by L. A. Casey
“I think this conversation is over,” I said and left the room in a hurry.
“Thanks a lot, asshole!” Damien snapped.
The laughter continued as I heard a chair scrape across the floor, footsteps beat against the ground, and a presence come up behind me. I turned around just as Damien reached for me. His hand, that I’m sure was intended for my shoulder, latched onto my right breast and shock froze me to the spot.
“I did not mean to tit grab,” Damien said, his eyes on mine, but his hand remained on my breast.
My pulse sped up.
“It’s… okay,” I squeaked.
I looked down at Damien’s hand, and when he realised he was still holding my breast, he dropped his hand like it was on fire.
“Shit,” he said, flustered. “I wanted to apologise for Kane’s behaviour, not grope you.”
I was so embarrassed that I considered walking out of the house without further words exchanged, but I didn’t. Instead, I swallowed and forced a tight-lipped smile.
“It’s whatever; he was probably just messin’ with me.”
“Yeah,” Damien lied.
We both knew Kane wasn’t playing with me.
“Forget him,” Damien continued.
Kane Slater wasn’t someone you easily forgot.
“Already forgotten,” I said, my forced smile still in place.
Damien stared through my smile. I knew he did because his face softened. He took a step towards me and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when Alec jogged down the stairs. I took a step back and nodded at Alec, who moved past us with just a wink shot in our direction. Damien looked over his shoulder when Alec spoke, and his other brothers laughed. The three of them then walked out of the kitchen, and Alec was boasting.
“All I’m saying is little brother has skills that he obviously picked up from me. His girl called out to God more times than I could count. He was in control of that puss—”
“Finish that sentence, you slapper, and I will end you!” Bronagh snarled as she descended the stairs with Dominic and Branna in tow.
Alec made the motion of sealing his lips, though I doubt he was finished with teasing her and Dominic about their special night. I wanted to tell him to leave her alone, but I was still pretty shocked over Kane pulling a fast one on me and treating me like I was doing something wrong.
Damien stepped away from me without a word when Bronagh came to my side and took hold of my hand. I smiled at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Are you ready?” she rhetorically asked.
I exhaled a deep breath as we walked out of her house and into the night.
As I’ll ever be.
“I should have stayed at home,” Bronagh yawned and stretched.
Two hours ago, I would have jumped at the chance to chill in her room and watch a film, but now that I was tipsy and actually feeling the music in the club, I wasn’t letting Bronagh get comfortable enough in case she did fall asleep and had to be brought home.
“Have a drink and loosen up.” I cheered, tipping my vodka and Coke in her direction. “This is fun!”
Bronagh shot me a look that would silence many people but not me.
“We have school in the mornin’, so I’m passin’ on havin’ a drink,” she said with a raised brow. “You should just stop altogether. Otherwise, you’re goin’ to be dyin’ with a hangover when you wake up.”
I didn’t want to be reminded of school, or anything outside of having adult fun. This was my very first time being in a club and drinking alcohol. We would be finished school in mere months and I knew both Bronagh and I would do well on our Leaving Certificate exams so we didn’t have to worry about them. The chances of me frequently letting loose like this were slim to none so I wanted to enjoy it.
I blew her a kiss. “Thanks, Ma, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Bitch!” she stated, making me laugh and her grin.
I glanced to my left and saw Branna on Ryder’s lap and they were so completely wrapped up in each other that they didn’t notice anyone around them. Alec, Damien, and Dominic were off somewhere in the club, and Kane was still seated next to Bronagh. We hadn’t spoken since he apologised to me upon entering the club, and I was happy enough to leave it at that for the night. He looked just as done as Bronagh with the club scene, and it was obvious he hated being surrounded by so many people, but I wasn’t letting his chilled demeanour rub off on me or Bronagh.
“Let’s dance,” I shouted to my friend.
I laughed because I practically felt her sigh even though I couldn’t hear it.
“Don’t even think about sayin’ no, Bronagh,” I warned. “We have to bond, and dancin’ helps with that so come on.”
My friend groaned, and I feared she wasn’t going to budge, so I used the only weapon I had in my arsenal. My eyes. My father had always told me that my eyes would be the death of him because they were big, brown, and as dangerous as a puppy’s. I gave Bronagh my best pleading look, and before she even verbally agreed to dance with me, I saw her cave, so I held my hand out to her.
“Okay,” she groaned and grabbed my hand.
Game, set, match.
“Yay,” I beamed.
Bronagh playfully rolled her eyes.
“We will be back later,” I said to the table without looking at anyone in particular.
Bronagh looked back at Kane, Branna and Ryder when they gave us their attention.
“By later,” she said, “she hopefully means after the next song.”
I burst into laughter, earning a big smile from Bronagh.
“Fat chance of that.” I devilishly smiled. “Now, come on; I love this song!”
I couldn’t tell what song was playing, but I knew the beat, and that was enough to get me excited. I danced with Bronagh until my thighs and calves burned from overuse. I laughed until my throat hurt, and I tossed back drinks like it was no one’s business. I wanted to tell Bronagh how much fun I was having, but then I felt a hand on my forearm lead me to the middle of the crowd.
