Or hell. I can’t quite tell which yet.
The set is almost over and the band saves one of their most popular songs for last. The crowd goes crazy with their approval when they hear the song begin and Katie hops up and down, yelling along with them. She glances over her shoulder, sending me a sweet smile, and I don’t remove my hands from her hips. In fact, I pull her in closer, her back flush with my chest, her ass nestled against my groin. Her body stiffens the slightest bit, I can sense her discomfort, and then slowly, she relaxes.
Her trust in me is humbling.
The crowd goes wild around us but I don’t move. I brush Katie’s sweat-dampened hair away from her nape and press my mouth there. A brief yet lingering kiss on her smooth, soft skin that’s never been touched by another. Just me. A tremble moves through her and she bends her head forward, as if asking for more, and I give it to her.
More kisses, soft, hungry presses of my mouth against her fevered skin. A sound escapes her; I hear it even with the band playing and the people yelling. A sexy hum as she tilts her head to the side, allowing me a glimpse of her face. Her eyes are closed, her lips parted, her cheeks flushed.
Sexy.
My tightly reined-in control slips. The need for her grows and I get hard. Hell, I don’t want to scare her. Don’t want to push too fast, but she’s so unbelievably gorgeous like this. I’ve wanted her for what feels like forever and now that I have her, the two of us playing at normal, I don’t want to let her go.
Despite the warning bells clanging in my head, despite my knowing I’m tempting trouble and could end up hurting the both of us, I can’t stop. This has been years in the making.
A lifetime of wondering. Of wanting. Of needing.
I let one hand slide from her hip to her front, splaying my fingers wide as I rest my hand on her stomach. She shifts against me, the sensation of her backside brushing against my erection nearly making my eyes cross. I toy with the hem of her tank, deciding to hell with it, and slip my fingers beneath the fabric, encountering nothing but the hot skin of her belly.
She sucks in a breath, her stomach muscles contract, and she glances over her shoulder at me, our gazes clashing. I’m asking her permission without saying a word, needing this moment with her, wanting the connection of skin on skin. If I could I’d touch her everywhere. Strip her of her clothing, search her body, use my mouth and hands to bring her pleasure. Make her forget every ugly thing that’s ever happened to her.
Katie’s still watching me and I lean in, press my mouth to hers in a brief kiss. She turns toward me, her hands going to my chest, her body nestled against mine as she kisses me this time. Our mouths are hungry, our hands clutching as the crowd shifts around us, the heavy beat of the song seeming to keep time with our kisses.
I break away first, needing to catch my breath, calm my thoughts, and she pulls away, taking my hand to lead me through the crowd.
I follow blindly, not sure where she’s taking us. Screaming applause erupts around us as the lead singer—Jay—announces that they’re done for the night. It’s a lie. I’ve watched them before. They’ll play an encore, maybe two, before they finally retire for the night. The crowd knows it and not a one of them moves a muscle.
This gains me time. Time alone with Katie.
We somehow end up in a darkened hallway, the bathrooms nearby. I press her against the wall, my hands at her waist, her hands in my hair, as we continue where we left off. Mouths open, tongues wild. She whimpers, sexy little sounds low in her throat that drive me insane with wanting her, and my hands are beneath her shirt again, gripping bare skin, moving up, greedy as always.
Katie makes me greedy. Makes me want what I shouldn’t have.
She murmurs my name against my neck after we come up for air, her mouth against my skin, her hot breath radiating through me. I clutch her close, my hands falling to the back of her thighs so I can lift her up. Her legs automatically go around my hips, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, and I pin her to the wall. I lean my head back at the exact moment her eyes open and our gazes meet, mine full of questions.
Hers full of uncertainty. Desire.
Katie licks her lips and I bite back the groan that wants to escape. She’s inherently sexy and doesn’t have a clue what she does to me.
“Do you want me to stop?” I ask, sounding tortured. I’ll do it. I’ll stop for her. Whatever she wants, I’ll give her, no questions asked.
She slowly shakes her head and I move in closer, triumph making my heart light, the sensation of her body pressed so close to mine making my head spin. “No,” she whispers.