Page 4 of Crave Me
I couldn’t do either of those things. I wouldn’t. This was my only chance and even though I already assumed I’d blown it, I closed the space between us, brushed my chest against his. He was scowling at me, but not pushing me away. Seemed like a good sign to me.
“I will,” I whispered. “But will you kiss me first? Just once?”
I hated the pleading in my tone, borderline begging to my own ears, but I fought against cringing from it. His touch was too delicious. Warming my exposed skin through the heat rolling off him. The firmness of his chest against mine was everything I’d imagined. As he shifted his weight, brushed against me, my nipples hardened beneath my thin dress.
His shoulders dropped and his fierce expression dissipated. He settled his other hand on my hip.
“One kiss? That’s all you want.”
His beautiful voice rumbled over me. His grip tightened, fingertips digging into the flesh just inside my hipbone.
He was strong. Dominant. I wanted to be his more than I wanted my next breath.
“Please.” A mere whisper of a breath was all I could summon.
My body shivered from the freezing air and his closeness.
“I shouldn’t. You’re trouble.”
I couldn’t disagree. Everything about this screamed trouble and worst decision ever. It’d explode like fireworks when he found out.
I said nothing. I waited. And soon, his head dipped, tilted to the side. His mask scratched against mine just before his breath skated across my cheek.
Closer. So close I could inhale the scent of his cologne, the crisp lingering scent of champagne on his breath. I trembled as his lips brushed against the corner of my mouth. Warm and thick, full lips I’d imagined all over my body.
“Enough?” His voice rumbled.
I shook my head. It was too much and not nearly enough. My entire body was thrumming with need and anticipation.
“Very well,” he whispered, in that deep growly voice of his. I’d imagined it directed at me for years. I shivered again, unable to stop it and his hand fell from mine before he pressed it to the side of my neck. Firmly, he held me in place.
Then his lips were on mine, soft and exploratory. I melted against him, mewled when his tongue slid against my lips. I parted them eagerly, willingly, and then I tasted him. He was cold from the air and the time spent outside, but he quickly warmed as he deepened the kiss. His hand on my hip skimmed upward, running along the side of my ribs until it settled just beneath the side of my breast. His other hand dug into my hair and gripped me tighter.
A groan slipped from my throat and I arched into him, pressing myself against his chest, his body. I touched him everywhere I could reach, caressing him until I landed at his lower back. I embraced him, taking and accepting and giving back everything he was doing to me, hoping like hell he was having the same response.
His kiss made hope soar into my chest, tasted like dreams coming true and it was beautiful. So beautiful that when he ended the kiss and pulled back, I stumbled into him, my knees too weak to hold me.
I reached for him, feeling his hands at the back of my head, but I was too slow to stop him.
He set me back abruptly, a glare in his eyes only partially shielded by his mask, and in his hand, he held mine.
“Chloe?” He growled my name like a curse. Blinking rapidly, he wiped the taste of me away from his lips with the back of his hand. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Simon.”
I could only imagine the tongue-lashing he was going to give me.
I had no excuse for what I’d just done. No good one, anyway. I still tried. “Please. Just let me explain, Simon.”
“You’ve got to be fucking shitting me, right now,” he growled and cursed again. Pain flashed across his face like I’d punched him and made him breathless.
His hands went to his hair and he tugged harshly before staring at me and cursing at me again. “What game are you playing, Chloe? You plan this? Plan on running back to Cassie to tell her I assaulted you, too?”
“No.” I shook my head and took a step forward. He stepped back, out of my reach, hands raised to hold me back.
“Don’t. Don’t you dare come near me.” His voice rose with every word until he was almost shouting at me. “I can’t believe this shit.”
“I know it’s awkward, all of it, this night, this moment, but if you’d let me—”
“Hell no,” he snapped, making me jump back. “There is no way in hell I’m ever teaching you or touching you again, Chloe. I don’t know what in the hell you were trying to do tonight, but I’ve already been screwed over by one Reynolds sister. I’m certainly not going to risk it happening again.”
He turned and moved past me, his pace brusque and fierce. I spun, watched him yank open the door to the museum and as it closed behind him, my gaze fell to the patio.
Was it possible for your heart to be ripped from your chest and stomped on with only words?
Tears blurred my vision.
I’d just royally, completely, messed up any minuscule chance I had with Simon Delgado.