“Hey,” I shouted and tugged my arm. “Let go.”
I looked up at the owner of the hand that had hold of me, and when grey eyes and a mop of white hair became clear through my slightly drunken gaze, I beamed.
“Damien!”
I focused on him and found he was smiling down at me, his eyes gleaming with amusement. He placed his hands on my waist, and without a word, he tugged my body until I was flush against him, and it took my breath away. When I gathered my bearings, I placed my hands on his shoulders and bit my lip when I rolled my body against his. I practically felt his moan as his hands on my waist squeezed my flesh.
He said something to me. I saw his lips move, but I couldn’t hear him. I got on my tiptoes and shouted, “I can’t hear you.”
He grabbed my hand and led me off the dance floor. When he turned to face me, I had no idea what possessed me to do it, but I leaned up, placed my hands on either side of his face, and moved in, pressing my lips against his. Damien froze for a couple of seconds then he eagerly responded to my kiss. He wrapped his arms around my body and pulled my body as close as he could get me.
“Alannah,” I felt him say against my lips.
I pulled back from our kiss feeling breathless, giddy with excitement, and hot to the core.
“That was amazin’,” I exhaled.
Damien squinted down at me before he grabbed my hand once more and led us over to two huge men that stood outside a door. I avoided looking at both men because they were intimidating. Instead, I silently followed Damien when the men parted and opened the door they seemed to be guarding. When we stepped into the corridor, and the door behind us was closed, a veil of silence fell. I looked over my shoulder, surprised that I couldn’t hear a single sound from the club.
“Me ears are ringin’,” I shouted before I remembered I didn’t have to.
Damien looked at me and chuckled, then silently led me down the corridor and through the last
door. When we stepped into a huge living area, the first thing I spotted was the big ass bed. My first reaction upon seeing it should have been uncertainty, but a devilish streak struck me at that moment and pushed my legs to move toward the bed. When my knees knocked against it, I bent forward and ran my hand over the linen.
Silk.
“This feels so good,” I hummed.
I heard a sharp intake of breath, and a rush of pleasure shot through me. I knew my dress had hiked up a little bit more than what was decent, and I knew in my bones that Damien could see everything on display.
“Heaven help me.”
I stood up straight, and without fixing my dress, I turned around.
“Did you say somethin’?” I questioned.
Damien lifted his arm and ran his hand through his hair, and I realised it was an action I desperately wanted to do.
“I said,” he rumbled. “Heaven help me.”
“Why do you need help?” I asked. “You aren’t in trouble.”
“On the contrary.” Damien smirked. “I think I’m in a whole heap of trouble.”
I swallowed. “What trouble would that be?”
“The five-foot-five, black hair, and brown eyes kind.”
Butterflies exploded in my belly.
“You think I’m trouble?”
“Babe,” Damien chuckled. “I think you’re the definition of it.”
How could that be?
“I think you’ve got me confused with someone else,” I said, falling into a sitting position on the bed when I tried to take a step back. “I’ve never been in trouble in me life.”
“No, I’m sure you haven’t,” Damien agreed. “But I think you could stir up a lot of it.”
“Yeah,” I asked. “Like what?”
“Like how one kiss has me wanting to touch you in ways you’ve never been touched.”
My heart slammed into my chest.
“Ho-how do you know what ways I’ve been touched?” I stammered. “I could have already been touched in every way possible.”
“Babe,” was all he said as his cheeks dimpled.
I felt a blush burn up my neck, and he acknowledged my virginity with one word and a damn smirk.
“Fine.” I licked my lips. “No one else has touched me, but I’ve touched me an awful lot.”
The look of desire that Damien shot my way sent shivers up my spine.
I swallowed. “Why don’t you change the former and touch me?”
Damien’s face lost all traces of amusement.
“Be careful, Freckles,” he warned. “I think we should just cool it and talk—”
“I don’t want to talk.” I cut him off. “I want to kiss you, to touch you… I want… I want to get into trouble with you.”
“My God.” He groaned and put his face in his hands. “You aren’t a sex only girl, Lana. You’re the flowers, chocolate, cuddle nights in, and steady boyfriend kind of girl. And I love that about you, but I can’t give you that.”
I frowned.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Damien said, looking flustered. “I’m trying to do right by you. I’m trying to convince myself that you don’t really want me like this—”
“I do.” I cut him off once more. “I know your situation, and I’m not a fool. I know it’s just sex with you, but I want you so much that I’ll take it.”
I recalled my earlier conversation with Bronagh. I said I didn’t want Damien to want me just for sex, that I didn’t want to be on his hit list, but I had a strong feeling that I needed to experience him in any capacity.
“This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have brought you in here.” He began to pace. “I just wanted to talk to you, but damn, you look edible, and you smell and taste so good, it’s all I can do to stay on this side of the room.”
“Come to me,” I beckoned. “Don’t think about the after, think about now. If I’m angry later, it’s on me. This is probably a stupid idea, but I’ve never needed someone like I need you. If this is a mistake, let me make it and learn from it.”
“You’ve been drinking,” Damien said flatly.
