“I’m Troy,” he yelled over the music.
“Talia,” she yelled back, not sure whether she should offer a hand. What was the etiquette for introducing yourself while a guy was grinding against your ass?
The guy dancing with Bailey waved and Troy waved back. The expression on Bailey’s face was hilarious. Obviously the guys were friends, and even though she knew the other guy would be disappointed when he found out her friend was taken, Bailey obviously thought this was a good thing for Talia.
She rolled her eyes. No doubt Troy was just playing wingman for his friend. Bailey was a guy magnet and always had been, but it was still fun to pretend that a hot guy like this wanted her. Bookish boring Talia was at a frat party and dancing with a cute guy. Not too shabby for her first week.
Then it all went to hell.
“Get your hands off her,” an angry voice growled.
The hands at her hips immediately left and suddenly everyone around her moved back a few steps. Talia looked over her shoulder into the eyes of a very annoyed…
“Cage?”
Cage watched with mounting anger as the guy touching Talia slid his hands down her sides until they were damn near cupping her ass. What the hell? This guy thought he could just grope her in front of everyone?
He ignored the rational part of his brain that pointed out all the other couples dancing the same way. Those couples didn’t matter. Those girls didn’t matter. Because they weren’t his.
Cage shook his head hard. Talia wasn’t his either. He was just doing a favor for a good friend, making sure his sister didn’t get drunk and taken advantage of under his watch. Then the dude lowered his head until it looked like he was licking Talia’s neck. Cage was pretty sure he felt a blood vessel in his head burst.
“Get your hands off her,” he yelled.
Everyone around them moved back slightly. Under any other circumstances, it would have been funny to see how quickly the guy jumped away. But in this case it only lowered his rage level slightly. After all, that guy had still had Talia’s curvy little bottom in his hands.
“Cage? What are you doing?” Talia’s expression morphed from shock to anger in about two seconds.
The guy behind her stepped back slightly and shook his head. “I don’t want any problems, man. I didn’t know she was your girl. We were just dancing.”
Talia crossed her arms. “I am not his girl. And I can dance with whoever I want.”
But by the time she turned around, the guy had already blended into the crowd and she was alone. Cage smiled. Until she turned back to him with pure murder in her eyes.
“What the hell, Cage? I was actually having fun for once and you just ruined it.”
Now he felt bad. Sort of.
“I’m not trying to ruin your fun. That guy had his hands all over you like he was trying to undress you in the middle of the crowd.”
“So what if he was?” she raised her chin, like she was challenging him to say anything about it.
“You’re okay with someone groping you in front of strangers? That doesn’t sound like the Talia I know.”
“That’s because you don’t know me. And now I’m stuck here with no dance partner because you ran off the only guy who’s talked to me.”
Cage gritted his teeth. Talia clearly had no idea how many guys here were eyeing her like a piece of prime steak. He’d spotted her and Bailey when they’d first arrived and had followed at a distance. It had taken all his willpower not to barge in earlier when the crowd of guys around the keg was visually caressing her with their perverted eyes. He grunted, not wanting to acknowledge that he’d been looking at her the same way. Whatever she’d done to her hair made the dark strands look wild, as if she’d just climbed out of bed. Also, she was wearing some kind of dark makeup on her eyes that made her look like a sexpot.
If Talia thought no other guys wanted to dance with her, she clearly hadn’t been seeing the same things he had.
“Dance with me, then.”
He stepped forward and put his hands around her waist. Talia glanced up at him in surprise, before putting a hand in the center of his chest. She was so tiny compared to him, and Cage felt a strong surge of protectiveness. He’d never experienced such a strong sense that he was supposed to take care of someone before. If he was being honest with himself, it wasn’t entirely because of loyalty to Trevor. There was just something about Talia that made him want to protect her. Something about her that made her feel like…his.
“What are you doing?” she asked finally.
