He’s marking his claim for the night, and really, he doesn’t need to. I plan to allow him to seduce me. My earlier thoughts coming to mind. I know I shouldn’t since he is Ember’s brother, but I want him. I want to know what it feels like to feel his weight on top of me. To be able to trace his ink with my tongue. I can no longer resist his charms, or seduction techniques, whatever you want to call it. I just don’t want to resist him any longer. I want one night with him. One night of passion and no thoughts of what I lost. I just want him. With that thought, I relax against him. Blaise releases my hand and slips his arm around my waist to hold me against him. I need a drink!
“All right, ladies, what’ll be?” Asher asks.
We all call out our drink orders. We all request a beer. Nothing special, just a nice ice-cold beer to cool me down. Maybe if I relax a little, my libido will, too.
“Come on, man, you can help,” Asher says to Blaise.
I look up and his eyes are on me. I try to pull away, but Blaise tightens his hold. He leans his lips down to my ear. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart. You’re mine tonight,” he whispers, and then kisses my neck before pulling away and following Asher to the bar. Jackson and Brent follow them.
I watch him walk away, because really, why would I willingly miss that? His ass looks so good in those jeans. I can’t wait to take them off of him. The thought of what I want to happen, what I hope happens, brings a smile to my face.
Once Blaise and his fine ass are out of sight, I turn back to the table and my three companions are all watching me, each of them wearing a shit-eating grin. “What?” I ask innocently. I know what they’re smiling at. I’m busted. I shrug my shoulders when they don’t answer.
Grace breaks the silence. “So, Asher and I have been talking about marriage a lot lately. Well, Asher has,” she tells us.
Thank you, Grace, for the change of subject!
“He loves you,” Ember says. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he proposes soon. I’ve never seen him with anyone like he is with you. Besides, you guys have been dating for a while now.”
Grace nods her head. “Sometimes it’s still hard for me to believe that the once former playboy wants to settle down. I know he loves me.” She shrugs. “I guess it’s surreal, all these emotions. I want him to be my forever. The thought of him really wanting the same is...”
“Reality,” Ember says. “You know he worships you. When the Richards men fall, they fall hard.” Ember winks at me.
“I know, I guess it’s just nerves. I want it to happen. I’m nervous it won’t.”
Grace looks at Leah and me. “Before I moved here to live with my dad, I didn’t have a lot of good in my life. Hell, nothing really, except for my dad. Asher is, well…he’s my dream, and to spend the rest of my life with him would make that dream come true. I’m worried things are going too smooth and I’ll lose him.”
Ember places her arm around Grace. “Ash loves you. I know your past was rough, but you have us. We’re your family,” she tells her.
“And us,” I say, motioning my hand between Leah and I. Leah voices her agreement.
Grace doesn’t have the chance to respond before the guys are back at the table with our beers. There is a waitress right behind them carrying a tray holding eight shot glasses. The guys give us our beers while the waitress passes out the shots.
“All right,” Jackson says. “On three.” We all lift our shots in the air. “One, two, three,” Jackson counts off. On three, we slam back our shots. I chase mine with a long drink of my beer.
Ember does the same. Sitting her mug down on the table, she says, “All right, ladies, let’s hit the dance floor.”
Immediately, Grace and Leah are out of their seats. I go to stand and Blaise’s hand lands on my thigh. He leans in, his breath hot on my cheek. I squeeze my legs together at the sensation it’s causing as he whispers, “Remember your mine tonight,” and places a kiss on the corner of my mouth.
I feel a tug on my arm; it’s Ember. “Let’s go, girl,” she says over the music.
Blaise lets me go; although, he looks reluctant. I follow the girls out to the dance floor and let the music take control. One song leads to another, and the four of us are having a blast. The only time we leave the floor is to take another shot or visit the restroom.
I don’t know how many shots we’ve had, but we are all feeling really good. Pitbull’s song he does with Ke$ha “Timber” blares over the speakers and all four of us scream. It’s scary how much we are alike.
I lift my hands in the air and sway my hips. I see Jackson, Asher, and Brent join our group and start dancing with their girls. I feel a pang of jealousy because I don’t have that. Then my mind wonders to where Blaise might be. Earlier we tried to get the four of them to join us. Blaise was adamant that he doesn’t dance. I feel strong hands grip my hips and pull me against a rock hard body. I don’t have to turn around to know it’s Blaise; it’s as if my body is in tune with him. Not to mention, the look of surprise on our friends’ faces, especially his siblings, to see him out on the dance floor.
I lean back against his chest and arch my back. This causes my ass to grind into his crotch. Looks like he’s happy to see me. I lift my right arm and place my hand on the back of his neck. Blaise follows suit, tilts his head, and buries his face in my neck. He grinds his hips and I can’t help the moan that escapes. I’m grateful for the loud music drowning me out. Although with my current state of inebriation, I’m not sure I would really care.
Our friends may not have heard me, but Blaise did. He nips at my neck in retaliation. I turn to face him, and his arms are immediately tugging me as close as he can get me. There is no space between us. I can feel every hard ridge of his muscular body. Blaise sways his hips and I mirror his movements, our bodies in sync. My eyes find his, and the look in his eyes causes a tidal wave of warm sensations to pulse through my veins. My pulse quickens at the thought of him on me, inside of me. I lick my lips at the visual.
I hear a growl. I can actually feel it in Blaise’s chest right before his lips crash with mine. I don’t even hesitate to open for him. I want him. Tonight, I want to feel young, careless, and free. I want that with Blaise, just for tonight. I need that for tonight.
I lean up on tiptoes as my hands find their way to his hair as I pull him closer. There is no such thing as personal space between us; it’s our space. It’s Tatum and Blaise consumed with desire. In this moment, I can’t tell where he ends and I begin.
This song, “Timber,” it’s fitting. I’m falling hard and fast for this girl. I feel like I should be yelling “Timber” at the top of my lungs. Tatum is grinding her ass into my crotch and any willpower I may have had, just flew out the f*cking window. I love the feel of her body next to mine.
She turns in my arms. I hold her close as I sway my hips, grinding to the beat. Her eyes catch mine. I see what I’m feeling reflected back at me, lust and longing. I can’t wait any longer. I crash my lips to hers. She willingly opens for me. The taste of her on my tongue fuels my desire. I nip at her bottom lip, then plunge back in. She gives as much as I take.
Every part of Tatum is pressed tight against every single f*cking part of me. My hands are all over her. One is caressing her cheek while I use the other to go back and forth between holding her close to me and caressing her back. Her fingers run through my hair, and I lose control. I grip her hips and eliminate all space. I want to lift her thighs and wrap her legs around me; with the skirt she’s wearing that’s not possible. No one is going to see her, no one but me.