One to Keep (One to Hold 2)

Her eyes closed as she leaned into my ear. “What’s your story, Bingley?”

I shrugged. “Cheating fiancée. Fucking a guy in my building, and I caught them.”

Her voice was still at my ear. “Bitch.”

“Yeah,” I said, the alcohol making me talk. “She wanted something different, said I was too safe… whatever the fuck that means.”

Pressing my shoulders, Kenny leaned back, and her blue eyes held mine. “You’re not safe. You’re dangerously sweet.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

She smiled and ran a finger across my chest. “I bet you get any girl you want.”

My efforts to get Nikki crossed my mind. “Not always.”

“Buy me another drink.”

“I think you’ve had enough.”

“Fuck that.” Her hand returned to my shoulder. “Let’s both be dangerous.”

My lips pressed into a frown, but I waved the bartender over and ordered a vodka for me, another margarita for her. She sipped from the salty glass, watching me with those round eyes, but I looked away. She was leaving in a week.

* * *

Another hour, another vodka, and I was dancing. We were both on the floor, and Kenny went from twisting in front of me with her arms around my neck to turned away from me, her skinny ass scrubbing against my dick. It was just fucking dancing. I wasn’t trying to get turned on, but I was never sure how that dance was supposed to be interpreted.

For the first time in a while, my insides didn’t ache, that residual sting had disappeared. It was like the last reminders of Stacy were gone, but I knew it was just the alcohol. I’d been here before, and the pain always came back. When the song ended, I was ready to call it a night.

I caught Kenny’s waist and pulled her to me, speaking in her ear. “It’s late—let’s take off.”

She nodded and followed me back to the bar, took a finishing drink as I paid, and then we left.

Crossing the parking lots back to where I’d left the car, I couldn’t tell which of us was working harder to walk a straight line. I won, but only because I wasn’t balancing on those heels. When we reached my Charger, I leaned heavily against the door.

“I can’t drive like this.” I said through an exhale, scanning the parking lot. We were the only ones out here, and it was dark. I didn’t like it. “Get in.”

She wobbled around the car, and I managed to guide her into the passenger’s side. Then I went around and climbed in, locking the doors. Kenny was busy removing her shoes, and I pressed my head against the headrest.

“It’s okay,” she said, sitting up and putting her hand on my shoulder. “We can just make out til we sober up.”

“Make out?” My brow creased. “What happened to ‘don’t get any ideas’ and you leaving?”

She shook her head and scooted toward me. “This is not about ideas. This is just about sobering up.”

The alcohol, I’m sure, made her logic seem reasonable. That, and her grinding against my dick was still pretty fresh in my inebriated mind. She put her cool hands on my cheeks and then slid them back into my hair. I leaned forward and lightly brushed my lips over hers. They were soft and warm, and a little salty from the margaritas. She smiled and pressed her mouth harder against mine, sneaking her tongue out and touching my lips before she leaned back. Fuck, that felt good.

I caught her face and kissed her for real then, pulling her full bottom lip gently between my teeth as I finished. A little noise escaped her throat, and it was like a match being struck. Our kisses turned fast and desperate, mouths opened, tongues collided. Her slim arms pulled her body against mine, and I lifted her easily into the backseat, not caring if we were still in the parking lot. We were in a dark space in the back, and I wasn’t stopping this.

I bruised her small mouth with kisses as she struggled to move higher on the seat to meet me. I should’ve been gentler, but dammit I couldn’t. The tiny moans coming from her throat told me she didn’t mind my roughness. She was as feverish as I was.

Moving my hands down, I caught the hem of her blouse and shoved everything up—shirt, under-tank, and bra. Her small breasts popped out, and I pulled a tight, pink bud into my mouth, sucking it hard.

“Oh, god,” she moaned, her fingers going into my hair, holding my head against her body. I kissed a line across the center to the other side, finding her other nipple, and sliding my tongue around it. That faint scent of sugar was on her skin, and she even tasted sweet. I moved up to cover her mouth again and noticed she was pulling on the back of my shirt. I took a second to lean back and whip it over my head.

“Jesus,” she hissed, reaching out to run her fingers down my stomach.

“What?” My voice was a hoarse whisper as I took a quick hit off her mouth again.