I gasp against his mouth in surprise, but he doesn’t hold back. He kisses me harder, deeper, and oh, I surrender to his searching lips and wicked tongue.
My legs give way, I sway against him, reeling. Glitter rushes through my system, intoxicating and dark, and I for a moment I forget that I’m not this girl -- that I don’t do this kind of thing.
All I can think, is...
More.
I slide my tongue into his mouth to taste him, hesitant. The stranger growls against me, a deep sound that sends a surge of heated awareness shivering to my core. He scoops me into his arms and slams me back against the wall, every inch of his body pressed up against mine.
God, he’s all hard muscle and searching hands, and I can’t get enough. It’s like I’m drunk, giddy, my mind spinning so that all I can feel is the rush, pulling me under, deeper into the heat of this embrace and the ravenous demands of his miraculous mouth. He reaches up, tugging my hair free from its simple braid and knotting it in his hand, and the dominance of the gesture makes me arch up against him, desperate for more.
He breaks the kiss, tearing his lips from mine with a ragged breath. But before I can whimper in protest, he pulls my head aside and licks his way down my throat, sending shudders of pleasure coursing through my body. I cling to him, overwhelmed, as he grips my ass and lifts me, wrapping my legs around his waist and shoving me back against the wall.
Now I’m lost, undone. There’s nothing between us but denim and the whisper-thin silk of my dress as he grinds into me, panting. Jesus, I can feel him, the thick ridge of muscle, pressing against my hot, aching core, and suddenly, all I want in the world is right here between my thighs. I moan, arching up against him, the pressure already sending me climbing, the heat rushing everywhere, consuming me, out of control--
“Mr. Callahan?”
From far away, I hear a voice, but it’s hazy through my cloud of lust.
“Umm, Mr. Callahan?”
The world crashes back. I open my eyes to find a guy from the restaurant staring at us with wide eyes, totally shocked.
And why wouldn’t he be? I’ve got my legs wrapped around this man’s waist, his tongue on my skin, his hands, his hands...
Alicia, what are you doing?
I let out cry, scrambling to push him away.
“Oh my god!” I stumble to my feet, yanking my dress down. My face is burning, and I wish the earth would split open and swallow me whole.
“Dammit!” the stranger curses, spinning around. He shields me with his body as I yank my clothing back into place. My hair is tumbling down around my face, and I can’t imagine what I look like right now.
“What do you want?” he demands, breathing heavily.
The busboy looks down. “I, umm, they’re ready for you.”
“Five minutes.” The man dismisses him, then turns, reaching for me again.
I flinch back, away from his touch -- away from those sinful lips and dangerous hands that made me just lose my mind out here.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” I mutter. Temporary insanity, that’s the only explanation, brought on by heartache and loneliness and the tempting glint in those drop-dead sexy dark eyes. I don’t risk looking at him again, I just bolt for the restaurant door, humiliation replacing the desire that was burning, hot in my veins.
“Wait!” I hear the stranger call after me. “You can’t just leave!”
But I do. I dash back inside, not even pausing to say goodbye. I can’t risk it. I know, I have to get the hell away from him before he touches me again, and all my good sense goes fleeing into the night.
2.
ALICIA
What did you just do?
I slip back into the party, my heart still pounding in my chest. It’s packed and noisy in here, everybody celebrating the opening of the restaurant, and the excitement washes over me in a blur.
I look around, reeling, trying to pull myself back together.
“Alicia!”
I hear my name being called and turn. My friends over at our table, waving me to join them, but I find my feet freezing in place.
Suddenly, all the reasons I was fleeing the party in tears come flooding back into my heart with a wretched ache.
The truth I can’t deny anymore. My deepest, most painful secret.
The unrequited love that’s weighed heavy for so long, I think I might break. I thought I had it under control, but tonight just showed me I was wrong.
The pain crashes through me. I have to get out of here. Now.
I’m bolting for the front door when suddenly, the lights dim. The crowd goes quiet, moving for a better look at the raised platform at the back of the room that’s acting as a stage. They block my path to the exit in a crush of bodies.
“He’s starting!” A woman beside me excitedly clutches her friend.
“I can’t believe they booked him. You know he’s been like, a total recluse since he quit the band last year.”
I remember that there’s a music performance happening tonight. Some big-shot rock-star from a band that was all over the charts. I don’t really follow music, and tonight, it’s the furthest thing from my mind. As I fight my way through the crowd towards the door, my head is still spinning from that kiss outside. I’m torn between good sense, and the fever still lingering in my veins.
You should never have kissed him back.
You should never have stopped kissing him.
I shake it off. No matter what happened out there, it could never be anything real. I don’t even know who on earth that man is -- and even if I did, it wouldn’t make a difference.