the back of his hair, yanking him harder against her body. Moaning into her mouth, Gavin easily dominated the kiss. He didn't care about the passing onlookers - hell, he didn't even care if Dillon walked up to them at that very moment. All he cared about was Emily knowing how badly he wanted her.

And as quickly as Gavin started that kiss, he ended it. Again playing the roll of a groom carrying his bride, he scooped Emily up and carried her through the lobby and into the elevator. Placing her down on her feet, their eyes locked on one another. It was only a matter of seconds before they were at it again, both slamming hard into each other's mouths. A power struggle of the fiercest kind ensued - hands sliding up and down, Emily's back pressed against the wall, Gavin's hair being pulled, her legs wrapped around his waist, his growls, and her moans. Gavin was fast becoming desperate to rip off her clothes and plant himself firmly inside her right there in that elevator.

When the doors slid open, they finally stopped. Gavin raked his hands through his hair, mussing it further, and Emily adjusted her skirt. Walking with her into her apartment, they found Olivia sleeping on the couch. He followed Emily into her bedroom and watched as she climbed into her bed. Without a second look in his direction, she rolled over, let out a sigh, and passed out.

Crossing his arms, Gavin leaned against the doorway as his eyes took in her chest rising and falling with sleep. If it wasn't for the sound of the front door snapping shut, pulling his attention away from Emily's slumberous body, he would've watched her all night.

Gavin walked down the hall and into the kitchen where he found Dillon tossing his keys onto the counter.

Turning around, Dillon leveled him with a suspicious stare. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Gavin approached him. "The girls went to a house party in Staten Island, and Emily had a problem with some asshole. Olivia called Trevor, and we went out there to make sure everything was alright. "

Dillon's forehead creased. "Wait, they were at a house party? She fucking lied to me. They were supposed to be at Pink. "

Gavin started to answer, but Dillon spoke u

p again.

"And why the fuck didn't anyone call me?"

Not liking Dillon's tone, Gavin angled his head to the side and narrowed his eyes on him. "I guess they decided to go to the party instead. Last time I checked, women had the right to change their minds. " Gavin stepped closer. "If every once in a while you checked your fucking phone while you were out, you would've seen Trevor did call you. And why don't you try clearing out your voicemail, so someone could actually leave you a fucking message?"

Crossing his arms, Dillon cupped his chin, the look in his eyes glacial.

Gavin stared at him for a second, trying to quell his adrenaline, his voice eerily calm. "Like I said. . . we went out there, made sure everything was okay, and I brought them back here. " He dug his keys from his pocket, his eyes never leaving Dillon's. "Be a good boyfriend and have some aspirin and water at her disposal for when she wakes up in the morning. She's gonna need it. "

Without another word, Gavin walked out the door.

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