“Okay, but I make no promises to your last request.” He wiggled sweaty eyebrows.
I waved Blake closer, and braced myself on his shoulders. The corner of his mouth hitched up, and he placed his palms on my bare thighs. He rounded the backs of my legs and slid them up, scooping me under the ass and pulling me down to him. Flying forward, I let out a yelp as we collided, and then he braced me against him.
I landed with my belly lined up with his face, and he placed a kiss in the center before dragging our bodies along one another. Lowering me, his face came closer, and when our lips were finally adjacent, we lingered there, less than a breath away. I ached to rid ourselves of our clothes and feel his skin against mine. Keeping me pressed to him, he lowered me until my toes hit the floor.
With his fierce eyes locked on me, he extended his fist up toward Jace. “Later, my man.”
“Later.” Jace pounded Blake’s fist. “Oh, Eva, darling?”
I tore my eyes from Blake, the delicate area between my thighs throbbing. “Yeah?”
“Come here, would you?” Jace lowered himself onto his belly and hung forward on the box.
I walked up to him, and he grabbed me by the back of the head and searched my eyes before leaning into my ear. “You okay with this? You want to leave with him?”
I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or if I’d finally had enough, but I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of here as fast possible. I nodded, knowing he could see the fight in my eyes, but also what I was ready to be rid of—the past. Then I saw the blessing there as he released me. “Then go, but call me if you need anything or if you change your mind.”
“I will. Love.”
“Love.” Jace stood back up and Blake grabbed my hand, turning to leave.
“Oh, and Blake?”
Blake stopped and turned back him. “Yeah?”
“Take care of my girl.”
Blake’s smile stretched across his face. “Oh, I intend to. Don’t you worry about that.” He ran his thumb over my palm and a quake rocketed down my spine.
Tugging him beside me, I waved to Jace with my free hand, and we made our way to the exit.
Cool air coated my overheated body. Although it sent a shiver coursing through me, I welcomed the temperature change. I felt like I was on fire. Groaning, I threw my head back. “I’m so not in the mood to walk.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so?”
“I did say so.”
Blake chuckled and stepped in front of me, causing me to stop short. He squatted a bit and looked back over his shoulder. “Hop on.”
“What?” I looked at him confused.
“Hop on. I’ll carry your lazy ass.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I veered to the side to walk around him, but he side-stepped in front of me once again, and I walked straight into his back.
“What’re you doing?” I put my hands on my hips and waited impatiently for him to move.
He didn’t blink. “I don’t think I stuttered.”
“I’m not getting on your back like a five-year-old.”
“Oh, I think you are,” he replied. Cocky son-of-a-bitch.
I tried to move to the side, but again and again he blocked my path. “I can do this all night, Angel.”
I sighed as he bent down to my height and reached his hands over his shoulders. “Gimme your hands.”
I blew out a breath of defeat and slid my hands over his. He tugged them around his neck and straightened, draping me down his back as he began to walk us to the subway. Giving up completely—and already getting used to the warmth of his back against me—I wrapped my legs around him. He scooped his hands under my thighs and we walked to the train, piggyback style. I let my chin rest on his shoulder and tried to evaluate what was happening now that I was in the fresh air and able to clear my head a little.
What was I going to do once we got to my apartment? Could I go through with this? Was I going to back out again like a scared little girl? I wanted him so bad. And I wanted to be a woman in control of my own body. I just hoped the damage that was done to me wasn’t irreversible.
Eventually, I decided I wasn’t going to think about it. I was going to let whatever happened happen. Regardless of the outcome, I was grateful for Blake. For his relentlessness and for him caring enough to finally bring me out of my shell. Tightening my grip around his shoulders, I kissed the back of his neck and lay my head there.
He let out a gasp and his body trembled before hitching me up higher. Together, we clung to each other, showing just how scared each of us was of losing the other.
“What time is it?” I kept my legs wrapped tightly around Blake’s waist as he lifted his arm to check his watch.
“Twelve-thirty. We didn’t last very long, did we?”