The Secret of Ella and Micha (The Secret 1)

"I was, but I took a break to see you." His breath smells like beer.

I scrunch up my nose. "Are you drunk?"

"I've only had one beer," he says. "I'm just excited to see you."

"And to be playing again," I state.

His smile is huge and it makes me happy for a moment. "Yeah, that too. I saw you watching me."

I shrug, playing it off. "I'm glad you're happy. You looked sad earlier at the drive-in."

His hand finds my hip and he grips it tightly, sending heat through my body. "I'm even happier now that you're here."

I relax against the wall. "You know I've heard you use that pickup line on girls before, right?"

"Come on, let me have some fun with you," he begs with a tease in his voice. "Pretend like you don't know any of my moves."

"You want me to pretend like I'm someone else?" I question. "Haven't you been telling me to do the opposite?"

The reflection of the light dances in his eyes as he leans forward and wisps of his hair brush my cheek. "Just be the girl I used to know. The one that had fun and laughed all the time."

"That girl would have never pretended with you, even if you requested her to."

"I know that."

His other hand finds my waist and his body slants toward me. Glancing from left to right, I slide my hands up his firm chest and link them around his neck. Then I pull myself onto him and hitch my legs around his waist. His expression is stoic, but he lets out a growl and his lips come down hard on mine. Our chests press together as he thrusts his body into me. Our tongues connect, feeling each other thoroughly. My back is pressed into the thermostat and my skirt barely covers the top of my thighs. My head falls back against the wall as he trails kisses down my neck. My breathing is rapid and so is my pulse. What is he doing to me?

The music stops and Naomi's voice rises over the speakers. "Micha Scott, get your ass back up here and play right now."

Micha pulls away, breathless. "I have one more song to play and then you and I are going to pick right back up with this."

Before I can answer, he leaves me in the hall. Touching my lips, I watch him weave back to the stage, knowing if he does pick it up, I'm not going to be able to stop it this time. Struggling with the loss of control over my own body, I wander back into the kitchen. Lila's over by the cooler, sipping on a drink and talking to Ethan. Straightening my shoulders, I march up to the counter and pour myself a drink. Lila and Ethan's eyes are on me as I knock it back. The alcohol burns my throat as I slam the cup down on the counter. "Who's up for a game of quarters?"

***

Two hours and three shots later, I'm feeling pretty good. The band has finished playing and Micha has joined our game at the table. "Sail" by AWOLNATION beats through the stereo, soft lyrics and a sultry rhythm and it takes me back to another time.

"I think I'm going to go dance," I announce to the table.

"Ah ha, I knew you secretly liked to dance." Lila slams her hand down on the table and then hiccups. "Oh, excuse me."

Ethan laughs at her like she's the cutest thing in the world. "Are you reaching your limit little girl?"

Lila narrows her eyes impishly at Ethan. "I'm not the one who missed the last three shots."

He replies with a comeback, but I don't hear it as I rise from my chair anxious to dance. Micha watches me inquisitively as I make a path through the crowd. Faceless people bead with sweat and the air smells like salt and is lit with desirable heat. The farther I descend into the crowd the hotter it gets. By the time I'm in the center, my skin is damp with sweat and the thin fabric of my strapless shirt is sticking to my back.

There's a darkness inside my chest, like the devil hidden inside me is about to make a grand appearance. I raise my hands and sway my hips, letting my hair fall down my shoulders and back. I breathe freely, just like I use to. The more the music plays, the more relaxed I become. My head falls from side to side and my eyelids drift shut.

I feel someone move up behind me and they smell of desire mingled with an earthy scent and something mouthwatering.

Micha places his hands on my hips, his hands domineering. He nearly melts me as he spreads his fingers around my waist and presses his body against mine, wanting as much of me as he can get.

"I thought you didn't dance anymore," he whispers in a feral voice, his warm breath touching every part of me.

I lean back into him, comfortable, and breathe in his familiar scent. "I guess I'm a liar."

"You didn't use to be." He sweeps my hair to the side and implores our bodies closer as he moves with me. Through the fabric of our clothes, I feel the heat radiating off him like the sun. "In fact, you used to be the most honest person I knew."

I slant my head back against his chest. "I know, and I'm working on getting it back."

"Good, I'm glad." His hands slide down my hips and don't stop until they reach the hem of my skirt. "Weren't you and I supposed to finish what we started in the hall?"

I start to pull away, but he intensifies his embrace and restrains me against him so we're bonded in every way possible. I feel the hardness of his chest and the heat emitting off every single God damn part of him. It makes me want to moan.

"You're f**king driving me crazy. You know that?" He whispers through a groan as his fingers slip underneath the side of my skirt and up my thighs. "I want you, pretty girl. Badly." He's not lying. His desire is pressed up against the back of my waist.

I should stop him... He's practically got his hand up my dress and we're surrounded by a ton of people, but I give in to him, subsiding in his arms, and let his fingers inch higher up my skirt. Slowly, he kisses my skin, before parting his lips and nipping my neck, sucking, tasting, driving my body mad. His other hand wanders upward on the outside of my shirt and over the curve of my breast. I practically come undone in his arms. Without warning, I turn around, slipping out of his grip. I secure my arms around his neck. His eyes darken as he welds our bodies back together.

My head falls back, allowing him access as I put my weight into his lean arms. He holds me tightly, tracking kisses down the hollow of my neck, licking my collar bone, delving lower and lower as his hand sneaks for the bottom of my skirt again and the palm of his hand caresses the back of my thigh.

He groans, cupping the back of my head with his other hand, then suddenly he pulls away. "How drunk are you?"

I glance from left to right like there's an answer hidden in the crowd. "I don't know."