Page 64 of Reputation
His body held perfectly still as every one of her curves aligned with him.He had no hope of hiding his growing erection from her since it sat nestled against her ass.As long as she didn’t move, he might just survive the torture.
When the doors opened, the other passengers shifted to let a few off.One bumped into Eavie, causing her body to rock against him.He stifled a groan as his hands landed on her hips, steadying her.
He heard her sharp intake of breath, but she didn’t look back at him.When the doors closed, he expected her to move away with the extra space that had been created, but to his immense satisfaction, she stayed where she was.
His fingers tightened on her hips as he pulled her closer, tightening her to his body.They were standing in the far corner, with everyone’s backs to them.He took advantage of the fact no one was looking and brushed the fingers of his hand down her bare spine, beginning at her neck and stopping only when he hit the material at her lower back.
He caught the imperceptible shiver she gave and enjoyed when he felt her lean back against him.He lowered his mouth to her shoulder that was angled to the wall, unable to resist a taste.Lightly, he brushed his lips against it, tasting her softly with his tongue and mouth.This time, he felt her shudder.
Once again, the elevator doors opened, and the last of the other passengers got out.When they closed and the elevator began its ascent to their floor, he slowly turned her around.
She peeled heavy eyes open, and the desire he saw once again nearly brought him to his knees.He looked down into her bright, blue eyes, clouded with passion, turning the irises into pools of melted ice.It was the same look she’d had in her eyes when he’d asked her to go home with him that night.
Her height, with the help of her heels, brought them so close together she could stare into his eyes without having to crane her neck, and his lips were only a breath away.
They were standing so close, her body still pressed against his.Everything about her called to him.He should let her go, allow her to step away so they could both get some air and some sensibility.He knew how delicately he walked with her.She may have moved past his mistake from weeks ago, but one wrong move on his part could cause their precarious truce to crumble.
Yet, he continued to hold her.He wanted to wrap his arms around her, lift her up, and carry her to his room.He wanted to pick up where they’d left off the night they met.He wanted to learn every move her body made, every sound he could elicit from her lips.He wanted to rip away her icy exterior and understand what had happened to make her that way.
There was no way she didn’t have a ghost of her own, one that had caused her to shy away from compliments and build a wall around her emotions.
Dangerous,his mind screamed at him.A woman like her was dangerous to his carefully crafted life.Still, he knew that despite his own arguments, there was no way he could let her go.
Slowly, one millimeter at a time, Jax lowered his head.The gesture was reminiscent of when he’d pulled her into the hallway, telling her all she had to do was say stop, and he would.Now, he was giving her ample opportunity to pull away.
He waited for her to, but she stood frozen, until his mouth brushed hers with the barest of touches.All he had to do was lean forward slightly, and their lips would connect.He could feel the static pull—was dying to feel her lips again, crush her mouth in a dominating kiss.
“Eavie,” he groaned against her mouth, his lip bumping her pillowy ones.
“Yes,” she breathed.
His hand drifted up, cupping the back of her neck.Just as he was about to close the distance and connect their lips at last, the elevator doors swooshed open with a startling ding that rang between the breath of space between them.
Jax exhaled as he felt the spell break.He tightened his fingers in her hair as he brushed his lips against hers one last time before he stood up, letting her go.
He watched her take a deep breath as he fought to control the tension in his body.Slowly, she stepped back, holding his gaze for a second before turning and stepping off the elevator.
He waited a moment, making sure he was collected enough that he wouldn’t throw her over his shoulder and march her into his room.When he finally stepped off, he followed her down the hall, hands firmly at his sides.
Jax’s room was a few doors down, but when they passed it, he kept going, fully intending to walk her to her door to prolong their evening for as long as possible.
Realizing what he was doing, she laughed a little breathlessly.“You don’t have to walk me to my door.I think I’ll make it safely the rest of the way,” she said, gesturing to her suite at the end of the corridor.
He flashed his crooked smile.“My mother taught me to always walk a woman to her door.‘It’s the gentlemanly thing to do,’ she would say.Even as a grown man, I fear her wrath if she were to find out I didn’t.”
“Surely watching from your door, only four down from mine, would satisfy her?”
“You don’t know my mother,” he insisted, shaking his head.“She’s the strongest, most independent woman I know.Still, she drilled proper manners into my brother and me, and there was no room for argument.”
Eavie smiled as they reached her door.Turning to face him, he heard her breath catch in her throat.He’d stepped forward to stand almost chest-to-chest with her when she hadn’t been looking.She must not have expected the move, but she didn’t step back either.After her initial surprise, he could have sworn he saw her lean toward him.
“Well, thank you for seeing me to my door,” she said breathlessly.“Your mother would approve.”
“It was my pleasure, Cinderella,” he replied, again giving her his crooked smile.
In the next instant, the smile was gone from his mouth.As he looked into her eyes, all the humor from a moment ago vanished.This time, when he leaned down, he kissed her.
It was quick but enough for him to get a hint of her taste—sweet and spicy.It mingled with the flavor of bourbon.Fuck, he didn’t think he could ever indulge in the spirit again without associating it with her.
