Now, as I approached the crowded courtyard, I was met with something different than I was expecting. Her personality lended me to think any party Alta threw might look more trick-or-treat than thrasher. But the girl was full of surprises, that much was becoming clearer and clearer by the day.
Tents outlined the area of what once was a regular shopping street, now it resembled one of those theme park haunted Halloween grounds. Tattered white and black fabric hung from structured canopies, mood lighting decorated the floor in festive oranges and reds and purples, and tables filled the tented areas strategically.
Stacks of those samples Alta had gone on about were everywhere— ours were little peel and stick tattoos—and gory decor like skeleton bones, half melted candles and other spooky items littered the area. Seeing this, I could understand now why we had so much traffic all day.
It was fun.
Shewas fun.
I wouldn’t have pegged her as that before, but looking around and seeing how the little gathering had quickly turned into a full-blown party, I had to admit it.
Music permeated the small area from a table near the edge of the courtyard. Out on the sand beyond the party, there were tall stacks of hay formulated in a large circle.
Distantly, I wondered what that was; but presently, my vision was filled with the sight of Alta dancing in front of the tables in the crowd of people who had made themselves a makeshift dance floor. She was flanked by Lana and Jules, though I was surprised they’d chosen to stay.
I didn’t blame them. I’d want to be by her too. I wanted to be by her right that second as I watched her sway to the music around her.
Alta’s body moved freely. Not overly sensual, but in a way I had yet to elicit from her. Comfortable. Loose. Unbound to expectation or opinion. Just feeling.
I watched her legs, toned and exposed. I watched her hips, full and enticing. I watched her hair, long and alluring. All those things called to me. But none of them compared to the feeling in my chest. Like I wanted that feeling she elicited to be mine. Wantedherto be mine.
I wanted her to want it too.
Before I could blink and lose sight of her, I was there. Lana and Jules saw me and smiles the size of Texas crossed their faces before they danced off in another direction. Absently, I recognized people with our tattoo samples plastered over their bodies, buthonestly I wasn’t worried about all that. Only one thing had my attention.
One girl.
Alta gave a little jerk as I slid up behind her. Quickly, I pressed my lips to the back of her ear. “It’s me, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
She let out a sigh of relief that may have just signed the lease to my heart, her body relaxing as she realized who was behind her. As if she felt safe with me.
Leaning her head back, she took a peek up at me. “Wanna go?”
“Nuh-uh. Dance with me a little?” I said, not ready to give up my hold on her just yet.
“I don’t really know how,” she said sheepishly.
Humming, my hands gripped her hips firmly as I led her to move with me, keeping the beat and tempo while refusing to let her go. “Just like before, baby. Just with me this time.”
“Okay,” she smiled, still shy but more relaxed with my guidance. That shit made my heart squeeze.
We moved to the music, bodies in sync, breathing matching just as perfectly. I reveled in the feeling of her against me, every movement causing the ache she gave me to pulse more and more. But even more intense was the harmony I felt.
The feeling that I was right where I was supposed to be.
She turned in my hands, her arms, going to wrap around my neck, her face giving me an expression I’d never seen from her before. Need, clear and insistent in her countenance. “You’re really not going to kiss me, are you?”
I let my hands curl into her hips. Let her feel me against her as we continued to sway in tune with the beat. It was no secret that I wanted her but this time she would have to take it if she wanted me back. “You’ve always been the boss, Alta. This goes how you want it to go.”
I thought she would stall. I thought she would be shy and takeher time and waver like she did all the other times we got close like this. But that was my own mistake for ever assuming anything about this girl. Because a second later, she was kissing me.
Hands circled the back of my neck and pulled me down over the sweetest softest mouth before I could even make sense of what was about to happen. If her breath of relief had won me over before, the little whimper she let out as soon as my lips touched hers owned me.
Sheowned me.
Especially as she parted her lips right there in the middle of everyone and let my tongue trace the line of them. Let it dip deeper and taste the sweetness of her mouth. Let it explore her like she wanted nothing else.
On and on she gave herself to me.Tookfrom me. And I didn’t know whether I was dreaming or dying, but I knew one thing. This woman was steering the ship.
