Cole grinned, wondering when he’d finally catch that. He nodded toward Crash’s table in the corner.
Dog craned to look. “Damn. What’d I miss?”
Cole just chuckled and got up, heading toward the table.
Crash cuddled close to Shannon, his arms around her tight, his mouth at her ear. “You with me, darlin’?” His warm body kept her wrapped in a blanket of contentment. Decadent sensuality melted through her veins as he enfolded her in the safety of his arms.
“Um-hmm.”
Crash’s arm relaxed around her ribcage. “Beautiful, Princess. So fucking gorgeous.
“Fuck, that look on her face is sexy.” Cole walked up, his deep voice conveying his approval. “You two look good together.”
It was like he had dumped a bucket of ice water on her. Oh, God. What had she just done? In a crowded room. Yes, it was dark, and she was practically hidden from the room by Crash and the table, but…still. What was wrong with her? If anyone saw what had just happened, the fact that she’d allowed a man to touch her in public like that, the way she’d responded…
My God, she’d acted like a slut. Horror flooded her system. Her hands were shaking. What had she done? She pushed away, moving out from the table.
“Shannon?” Crash reached for her. “Baby…”
Cole stepped up, his big, masculine body blocking her way to the door. “Easy, darlin’. I didn’t mean anything.”
She shook her head. “Move. Please. I…I just want to go to the restroom…please.”
“Let her be, Cole,” Crash warned, sliding from his barstool. “I don’t want to give her a reason to say I forced her. It’s my fault. I lost my fucking head.” Cole stepped out of the way, but Crash reached out and grabbed her arm, contradicting what he’d just said to Cole. “Can we talk? Please.”
After a moment, the panic feeling left her, and she nodded. “I think I need some air.”
With a kiss to the top of her head, he quietly requested, “Come on, baby. I want to show you something.” He took her by the hand and pulled her along to a door at the back of the room that she hadn’t noticed before. It led down a darkened hallway that was lit only by the glowing exit signs on the doors at either end. They’d only gone a few feet down the hall, when he suddenly hooked her around the waist and pushed her up against the wall.
She looked up. Crash stood there, overwhelming the space, blocking her way, boxing her in. “What are you doing?” she gasped a little breathlessly
“We’re alone, and its dark, Shannon. Nobody’s gonna see us here.”
“Crash…”
“You were doing fine back there.” He nodded toward the door they’d just come through. “Totally in the moment and enjoying my touch. Don’t overthink it. Nobody saw, Princess, I promise.”
She looked away, not meeting his eyes.
“What? Tell me?” he pressed.
“It was fine. And then it wasn’t. Then I suddenly felt like a slut.”
The corner of his mouth pulled up. “Baby, you are so far from a slut it’s not even funny. I don’t think that. Nobody out there thinks that. If anything, they probably think the complete opposite, that you’re reserved and inhibited, well, at least until you walked through the door in that getup looking like the very definition of sin.” His eyes slid over her outfit. He blew out a breath. “Last thing I want to do is scare you, Shannon. But, goddamn, the way you look has had my dick hard since you came through the door tonight and…” He broke off, taking a deep breath, his hand coming up, his palm cupping her face, his thumb stroking. And it calmed her, settled her, and took away all the fears that had overwhelmed her a moment ago at the table. She turned into his touch.
They had spent most of the party glued to each other. Just being near Crash grounded her. He had a way of taking away all her anxiety with just a touch. It didn’t matter what was going on around them; she felt calmer when he was next to her. Hearing him laughing and joking with his brothers, the whole time his hand on her waist, had soothed her.
“And?” She needed him to finish his thought. She wanted to know what he’d been about to say.
“And I’m a man, baby, not a boy. When I get a beautiful woman alone in the dark I do something with her. I told you I was hungry for a taste of you.” His thumb swept over her lips. “You gonna give me a taste?”
Did he think that was all she dated? Boys? Did he think she had no experience with real men? To be honest she had no experience with men like him, to be sure. But she’d used her skills as a woman on more than one man. She knew how to charm them into doing what she wanted, only none of the usual tricks seemed to work on Crash. She’d thought he was immune to her appeal. But now, he had a look of sexual tension on his face, and it suddenly pleased her to finally know that she was affecting him as much as he’d affected her. His touch, his constant hands on her had kept her on edge all night. It was what had made the orgasm he’d just given her so sharp and intense. It was only fair he felt some of the same sexual torture she had felt.
She watched his eyes drop to her mouth, and then, not waiting for her answer, he moved in, his whole big muscle-y body was pressing up against her, pinning her to the wall. His big hands landed on her hips, and he pulled them flush against his. His mouth came down on hers, his tongue stroking along her lips until she had no choice but to drop her head back and let him in, and he didn’t hesitate to take what she offered. As his tongue swooped in, she felt his hands tighten on her hips holding her anchored to him as his mouth devoured hers. Her hands slid up his forearms to his muscled biceps to his broad shoulders and settled there. He finally broke off the kiss, resting his forehead to hers, and his voice rasped out. “Do you know how badly I want you right now?”
She felt his thumbs brushing over her bare hip bones as he spoke the words. He leaned back, his eyes dropping to the opening of her halter top, and she felt her nipples tighten. His hands slid up from her hipbones to the curve of her small waist. His eyes dropped down to her belly-button piercing, and Shannon’s eyes went there as well, watching his hands. They were so large, his thumbs came together on either side of her belly-button. He stroked both thumbs up and down the smooth flat skin of her belly, and it quivered under his touch. His eyes still on that sparkling dangling rhinestone, he growled, “That really flips my switch, darlin’. I’m talkin’ top of the list.”
She slid her hands across his shoulders, up his throat and cupped his jaw, bringing his eyes to hers. Seeing the need burning in his eyes, she pulled his mouth down to hers. His mouth opened, and he dove in again, taking what she gave. But only for a moment, then he was pulling back, hesitating as if he were torn. And then he was stepping back, taking her hand and turning to continue down the hall.