Page 32 of Fast & Reckless
With that, Violet downed her shot, turned away, and headed toward her quarry.
“Seriously?” Mira muttered. But within seconds of approaching him, the blond guy was smiling down at her, buying her another shot. Well, then. Violet was a woman who got what she wanted. Guess she and Will were on their own.
He leaned in to speak close to her ear. His words came on a warm wash of air across her neck. “I believe I owe you a thank-you.”
When she turned to look at him, his face was just inches away. “You said your win was for me. So we’re even, right?”
“Not even close. This is my first Formula One podium, and you made it happen. So thanks.” He lifted his beer toward her and she clinked her glass against it.
“You’re welcome.” She was surprised he could hear her breathless reply.
He held eye contact a little too long before his gaze flickered down to her mouth. She rapidly looked back at the band, taking another deep swig of her drink.
“They’re pretty good,” she said, as if the band in the Australian dive were putting on the most fascinating live performance she’d ever witnessed.
“They are.”
She took a few more sips of her drink. It was nearly gone already. The bartender must have used a lot of ice.
“Do you want another?” he asked, again, close enough to her ear that she felt his words as much as she heard them.
“Oh. Sure, I guess.” It was hot in the bar, and the drink was cold. By the time she polished off her first, she could feel the vodka starting to do its job, chasing the tension out of her neck and spine. Shrugging out of her jacket, she threw it over the stool behind her. Will handed her another drink and she sipped it gratefully. He was still so close, his T-shirt brushing her bare arm, his hip bumping hers as he moved. Her whole body tingled with awareness of his. She kept her eyes on the band, even though she was barely processing what she was hearing.
The dance floor was between the bar and the stage, and it was packed with people bathed in blue light. Everybody looked like they were having so much fun. She remembered that feeling, fueled by music and dancing, like anything was possible, like anything could happen. Like anythingwouldhappen, if she just wanted it enough.
Violet was right. She was allowed to have a little fun, especially tonight. She’d kicked ass at work—saved the day, really. That deserved a little bit of celebrating, didn’t it?
Before she knew it, she was moving along with the pulsating drumbeat. How long had it been since she’d danced? She abandoned her empty glass on the bar and moved to the dance floor so she could fully sink into it, the darkness, the heat, the music. Maybe it was the vodka but who cared? She felt flush with the day’s triumph and the feeling of endless possibility. It’d been so long since she felt that. It feltgreat. Violet was right. She was young and tonight, she wanted to enjoy it.
16
Will could only stare. Mira might be drunk. Well, maybe not drunk but definitely a little buzzed. That was the only explanation. She wasdancing. Mira. Out there in the crush of people on the dance floor, head thrown back, eyes closed, arms in the air, absolutely lost in the music. He couldn’t look away if he tried, and he wasn’t trying.
Hewantedher, with an intensity that shocked him. The pulse of the music, the pulse of his blood, the pulse of his need had all mixed into one throbbing beat.
He imagined those bare arms wrapped around his shoulders, and those thighs wrapped around his hips. He imagined the lacy black bra barely covered up by that thin white tank and her breasts underneath it, and imagined his hands and mouth on them. And he imagined digging his fingers into that goddamned unbelievable hair as he kissed her, pushed her down, covered her body with his own. He’d never guessed that when she finally unleashed her hair from that ponytail, it would be this—a long, gorgeous tumble of messy blond curls that made her look as if she’d just climbed out of bed after a really good shag.
Before he knew what he was doing, he’d ditched his beer and followed her out into the crush of bodies. Immediately they were surrounded, pressed in on all sides, jostled up against each other.
She glanced back over her shoulder and when she registered it was him, she smiled and closed her eyes again, falling back into the music. Someone bumped into him from behind and he reached out for her, hands finding her hips, to steady himself. And when he’d gotten his balance back, he kept his hands on her, not grasping, just touching. She didn’t shake him off. Every time the crowd swayed, so did she, up against him, into him, until his arms were nearly around her, her hair tickling his chin, her scent drifting up every time he inhaled. When he lowered his head, resting his temple against hers, he felt her slow, easy surrender, her body going boneless against his. There was the invitation he’d been hoping for.
The song kept spiraling, the heavy beat growing louder as they swayed to it together. He gave her the gentlest nudge to spin her around. She was facing him now, just inches between them. Her face was bathed in blue light, her hair a glowing halo around her. Her lashes fluttered upward until those big eyes were looking into his, glittering under the lights.
Everything that happened next felt inevitable, like he was just a comet orbiting her, drawn inexorably in by her gravity. His hands came up, cradling her face, so small compared to the span of his fingers. As his head lowered, her eyes slid closed again. He paused, just the length of a breath, savoring the moment, and then he pressed his mouth to hers. It felt like there was nowhere else on earth he was supposed to be. Right here, right now, in the light and the music, kissing this girl. Nothing had felt this right since the first time he’d gotten behind the wheel to drive. He could feel it happening, likesomething locking into place in his heart. He was falling for this girl like he’d fallen for racing: hard, fast, and irrevocably.
When he opened his mouth over hers, she let him in, and he sank into the perfection of her lips, her tongue. Every fantasy he’d entertained about her paled in comparison to the reality of her. Kissing someone had never felt so good, so intense. Maybe it was because he’d wanted her for what felt like forever.
Her hands danced up his arms, and then slid over his shoulders, finding their way into his hair. The scrape of nails against his scalp sent shock waves of pleasure down his spine. He slid a hand down her back, molding her body to his, finding her hip, pulling her even closer, until it seemed like he could feel her heart thumping against his chest in time with the music. Hips to hips, her tongue sliding against his, he felt himself grow hard. Even through the relentless pounding of the music, her ragged breath mingled with his own heartbeat and echoed in his ears.
His hand slid back into her gorgeous hair and fisted it, so soft around his fingers, just like he’d imagined. Mira moaned into his mouth, a soft, low sound of surrender that made him nearly lose his mind.
When they finally broke apart, her hands were still gripping his shoulders and his arms were still wrapped around her, their foreheads touching.
Reaching up to cradle her face in his palm, he rubbed his thumb across her cheekbone. “I’ll get us a cab, okay?” They needed to be out of this hot, crowded bar.
He ducked his head to the side, kissing her cheek, the side of her neck, the edge of her ear. “I want you so much,” he whispered into her ear. “Come home with me.”
When he lifted his head, her eyes were closed, brows furrowed. Then her fingers released their grip on his shoulders.Gently, she pushed back. A sliver of air slipped between them. “No … I …”