“I have no idea. But if you want to dance, then we’ll dance. Whatever you want is yours, sweetheart.”
Her eyes swung up to meet his at the endearment. But instead of making things better, she shook her head bitterly.
“Whatever I want, huh? Going for what I want hasn’t worked out so well in the past.”
All that mattered was making sure she never hurt again. He tightened his arms, pulling her closer until she was completely shielded from the crowd. He’d always been a big guy but he’d never been so happy for it. Especially when Talia snuggled a little closer and rested her head on his chest. When she glanced up at him, he wasn’t sure what made him do it, but he leaned down and brushed his lips over her forehead. She stilled and then her mouth fell open slightly.
“Cage?” she whispered.
He couldn’t hear her over the music but he could read his name on her lips. More importantly, he couldn’t read the expression on her face, which was a cross between fear and longing. Then the hand on his chest slid upward and around his neck. As soon as her fingers hit bare skin, it was over.
With a low growl, he pulled her up on her toes and kissed her. It was just a soft brush of lips against lips at first. Warm and sweet. Then he opened his eyes and was slammed with desire so strong his knees almost buckled. Talia was watching him with open lust on her face. She wanted him, and damned if he could resist giving her whatever she wanted.
She trembled slightly but opened her mouth to the thrust of his tongue. Her hand tightened behind his head, like she didn’t want him to get away. Cage moaned at her taste, everything inside him awakening. Yes, this was what he needed. Talia was what he needed. The thought broke through his last bit of reserve and his hands roamed over her back to pull her closer. She fit right between his legs and no doubt could feel how hard he was for her. She bit his lips gently and the hand that was behind his neck traveled down his front until it hit the hard length in the front of his jeans.
Cage panted in desperation as her fingers explored the size and shape pressing through the fabric. There was a loud alarm blaring in the back of his mind that this wasn’t a good idea, but all the warning got lost when Talia looked up at him with a naughty smile and squeezed his length gently. Christ.
“Talia, we should stop.”
She didn’t hear him over the music. Feeling him seemed to have triggered something in her, because she attacked his face, kissing him wildly. Cage tightened his arms around her and maneuvered them closer to the wall. He leaned over her, loving the feeling of her breasts pressed against his chest.
An image of kissing Talia slammed through his brain and he stilled. Talia pulled back slowly. Her lips were plump from kissing him. Again he had the image of Talia looking just like that. A much younger Talia. Fuck.
“What?” she mouthed.
Cage grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd. He’d been to parties at this frat plenty of times so he knew exactly where he was going. He tugged her through the living room which had way fewer people than the main room. People clustered in groups talking, couples made out on the sofa, and there was a group of girls grinding on each other while holding red cups of beer. He led her up the stairs and down one of the darkened hallways where it was quieter. It wasn’t perfect, but just being away from the blaring music helped clear some of the lust-induced fog from his brain. Which gave him the ability to examine what had just happened.
“I remember. I remember ki
ssing you.” He blurted out.
Seven
Talia pulled her arm free. "Oh, I see it's all coming back to you now."
"We kissed like that?" It was more a question than a statement.
"Glad to see you're starting to remember. Now you can understand why I was so confused and hurt. I thought you liked me. I thought that we were friends, and you wanted to be with me, because you kissed me."
Cage ran his hands through his hair as he paced up and down the hallway. "Fuck me, how could I not remember kissing you?"
She knew how. Back then, as much as he hated his father, he sometimes had the tendency to drink the same way. He’d probably blacked out the whole thing. "I don't know. But I certainly remember. I also remember how much it hurt when you stopped talking to me after that night."
Cage blew out a long breath. "Talia, I didn't remember what happened. But I knew I had a girlfriend. And that the connection to you was wrong. And complicated. And you were Trevor's little sister. So I had to back the fuck off."
"I don’t care why you backed off. I just care that it hurt. I care that you didn't have enough respect for me to talk to me about it. And I care that you think you can kiss me again like none of that happened."
