Anguished (Crimson Elite 2)

“That’s a whole lot of drinks for one person.” That’s when she lifts her eyes to look at me. Brown as the dirt but with specs of green and blue littered through them.

“I planned to drink every last one of them but you lost me one.”

She looks away then calls the bartender over, ordering me another one. I watch in fascination as she orders almost another bottle, the same as what I just did.

“It’s expensive,” I say watching her purely intrigued by the way her eyebrows raise and her lips thin.

“I can afford it.”

I grunt at her and turn back to my drinks while she pushes one over my way. “To make up for your drink, enjoy blondie.” She picks up the tray and walks away. Despite my situation, I smirk and turn to see where she went. She’s easy to spot, her hair is as red as fire, and she stands out amongst all the women who surround her. Even the one who’s dressed in bright pink.

“Who was that?” The bartender looks to where she’s standing then shrugs his shoulders. Maybe she’s exactly what I need to get me out of my funk. Maybe she can make me forget just for one night. It’s only one night, I want. Slamming down a few more shots, I don’t take my eyes off her as I watch her hips sway to the music. Her smile is bright as she yells to her friend while they drink. I used to have fun, have that kind of smile once. Not anymore. It was stolen and I’m searching to get it back.

Looking past her, I see the boys stuck in the booth. Well, the only person who looks like he doesn’t want to be there is Darby. He’s looking everywhere but at the woman standing directly in front of him. I thought about saving him and telling him he can go, but fuck it, he never has a life because all he does is work. When was the last time he even got laid? Who fucking knows?

Her hands are up above her head, and she’s swaying them with her hips. Licking my lips, I wonder how they would move when she’s riding me fucking hard. Would she be soft and slow, or hard and fast?

My feet start pulling me toward her before I can even think of talking myself out of it. I stand directly behind her, watching her and hoping she backs up just a little, so she pushes herself onto me. Her friend sees me before the red-haired dancing beauty does. She smiles and with one hand pushes her friend back, so she lands at my front. My hands wrap around her hips to steady her, as her heel steps on my toes. I cringe but don’t let the words I want to say leave my mouth.

She turns fast, so I’m not touching her. Her hands fly to her mouth, and when she sees me, she drops them as a small smile creeps up on her face. Her eyes roam me over up and down before she stops at me.

“Blondie.”

“Red,” I say back to her not hiding the smile sitting on my lips.

“I would apologize but I have a feeling she did it intentionally.” She turns back to her friend, says something, before she looks back to me. “You want something, blondie?” she asks in a way that should be illegal. It drips from her lips as if she’s ready to let me have my way with her. It’s an invitation and one I’m gladly going to take.

“You, red, what do you say? Let me have you?”

Her long, black eyelashes fall across her cheeks as she looks down, then open wide as she looks up to me. She takes one step closer, so her heels are now toe to toe with mine. This woman is something else, and I want to explore that something else.

“You’ll have to kiss me first… if you suck we can’t do this. Do you think you’re a good kisser?”

She’s challenging me.

I love a good challenge.

Challenge accepted.

One hand swoops around her waist pulling her close, so she’s flush with me. She smells like cinnamon and I’m dying to taste her red, cherry lips to see if she tastes as good as she smells. But instead, I drop my head to her neck, kissing her softly so I can taste her skin. She hums under my lips and I feel the vibration, it’s an even bigger challenge now.

I don’t mean to do it, it’s not something I’ve done since I was a teenager, but I have the sudden urge to mark her. Sucking on her lower neck, I know it’s going to leave evidence of me on her, and she will remember me even if she lies and says our kiss did nothing for her. With a lick of my tongue, I move upward, her lips are parted and she’s stopped humming. Nothing leaves her mouth as I bite her bottom lip taking it into my mouth. She doesn’t move from where I hold her, I don’t even feel her breathe. And in one swift moment, I lift my lips to match hers and take hers with me. She opens, so I don’t have to fight it. Our tongues dance as if they know each other. We taste each other like old lovers who have been found. And we hold onto each other as if we’re looking for a new beginning.