“You doing okay?”
“Yeah. Just…I’ll be better when we’re back in the room.”
“Me too.” I leered, mainly to get a rise out of him in the crowded lobby. No one was paying us any attention as we squeezed into the elevator with a herd of other convention-goers. I took advantage of the opportunity to hook my fingers in his belt loops and pull him against me in the back of the elevator.
He made a startled sound but didn’t pull away until it was our floor. Body thrumming with anticipation, I followed him to our room with every intention of pouncing on him the second the door closed, but I hadn’t counted on him beating me to the punch, pushing me against the door even before I had a chance to turn on the light and smashing our mouths together with a desperation I’d never seen from him before.
His kiss was a wild creature, untamed and unfed, hungry and aggressive, and I was along for the ride, clinging to his shoulders as he stretched to plunder my mouth. He devoured me like the place could burn down around us and we’d still be here kissing, still clutching each other, still needing with a force I hadn’t experienced before. He’d never seized control quite like this, but I sure wasn’t complaining. Instead, I matched him needy moan for needy moan, trying to tell him with my lips and tongue that I was here, not going anywhere, and that I could take whatever he needed to give me.
And that ended up being long, frantic moments of more of those wild kisses until he pulled away, breathing hard. My own breath wasn’t doing much better, especially not when he sank to his knees on the carpet in front of me.
“Don’t stop me.” Eyes glassy and voice unsteady, his hands trembled against my waist before reaching for my fly.
“Not gonna do that.” My head fell back against the door. I wasn’t enough of a saint to stop him, but I could also tell something was up with Alden. Something had pushed him out of his comfort zone, made him into this desperate creature, who was sexy as hell but also majorly out of character for the guy I lo—liked so much. Threading my fingers through his silky hair, I took a shaky breath. “Not gonna stop you, but I am going to ask if you’re sure about this? I’m totally fine with a rewind of the last two nights, and if something’s happened to make you think you need—”
My words died on a guttural moan as he pulled me loose from my jeans, tongue connecting with the one part of my body that was completely on board with whatever Alden had planned. However, while I still had two operating brain cells, I drew in some much-needed oxygen and tried again. “You okay? I don’t want you doing this if you’re upset about something. We can talk—”
“Later,” he all but growled at me, and okay, there went the last of my nobility, right out the big window at the opposite end of the room. The city lights were twinkling, sending enough light into the room for me to see the need and desire in his eyes. For whatever reason, he wanted this. Badly.
Later was good. Later I’d make him talk. Later I’d figure out what had gotten into him. But right then, he wanted this, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to deny him. Not when he attacked me with the same single-mindedness he’d kissed me with, a primal hunger behind each movement of his full lips and devilish tongue.
“Tell me if I get this wrong,” he pulled back long enough to say.
“No such thing as wrong. No teeth, but no other rules. Trust me, you’re doing plenty right already.” I managed an uneven laugh. It seriously wasn’t going to take much. Not only had it been a long time since I’d done this, but this was Alden. Alden, who I liked and respected so very much, on his knees for me. It was heady stuff, and whatever he lacked in practiced technique, he made up in sheer enthusiasm and my control rapidly evaporated.
“Yeah, that’s it.” I whispered encouragement that made him redouble his efforts. He was pretty darn intuitive at combining mouth and hand in ways that had me moaning. Eyes falling shut, my body seemed to narrow in on just this, everything tensing and coiling. But for all that laser focus, my heart expanded, the emotions I’d tried so hard not to label all day flooding back with new urgency—joy at being here with him, mingling with something deeper, a level of connection I’d never felt before. And it was that connection that ultimately was my undoing, tipping me over the edge.
I tried to shove at his shoulder, give him warning, but he stayed right with me as my whole body shuddered and soared. The twinkling lights of Vegas had nothing on the stars I saw behind my eyes as my knees finally gave out. Eventually, though, the stars receded, and I opened my eyes to find myself slumped on the floor next to Alden.