It certainly didn't help her emotional state that heat flooded her skin, singeing it from the inside out. The hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention because she was too aware of him. Too aware of how close he was. Too aware of how good he smelled.
His scent was unique. Sandalwood and something else. Something crisper. All she wanted to do was lean in and inhale. Yes, because you are a glutton for punishment. Just because he'd brought her doughnut cakes didn't mean they could just go back in time. Erase the feeling of losing a friend. Erase that feeling she had of being used.
Nope. But what she felt now wasn't much better. Because now she was just frustrated. Her whole body throbbed thanks to that kiss he'd given her on the dance floor.
Why the hell did he have to be so good at that? Bailey's words ran through her head. 'You can use Cage Ward for fun. He's not the kind of guy you keep as a boyfriend. But honey, he wants you. You should enjoy him'.
Could she do that? Just enjoy Cage? Let go of all the other bullshit and not think about it too deeply?
She had the chance to have Cage. She knew from Trevor that he'd recently broken up with Jenna. Her brother had said that Cage was probably in a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of mood. So if he was doing a one-night stand thing, that made him the perfect choice. Talia was determined to let loose, so why not start now? All she knew she was, she felt safe with Cage. Just as long as you don't get emotionally attached.
Yeah. Hello. After everything? She knew better than to get to close to Cage. Knew better than to get too attached to him. She knew better than to believe that he would want her. Besides, there was too much shared history.
No. She wouldn't be holding onto him. But for one night, one time to be wild and sexy and crazy with no inhibitions, he might just be what she was looking for. Talia turned around and faced him, studying him closely. He was still reeling from the remembered kiss.
"Talia, I'm sorry. It was one thing to be told that I kissed you. It’s another thing to remember it in Technicolor detail. I'd just thought about doing it so many times. I think I lumped that memory in with all the other dreams."
Nope. She didn't want to hear that he'd thought about kissing her. She didn't want to hear that he had any kind of feelings for her. It would make things to muddy. Too complicated. One night with Cage Ward—that was blissfully clear and uncomplicated. "Cage, stop talking."
His brows snapped down and he watched her warily. "Talia?"
"You know, I've been thinking. You and me, because of Trevor and all his crazy, and the fact that all that other stuff that happened in the past. You and I were never destined to be together. But you might just be what I'm looking for right now." She stepped closer and ran a hand down his pecs and over his abs, counting them.
Really though, an inspection like this required skin-to-skin contact to make sure she counted correctly.
Talia gave him a sly smile and slid her hand up under his T-shirt. Cage's eyes fluttered closed. She could feel the rumble through his skin as he purred. One by one she counted each of his abs. Was it possible to have an eight pack? Talia hadn't even known anyone could have this many muscles.
Oh yeah, Mr. One Night was perfect for tonight. Cage was just what she needed.
Cage frowned. Something was up. Talia's hands sliding up over his abs had every synapse firing and crackling. Shit. He had to think. Use your brain. Not your dick. Problem was, with Talia was touching him, the wave of lust easily out-shadowed rationality. She'd been yelling at him a minute ago. So what had changed?
It didn't matter to his body that the alarm bells were going off. Because, well, he wanted her to touch him. All he wanted was that skin buzzing, electrified feeling. But it seemed he had too much of the good guy in him. The one who didn't want to be a complete asshole.
"Talia, I don't know what's going on, but this is getting out of hand real quick."
"Are you sure? Do you promise?" She slid her other hand down past his belt and then she wrapped her slender fingers over his dick.
Oh shit. He jerked and his brain fuzzed out. The only rational thoughts that ran through the processing center were: Privacy. Now. Naked. Naked was all well and good. But he needed to get her the hell out of here before he ended up fucking her against the wall in the middle of a party.
"What's the matter, Cage? I thought you wanted me?"
