Page 7 of Always Knew It Was You

She stares at me and I stare back, eyeing her lips. I lean in and whisper, “Just be careful not to fall in love with me.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” she responds breathily. “There’s absolutely no danger of that happening.”

Being a part-owner of the Pink Hotel has its perks. For one, it means that I have exclusive access to the newly renovated rooms upstairs.

As I take Athena up the vintage winding staircase and down the velvet-encased hallway, anticipation thrums through me as her small hands grip mine.

We barely get the door for one of the rooms open and closed before she kisses me.

I’m still for a second as her tongue teases the seam of my lips sucking my lower lip in hers. Her hand goes to the back of my neck before traveling into my hair and her body is flush against mine.

Fuck.

She kisses like pure sin.

Our masks are knocked askew as I kiss her back roughly, opening my mouth so her tongue can dance with mine. She tastes like champagne and her supple lips move against mine with a keen desperation that only stokes my desire more.

Her hands travel down my back to grip my ass and I groan.

But she’s going too fast. At this rate, it’ll be over before it begins.

I wrap my hand around her neck ready to dislodge her lips from mine, when I feel her pulse quicken her body melting at the move.

Hmm. Submissive tendencies. Interesting.

Taking note of that exciting piece of information, I tuck it away to use later.

I pull back to tell her that we need to slow down, but when I do, I notice that her mask is still halfway on her face.

I tear it off needing to know what’s beneath. Once her face is revealed though, I start in shock.

“Carly.” The word whispers into the air as her dusky gaze leans forward.

“Yes, Micah,” she responds, reaching up to pull off my mask. “It’s me.”

And then as she kisses me again, all my hesitation due to her identity falls away.

CHAPTER THREE

CARLY

The second Micah’s hand wraps around my neck, my entire body quivers. I’m not sure if it’s the shock or the hint of danger that has me faltering, but the desire strumming through my veins doesn’t. Instead, it burns hotter, and even after he pulls away, I have to kiss him again because I don’t want the sensation to stop.

And then he immediately retakes control of the kiss by catching my tongue between his teeth and holding it there.

“Stay,” he whispers against my mouth. Then his lips press against mine with an unhurried intensity that fries my brain a little bit. It’s the way he’s completely in control, his palm on my pulse, his hand at my waist. He has a light hold around my neck and he’s not gripping hard at all, but just the dominance is enough to have me squeezing my thighs together, my breath quickening with anticipation.

This just might be my first time with a dominant partner.

I’ve had sexual encounters with virtual strangers before. In fact, almost all my encounters end up being of that variety because I don’t have time for anything more than no-strings-attached fun. Perhaps that’s why I only go for good-looking assholes who I have no hope of forming an emotional connection with. They’re easy to predict, show me a good time, and then take off once the night is done. Exactly how I like it. Bonus points if they’re not from town.

Micah hits all those notes perfectly. He’s a lot more handsome and charming than I’m used to, but he’s still too shallow for me to take seriously.

It’s why I had no qualms whatsoever about coming up here with him.

I saw the surprise when he took off my mask, the shock that colored his features. I thought he might not know who I am, even without the mask because we haven’t spoken to each other, but he certainly knows.

He even whispered my name. And then I saw that hesitation in his eyes as he looked down at me, and knew that he was about to think twice about continuing.

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