Page 60 of Follow the Rhythm
I sighed, defeated. “Nothing is going on between us. Not anymore.”
“Ah. Well. I’ll make things crystal clear. If Jess wants you, I won’t stand in her way. But if you hurt her, I will kill you.”
I stared at him. He was still smiling that predator’s smile.
“Mate. I’m kidding,” he said.
“Oh. Right. Ha ha,” I said.
“Figure out what you want. Because Iintendto spend the rest of my life making Jess the happiest woman on the fucking planet. Maybe you could help with that.” He clapped me on the shoulder before walking out.
Anger welled up, not just because Kieran Walsh was a patronizing dick, but because he was so sure of what he wanted. I was also pissed at myself for being such an idiot. Because nowthat Kieran had planted the image of a pack with Jess at its center in my head, it seemed like the most obvious thing in the world.
Had I completely fucked my chances? Or could I still somehow show Jess our connection was more than just physical?
While I tried to figure that out, the door swung open again. I turned, half-hoping it was Jess there to rip my head off, and found Ellis instead. He was wearing his performance attire - tight black leather pants and a white button-up, a bit more frilled than usual, open to his chest. His sharp citrusy scent reminded me so much of Jess’s; how had I never noticed they were so complementary?
“Alright?” he asked, looking bemused.
“Fine,” I said wearily. Why was the universe throwing everything I couldn’t have in my face?
“Not your usual chipper self,” he remarked.
“Sorry to disappoint.”.
Ellis raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t say I was disappointed. What’s wrong?”
I took a deep breath, my hands massaging my temples. “Nothing. Everything is fine.”
“Sure it is. Could this have anything to do with a certain woman? Short, curvy, bad attitude? You have that look of devastation about you.”
Fuck. Did everyone on the crew know how I felt about her? “Am I that easy to read?”
“Nah, she told me you guys hooked up. She had some very interesting things to say about your performance, too,” he said, walking closer. In the warm light of the greenroom, he looked even more ethereal, like some kind of faerie prince escaped from a story.
My heart jumped into my throat. The thought of the two of them talking about me had blood rushing to inconvenient places.
He stopped right in front of me, and. We were almost the same height. “Are you feeling lonely, darling? I could help.”
I searched his eyes and saw the same heat I felt. And I was just reckless enough to throw caution to the wind.
I didn’t stop to think. I just kissed him. He didn’t react at first, but then his hands slipped around my waist to pull me close. He opened his mouth to me, and I groaned against his lips, savoring his flavor - fresh-squeezed orange juice on a hot day, but with enough of a cinnamon kick to make my blood run even hotter. His tongue tangled roughly with mine, and my head went light with arousal.
I sank my hand into his hair and deepened the kiss. It became more of a fight than anything else, his teeth nipping at my lips as I sucked on his tongue. He pushed me until my back hit the wall.
“So eager,” he said in my ear as he ground his thigh against my cock, pressing his hard length into my leg. He licked at my mouth, tasting me. “God, you’re sweet.”
“Fuck,” was all I said as he pressed his leg more firmly against me.
He kissed me again, and I lost myself to it, to the slide of his tongue, the brush of his cock against mine. The kiss grew messier, more frantic, and I knew on some level that Ellis was working out his frustrations on me, too.
A thud from somewhere outside the door brought us back to our senses. Ellis cursed and stepped away from me, adjusting himself. I did the same. I was painfully hard, but also painfully aware that we had to stop. Lust glazed his eyes as we looked at each other.
Jess barreled into the room, Bea hot on her heels.
“Ellis, take that fucking shirt off right now,” Jess yelled.
Ellis laughed, surprised. “That’s quite forward of you.”