"Jesus. You know I do. You can feel how much I do." As if to punctuate his point, his cock twitched against her palm, as if begging her to touch him some more. To stroke some more. Jesus, it was a hell of a thing to have his own body working against him.
"I want you to touch me, Cage."
He swallowed hard. "Talia. I'm not sure what's gotten into you. But we’ve both been drinking a little. I'm not sure —"
She stood on her toes, grazing her lips along his neck, and then he lost it. Before he knew what he was doing, he changed their position, pushing her so her back was against the wall. Gently, he removed her hand from his dick, before placing both of her hands up over her head and chaining them with one of his own.
"Talia, you're playing with fire. You don't know it yet, but you and I are going to be a thing."
She shook her head. "Are you so sure about that?"
"Oh yeah, I'm sure." Cage leaned over her, tilting his head, and then took his time sliding his lips over hers, relishing the feel of the softness, relishing the way she gasped just before he slid his tongue inside. Jesus Christ. How could he have ever forgotten this?
She tasted sweet with just a chaser of spice at the end. Cage groaned as he licked into her mouth, his body desperate to get closer to hers. Talia arched her back, pressing her hips into his and rotating them ever so slightly, getting his dick to hit her just where she needed.
Oh fuck him. He slid his free hand into her hair and then he devoured her. Tongue. Teeth. Licking. Nipping. He was going to fucking consume her.
She made a whimpering sound of the back of her throat and he about lost it. The tingles started low in his spine. How the fuck was he so close to coming when he didn't even have her naked?
He’d been dreaming about Talia Hamilton naked for over three years. And as it turned out, he didn't even need her naked to be this close to losing it. All he needed was her taste. And her scent, and her little whimpering sounds. And that was it. He was a goner. He pulled back and gritted his teeth against the wave of lust, trying desperately to grapple with his control.
"Cage —"
"Why do you taste so good?"
"Please. I need you to —"
Cage knew what she needed. He kissed along her jawline until his lips met her neck and he sucked hard, before laving the tiny hurt with his tongue. Talia continued to pant and arch her back. He knew what she wanted. It was what he wanted too, and he was
going to get there. Kissing over her collarbone he bent over her, smoothing his lips just over the hint of cleavage showing. God she smelled incredible. Like vanilla and roses.
With every pant, she brought her nipple closer and closer to his mouth. Cage couldn't help himself and he wrapped his lips over her nipple through her shirt, sucking gently.
Talia cried out. And he did it again. All around them, the sounds of loud music shook the house so much that the windows rattled. No one would hear her. But someone could maybe see them. They were in a back hallway, in the dark, but shit, they weren't alone. They should be doing this in his room where he could take his time. Where he could spread her out and completely devour her. Every last morsel.
He sucked again and Talia rocked her hips. This time her scream was louder. Shit, he needed her quiet. Kissing back up her body, he kissed her again. But his hand was busy. He smoothed it over her hips, and then under that teasingly short skirt, and he could feel the shiver moving through her body. Yes, that's it.
She automatically parted her thighs. And he loved every second of it. She wanted him. She wanted him as bad as he wanted her. He wasn't the only one feeling this.
He growled low and tore his lips from hers "Talia. Are you wet?"
She bit her bottom lip as she panted, "What do you think?"
"I think if you don't tell me to stop, I’m going to see just how wet you are."
She lifted her hooded gaze to meet his. "You're going to have to check for yourself."
"Oh, hell yes."
Cage strummed his fingertips up her inner thigh to the edge of her thong. Jesus Christ. She was wet. Soaked actually. Gently, he rubbed his knuckle over the soft fabric. This time, he knew he would have to muffle her screams. He kissed her deep just as he snuck a finger under the elastic. It was meant to be just a little tease. That's all he wanted. He was just going to — the problem was, just a little tease wasn't enough. The second his finger grazed over her smooth lips, she gushed over him. She was so ready. And wanting him.
Bad Intentions Page 5