When We Met

After a minute more, she turned away from him and searched for my eyes across the room. She held my gaze steadily as she swayed her hips seductively in my direction.

Hell, this girl was hot. Especially when she was letting go and owning her sexuality.

She danced the entire song with this guy close behind her—a little too close—but her eyes remained glued to mine. I couldn’t look away even if I tried. When the number was over and she began moving toward me, I felt something spring loose in my chest. The kind of feeling I hadn’t had for a girl in months. Maybe years.

I wanted her. But I wasn’t sure if she wanted me in the same way. Not outside of our time together on this project. And I needed to be okay with that.

She giggled and threw herself into my arms, pulling me in for a tight hug. “That was fun.”

“Yeah?” I said against her neck. Fuck, she smelled good—like strawberry shampoo. “You looked like you were having fun. I’m surprised that dude didn’t ask for your number.”

She pulled back to look at me. “Why would he?”

“Because you’re hot, Chloe.” I drew her closer to whisper in her ear, “You might not even realize how damned hot you are. Especially when you’re not thinking too hard—when you’re lost in the moment.”

Her lips parted and her eyes met mine. She seemed at a loss for words, so I decided to change the subject. I wanted to give her an out. Maybe I’d said too much.

I motioned for the bar. “Want me to get you a soda or a water?”

She stared at me for another long moment before she said, “No, thanks.”

We listened to the next song quietly standing beside each other, lost in our own thoughts. Until she turned to me and said, “Truth or dare?”

“Dare,” I said, almost breathless. Given her mood, maybe she’d give me something good this time.

“Your turn,” she said. “Do something spontaneous.”

My fingers trembled from wanting to touch her so badly and all I could think about was doing just that.

“You sure that’s what you want?” I said, turning and backing her against the wall.

“Yes,” she breathed out.

“Something spontaneous or something I’ve been thinking about doing for days?” I said, my lips coming closer to hers. “Maybe weeks?”

Her breath caught. “It . . . it’s your call.”

My head swung forward, our foreheads practically touching.

Fluttery breaths were escaping her lips. I place my arms on either side of her head and she bit down on her lip. My heart thrashed in my chest and all I could think about was how desperate I was to kiss her, and how nervous I was to blow this opportunity.

So I attempted to read her signals and they were definitely mixed. Her eyes flitted between panic and lust.

When I pi

“Please,” she rasped out. “Please . . . don’t . . . Blake.”

My stomach was in my throat. Fuck, either I’d scared her or I’d been reading her wrong. I leaned back to give her space, but her fingers suddenly skimmed across my waist, clenching my shirt and drawing me nearer.

“Don’t what?” I asked in confusion. She was so fucking messing with my head.

“Don’t . . .” She was panting now. “Don’t stop.”

The air rushed from my lungs and I flattened my body against hers.

Gathering her face in my fingers, I brushed my lips hesitantly across hers. “You sure?”

“Yes,” she said, shutting her eyes. “Please.”

Her voice was so sexy, so pleading, it was all I could do not to lift her in my arms and take her to some quiet back room. Or out to my truck. Somewhere I could have her all to myself.

I pressed my lips firmer against hers, more insistent.

When she opened her mouth and flicked the tip of her tongue out to meet mine, I couldn’t help groaning. Her lips were like velvet and I grasped her neck securely, my thumbs skimming across her throat as I dipped my tongue fully inside her mouth. Her fingers moved up and wound tightly in my hair as her tongue lapped insatiably against mine.

“Fuck, Chloe.” My hips ground against hers—once, twice. “See what you do to me?” I was certain she could feel my arousal now.

Our tongues were tangling in a frantic pace and she was moaning into my mouth.

“God, Blake.” She opened her eyes in a panic and a lust-induced haze. “What are we doing?”

She asked this as she continued kissing me, teasing my bottom lip with her tongue. She was so contradictory. Always thinking, even while in a state of passion. Probably making lists in her head. Maybe already trying to redefine the rules.

“Close your eyes and stop thinking, goddamn it,” I said in a gruff voice. “Just feel. Don’t worry about later or tomorrow. This is me and you. Just here and now.”

She responded by grinding into me. Holy hell.

My hand slid up to cup her breast, my thumb slipping across her nipple, while I nibbled on her lips—until I remembered where we were.

I drew away and looked around the bar. Though we were tucked away in a corner against the back wall, it wasn’t like we were invisible. And sooner or later, Chloe would realize that as well and more than likely feel mortified.

I leaned back in and kissed her lips tenderly, combing my fingers through her hair.

“That was some dare,” she mumbled.

I knew this was temporary. Only for this moment. Still I wanted to make sure she knew how amazing she was. “You are so fucking gorgeous. And sexy as hell. Don’t ever forget that.”

I kissed her deeply, one final time, wishing it could last all night.

chapter eight

Chloe

For the next two days I kept touching my lips repeatedly, remembering what it’d been like kissing Blake against that wall in the club. Hot damn. Had I ever been kissed that way before? Like he’d wanted to consume me? Classic movie kisses be damned!

“What’s the deal?” my roommate Courtney asked, pouring herself a big old glass of vino. Courtney loved her wine. She looked at the clock above my head, probably wondering why her boyfriend, Dalton, was ru

My other two roommates, Misha and Indy, were getting ready to go out for the night—Misha to some new Italian restaurant with Darryn, and Indy next door to her boyfriend Kier’s place, where they cocooned themselves in a lot. Kier was quiet but perfect for Indy. So maybe opposites really do attract.

“What do you mean?” I asked, not meeting their eyes.

“You’re walking around all dreamy,” Indy said, laughing. “Must be a boy. At least I hope it’s finally a boy.”

I tried to deny it, but then I broke down and told them. About Blake and the kiss. “But it was just a dare. It’s not like we’d ever date for real or anything.”

Misha raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“Because we have different . . . plans for our lives.” Plus he’d made it clear that his family was a huge responsibility and that he’d taken time off from classes to focus on them. Hadn’t he? My emotions and thoughts were so jumbled up at the moment.

“And he can’t figure into your plans?” Courtney said, just as there was a knock at the door. She moved toward the front entrance to let Dalton inside. “He won’t make it onto one of your sticky notes?”

I laughed because damn, Courtney was so right. I went upstairs to change into my jeans and a T-shirt. I was meeting Blake at the space tonight and I had a plan—one that was out of my comfort zone—and I never would have thought of it had it not been for Blake and his invitations to see live shows. I just hoped he’d agree with it and not see it as some last-ditch effort to keep him around an extra couple of days.

Even though it actually might’ve been.

After I arrived, I glanced around the space and was thrilled with how well it had all come together. It looked magical, really—with the Old Hollywood posters we’d hung, along with the film reels and fedora hats in different locations.