“I’ve sobered up a hell of a lot since you told me I was trouble.”
“You are trouble.”
“Prove it,” I challenged.
Damien took a step forward then hesitated before he said, “Let’s just chill and talk for a while. Just… just to see if this is what you really want.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth before I turned and scrambled up the bed, flopping onto my back.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, holding my position. “I’m chillin’.”
Damien folded his arms across his chest, the corners of his lips twitching.
“You usually chill on a bed with your thighs parted?” he asked, a slight hint of laughter in his tone.
“Actually,” I said, “this is how I lie on me bed. It’s kind of… freein’.”
Damien dropped his gaze from my eyes to my parted thighs. I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. He quickly crossed the room, turned his back to me, and sat on the edge of the bed. Without turning around, he patted the spot next to him and said, “Come here and talk with me. I want to hear your voice.”
I practically floated to his side, and it made Damien laugh.
“What do you want me to say?” I said, a little breathless.
Damien turned his gaze on me, and as he looked into my eyes, he said, “Say anything. I just want to hear your voice. I love your voice.”
I felt as if the air had been sucked from the room.
“You do?” I rasped.
Damien licked his lips. “Yeah, I hear your voice even when you aren’t around.”
My heart slammed against my chest.
“You do?” I repeatedly nodded.
“I hear you when it’s quiet,” he said, dropping his gaze to my lips.
I lazily dragged my tongue across my lower lip.
“What do I say when you hear me voice?” I asked; my voice sounded thick with desire.
Damien huffed a laugh. “You don’t want to know, Freckles.”
I scrunched up my face in displeasure. “Why do you call me that?”
He lifted his hand, and with his pinkie finger, he ran the tip over my nose and underneath my eyes.
“You have a splash of freckles right here,” he murmured.
I frowned. “If you say you think they’re cute, I may slap you.”
Damien simpered. “Cute is not a word I associate with you.”
My pulse spiked.
“What word do you associate with me?”
“I have a few,” he replied, lowering his hand from my face. “Smart, funny, hard-working… beautiful, elegant, sexy as sin.”
I gasped. “You think I’m funny?”
Damien almost instantly burst into laughter.
“Hell yes, you’re funny.” He chortled. “Out of all the words I said, you picked funny.”
I blushed. “No one has ever said I was funny before.”
“Well, you are.”
I leaned in a little closer to him. “You think I’m beautiful and elegant?”
“And sexy as sin,” he breathed. “Can’t forget about that.”
I smiled, and I heard a little groan come up Damien’s throat like he was straining to contain it. I stood up from the bed and kicked my heels off before I turned to face him. I stared down at Damien, and he stared up at me.
I couldn’t stand it anymore.
My body felt like it was a live wire of electricity. I wanted Damien to kiss me and touch me more than my next breath. I didn’t want him to make the first move; I was too aware of him to allow that to happen. Instead, I stepped forward, parted his thighs with my knees, and stepped between them.
“Alannah, what are—”
I brought my mouth down on top of his and took what I’d wanted since the first moment I saw him. I lifted my hands, thrusting them into his hair, and almost drop
ped to my knees. His hair was thick and soft—so freaking soft. I tangled my fingers around the strands and tugged.
“You’re playing a dangerous game with me, Lana,” Damien said against my lips, his voice husky. “I’d walk away if I were you.”
Boldness surged through me.
“That sounds like a challenge to me.”
“Talking,” Damien groaned into my mouth. “We’re supposed to be talking.”
“We are,” I replied, sliding my tongue over his lower lip. “We’re talkin’ with our bodies.”
Damien broke our kiss and stared up at me, his expression one of shock. It was quickly replaced by one so full of heat and longing that by the time he drew me against him, I was shaking.
“I want you so much,” he breathed. “God knows I’ve dreamed of touching you, kissing you, tasting you.”
I had to lock my knees together to keep from falling to them.
“What will you do to me if I let you touch me?” I asked, my voice thick with desire.
“I’d kiss you. Nice and slow until my lips are all you know. My hands would explore every inch of you until you only knew my touch. I’d love you so good the feel of me will be imbedded into you for life. I’d make your body mine.”
“Yes,” I said, breathlessly. “Please, I want that.”
More than my next breath.
Damien pulled me against him, and covered his mouth with mine. He growled against my lips before he stood up. Hooking his arms around my thighs, he picked me up as he moved. I gasped into his mouth, latching my arms around his neck and wrapping my legs around his waist.
“I love how tall you are,” I panted, pulling back to gaze at him. “It makes me feel tiny.”
“You are tiny,” Damien said, pushing my dress up with one hand so he could palm my behind.
He touched his lips to mine once more, moulding them together as his tongue slid inside in a kiss so ravenous it caused my knees to shake, my heart to slam into my chest and my skin to flush with pleasure. My thoughts were scattered with every thrust and slide of his tongue licking against my own. Damien’s kiss was so consuming I didn’t know where he started and I ended.
“You’re so gorgeous,” I blurted against his lips. “And I love your hair. It’s so freakin’ pretty and soft. What conditioner do you use? Actually, never mind. I love your face. My God, do I love your face.”