Before I lost my nerve, I slipped out of our apartment, barefoot, and walked next door to his. Three knocks later, I held my breath and waited to make an ass out of myself again.
The door opened, and a lean, extremely hot blond guy answered. “Hello there,” he drawled as his eyes drifted over me appreciatively.
“Hi, I’m Ember, your neighbor?”
A very sexy smile lit up his face. “Hello, Ember, my neighbor.”
“Yeah.” I peeked around him. “Does Josh happen to be here?”
His face fell. “Ah, shit. Did he already call dibs? You don’t really look like the Josh type.”
I arched my eyebrow at him, and he stuttered, “You’re hot as hell, he just usually goes for the . . .”
“Barbies?” I was well aware of what “type” Josh went for.
“Exactly.” He opened the door, making room for me to slide past him into a hallway that mirrored our own layout. “Walker! You got company!” He turned back to me. “Just in case he isn’t what you’re looking for . . .” He flashed a killer smile. “My name’s Jagger.”
I tried to ignore that he was hitting on me. He was really good at it. “It’s nice to meet you, Jagger.”
“Oh, it’s my pleasure.” He held his tongue between his teeth, flashing a tongue ring.
“Jagger, back the fuck up off Ember.”
My breath stopped, and then expelled in one huge rush.
Josh leaned against the wall, one ankle crossed. A pair of gray flannel pants hung low on his hips. One tug was all it would take. One tug.
My mouth dropped open before I could close it. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. All that soft, inked skin draped across those muscles, and God, I remembered how it tasted. The thought of tasting it again had more than a spark raging through my thighs. Just being in the room with him turned me on in a way that had me seriously considering Sam’s suggestion of a rebound.
“And another one bites the dust,” Jagger muttered and left us alone in the entryway.
Josh didn’t budge, waiting on me to make the first move. I didn’t blame him since my signals blew so hot and cold. The guy never knew what he was in for.
I closed the gap between us, until I was close enough that I had to lean my head back to look in his eyes. Close enough that I caught the faint scent of sandalwood coming off him. I stood there, staring up while he held my gaze, unable to say what I needed to. How could I explain what I didn’t understand? Those brown eyes burned right through me with an intensity I couldn’t fathom, but wanted more of.
He reached out, cupping my face in one hand. “December?”
I stayed silent, not trusting my mouth. After all, what my mouth wanted betrayed what my head was preaching. My heartbeat sped up and my breath caught. I leaned into his palm, turning slightly to catch more of his incredible scent. Little droplets of water clung to his skin. He was straight out of the shower.
Fuck. I wanted him. I wanted him over me, weighting my body into a bed, a couch, a freaking kitchen counter. I needed this man. Not anyone else, just Josh.
I attacked, bringing his head, his lips to mine. There was no preamble, no gentle request this time. We met in a fury of open lips, both ready for the other. I sucked his tongue into my mouth. He growled. His hands sank down my back, skimming my ass before he gripped it and pulled me against him. He spun and pinned me to the wall.
Yes. This was what I wanted.
My fingers gripped his wet hair, desperate to bring him closer. He tasted like strawberry ice cream, and my brain sent hot images of me dripping it onto his stomach and licking it off. I couldn’t help the moan that escaped into his mouth any more than I could stop the movement of my hips against him.
Those hot flannel pants hid nothing on this man.
He released my mouth, only to run his tongue down my throat. I let go of his head to unzip my hoodie. He lifted me higher, the muscles of his arms bulging, the tattoo rippling with his movements, and brought his mouth to my collarbone. The back of my head hit the wall as I arched my neck, rattling a few of the pictures on the wall. From the higher angle, I looked down on him, watching him take nips at my skin and then soothe with a soft kiss. When he looked back up at me, his eyes were so dark I could barely make out his pupils. He wanted me.
Good to know we were on the same page. I cupped his face with my hands, reveling in the softness of his freshly shaven skin. “Josh,” I whispered.
His eyes widened, and I sank further into them, if that was even possible. He lowered me, rubbing my body against his in a delicious friction that made me want to shove his pants off with my feet. He conquered my mouth, stealing away all of my thoughts.
Kissing him was so fucking addictive. He changed pace, sped it up, mellowed it out, but kept me wondering what he was doing next. He gave me control and then took it back. Josh robbed me of every logical thought in my head except the quickest way to get him out of those clothes. I wanted to see where the lines in his abs headed. My hands slid down his chest, tracing along his stomach until I reached his pants. I skimmed under the elastic, needing to get my hands on him, to feel that soft skin under my fingertips.
He groaned against my mouth, which was the sexiest sound I’d heard since he’d made the same one in Breckenridge. “December.” He panted against my mouth, resting his forehead against mine. “I’m fucking desperate to carry you to my bedroom, but I don’t think this is what you want.”
Wait. What did I want?
Oh my God. I’d basically assaulted him in his hallway. After I’d told him repeatedly to slow it down. What the hell was wrong with me?