I took his hair in my hands as his fingers drifted to my waist. On tiptoe, I tried to get a better angle, to feel more of him. Kissing Jagger was as necessary as breathing. He lifted me by my rear, setting me on the table. Yes. That’s exactly what I craved—a better angle. I drew his lower lip into my mouth and sucked on it, then ran my hands down his chest and under his shirt to finally caress the lines of muscles there. Perfect. Every line of him was carved, tight, and trembled under my touch. He growled, pushing me down onto the table as he slid over me, dragging his chest across my breasts.
More. I locked one of my ankles behind his thighs as he settled over me, pressing his hips into mine. He was hard against me, and I rocked into him, aching.
His kisses drugged me, taking my mouth again and again, and I lost myself in every touch, every sensation as my heart beat as wildly as I felt. He kept his hands on my face, bracing his weight on his elbows, his mouth never leaving mine, and his tongue ring didn’t disappoint. Hunger rushed through my veins, all stemming from the magic he worked with his kiss. My whimpers mixed with a moan or two from him.
“Paisley,” he whispered against my lips. “You’re so damn sweet.”
His words sent heat rushing through me, pooling low in my core, desire inflaming every nerve ending in my body. I arched into him, kissing him with the same urgency that was unraveling me.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
Stupid watch! I took my hands off his back long enough to press the silent button, unclasp it, and toss it to the side. It skidded along the table before falling to the floor. Who the hell cared about my heart rate when Jagger was kissing me? The world could burn down before I formed a logical thought. There was only Jagger on top of me, surrounding me, anchoring me.
My heart raced, pounding in delight, and I reveled in the utter abandon of kissing him. Will would never let me take off my watch, or kiss me like this. He was too focused on my heartbeat.
Will.
Oh. Hell.
I ripped my mouth away from the heaven of Jagger’s. “Stop!” I gasped.
He jerked his head away, his eyes flaring wide. “Paisley?”
“Jagger, we can’t.”
He pushed up, caging me in his arms. “Why the hell not?”
“Oh my God.” I covered my face with my hands. “What have I done?” I sat up slowly, tucking my hair behind my ears with shaky hands. In less than five minutes, I’d become something I loathed, abhorred.
I’d become a cheater.
He stood at the edge of the table, a breath away, and pulled me gently, bringing me to the edge of the table. “Don’t do it. Don’t you dare say his name. Not now when I can still taste you.” His voice was sharp, but there was something underneath it I couldn’t bear to hear—hurt.
My fingers lingered on my lips swollen from his kisses.
Will. Will, whom I loved. Will, who didn’t deserve what I had just done with Jagger.
I cried out, unable to hold in the pain of my own betrayal. Tears pricked my eyes, welling and falling in quick succession.
Jagger wiped away the tears with this thumbs. “God, Little Bird. Don’t cry. Please, don’t cry.”
I didn’t even deserve Jagger’s hands on me.
I pushed, and he retreated enough for me to slide out. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I ran for the first time in two years. If it caused my heart to stop, then it was only what I deserved.
I slid my key into my front door, on autopilot, and turned the handle. It was still locked. I turned it again, and it opened. Ah, it had been unlocked. Will was here.
Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.
I dropped my keys into my handbag, where they chimed against the unused set from the library. Ugh. Alice left me in charge for one night, and I couldn’t even get the library locked up right. No, I’d just left…him…standing there. I leaned against the wall, the back of my head hitting it with a thump, and closed my eyes, trying to blink away the tears.
“Lee-Lee?” Will called.
I drew in a stuttered breath. “Hey, I’m here.” I pulled myself together the best I could, slipped off my shoes, and walked down the short hallway. A quick turn to the living room, and I was in front of judge, jury, and executioner.
He sat on the couch, manuals spread out all around him. I took a moment and memorized him, the soft fall of his brown hair, the way he chewed on the end of his pen cap as he looked over his 5&9s for the training helicopter. He was such a good guy. He deserved so much better than me. So much better than someone who couldn’t contain her lust for someone else—no, someone who didn’t lust for anyone else. I had failed him on so many levels.
He didn’t look up, just flipped the page, completely lost in his studies. “Hey, Lee-Lee. How was your day? I ordered from Mellow Mushroom, so it should be here in about twenty minutes. I wasn’t sure if you felt like cooking.”
How normal it all seemed. How easy it would be to simply let it stay that way, to hide what I’d done. “I kissed Jagger.”
That certainly got his attention. His head snapped up, and the pen dropped from his mouth. “Excuse me?”
“I kissed Jagger.” I enunciated every word, letting them rip me open so I could feel the measure of pain I’d caused us all.
He shook his head, like he could shake my words from his ears. “You kissed Jagger. Bateman. Jagger Bateman. My asshole stick buddy? That Jagger Bateman?”
“Yes.” I rubbed the skin of my wrist where my watch usually resided. Apparently I’d left that behind with my morals.