Page 119 of Whiskey and Regret
“I thought you were mad at me,” I said, rolling the stiffness out of my shoulders.
“I was…am…I don’t know, Xari. Can we talk?” I plucked out the first few notes of Tevin Campbell’s Can We Talk on Sunshine then looked over my shoulder at him. A tired smile bent his lips. Those weren’t angry eyes looking back at me. They were exhausted.
I took his outstretched hand and he kissed my knuckles. Something so small sent chills all over my body. We walked into the kitchen where Evander sat out two champagne flutes. “I’m sorry for acting weird in my office earlier. You caught me off guard,” he said.
“You’reapologizing?” I quizzed. “I should be apologizing for going behind your back like that. Sometimes, I care more about people’s dreams than they do and I have to learn how to reel it in.” I looked down at my toes, wiggling them against the shiny floor. The lights overhead reflected on its surface casting down golden orbs.
“You might need to reel it in a little.” He lifted my chin and I looked into his dark brown eyes. “But I thought we could put that behind us for now. I’m over it, Xari. I know you didn’t mean any harm. Before you touch my laptop again though, ask first.”
“I can do that,” I laughed.
“So are you finished with your practice for the night?” He stared at me with his bottom lip tucked between his teeth. It was a look that pulled primal urges from my core. My skin baked under his intense gaze.
“I can be,” I said quickly. My throat turning to crumpled paper. How was I still so smitten around him? Every time was like the first time and it never got old.
“I want to take you out. Movies at midnight, then IHOP?”
“Wait, I thought you only did that when you had something to celebrate,” I said putting my hands on my hips.
“True.” He nodded then said, “We’re celebrating the fact that my woman submitted my book to an agent and got an offer.” His hand slid around to the small of my back. He pressed my body against his, erasing the space between us.
“I didn’t think that was something you wanted to celebrate. I mean…unless you’re considering the deal.” Hope hopped up and down in the pit of my stomach like a kid with moon shoes on.
“I am considering the deal. I’m scared as fuck too, so I need your confidence. Just a pinch.” He pinched my ass and I yelped.
“I can give you that.” I eyed the bottle of champagne and the two flutes on the island. “So, are we pre-gaming?”
“Fuck yeah. You down?” I loved how easy his words came out when he loosened his tie and became a real person instead of the robot his father trained him to be.
“Am I down? Me?” I pressed my hand to my chest.
“Right. Forgot who I was talking to.” His smile lit up my world. He took off his suit jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. Then he unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up his muscle-corded forearms revealing glimpses of his colorful tattoos.
“Why not Jameson?” I tipped my head toward the liquor cabinet and watched him tense a little.
“I want to back off a little. Frankie noticed when Ididn’thave a glass in my hand the other week and that resonated with me. How much do I drink if seeing me without alcohol is a shock?” His eyes lowered and he focused on the champagne bottle in front of him.
“I want to do champagne tonight something light and celebratory.” He leaned down to kiss the top of my head then he popped the champagne and poured us glasses. He put on my 90’s R&B playlist and snapped his fingers when Jodeci began playing.
I swayed my hips and lifted the glass to my lips. “You know the way to my heart is champagne and nineties music.”
“Uh-huh. I know.” He moved closer to me. “I might be trying to seduce you to apologize for earlier.” Our eyes locked in a heated stare.
“You don’t have to apologize. I blindsided you.” Finally, we connected and his arm went across the small of my back in that possessive way I loved so much. “You sure you want to be in a relationship with someone like me? I’m a little pushy,” I said.
“A lot pushy. I like taming you though.” His hand slid down to my ass and his lips lowered to mine. My tongue slipped against his before I nibbled and sucked on it. In a blink, our kiss turned nasty and feral.
A growl rumbled his broad chest. The sound settled between my thighs and squeezed my clit. I pulled back briefly to look at him because there was nothing sexier than seeing Evander drunk on me.
Red lipstick smeared his face, hunger lowered his eyelids and the carnal need to fuck was scrawled against his irises. This man was mine and there was no doubt in my mind that I was his too. He thought I was the flame but honestly, we set the world on fire together.
My lips skated across his stiff collar, painting it with a stripe of red. I stamped his throat with my lips so he could wear me on his skin while we fucked.
I needed to feel him inside of me. I needed my anchor. My man. My love.
My fingers worked to unbutton his shirt while our lips fell into a hot rhythm all their own.
Kiss.
