Page 20 of Unmask (Crew of Elmwood Public #2)

That wasn’t an option anymore, not when she was sitting close enough to touch, not when I could see the pulse hammering at her throat and feel the heat radiating from her skin. She could hate me, could fight me, could make my life a living hell, but I would never, ever let her go again.

She snorted. “That sounds like a ploy tactic.” She angled her head to the side, her eyes falling to my lips. “You want to play games, Kreed ?” She intentionally purred my name.

Having her flirt back with me took me by surprise. I expected a snarky quip. “Are you toying with me?”

“How does it feel?” Her lips parted as her tongue darted out to touch her top lip.

If her plan was to torture me, it was working, but she should know better than to taunt me.

I was used to taking what I wanted, and her eyes were daring me to try.

What was the worst that could happen? She rejected me?

I could deal with that. Maybe not gracefully, but what I couldn’t deal with was losing her without trying to earn her forgiveness.

Did I deserve a second chance?

Probably not, but it wouldn’t stop me from getting what I wanted, and I started to accept it was her I damn well wanted.

I didn’t wait for her to pull away and put space between us.

I swooped in and kissed her. She didn’t shove me away, but she also didn’t kiss me back at first, and I fought to go slow, to give her a moment to accept what I offered.

I was about to lean back when a soft moan escaped her, and then her mouth shifted under mine. That was it… I was fucking gone.

Her lips parted, and any thoughts on taking my time vanished.

Our tongues met, tangling together, and the tension snapped like a pulled wire.

My hand slid behind her neck, the other gripping her waist. When she climbed into my lap, straddling me, it was like a match striking dry tinder.

Her fingers tunneled into my hair as she settled on top of me, consciously or unconsciously rubbing against the swollen bulge straining in my pants, and I groaned against her mouth, everything inside me coming unstitched.

Oh fuck.

She felt so good against me, my cock throbbing for me to move. She felt like fire and home and chaos and mine.

Mine.

She was mine.

My little raven.

Having her on top of me wasn’t enough. Desperation to be closer to her clawed within me like a caged beast, frantic to be set free.

I wanted her free of clothes, naked underneath me, and begging me to take her.

I wanted to circle my tongue around her budding nipples, to graze them with my teeth and hear the quick inhale of her gasp.

Her mouth ripped from mine, a palm pushing at my chest. The separation happened so quickly I wasn’t prepared, and I reached for her, but she shook her head. “I can’t do this.” She breathed in hot, quick pants.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, needing to keep touching her as my lip curved upward. “I’m not forcing you to kiss me, little raven. You’re free to climb off me anytime you want,” I murmured, brushing my mouth against hers. I didn’t want her to move unless it was closer.

Her breathing quickened, and despite being desperate to have my lips moving over hers, I forced myself to wait, to let her make the choice instead of me being the aggressor, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t entice.

I caressed the side of her cheek, letting my fingers trail down the column of her neck to toy with the gold chain hanging between the slope of her breasts.

Those light-blue eyes darkened, causing my blood to heat.

“I hate you,” she murmured before sealing our lips into another kiss.

She tasted like fire and every memory I’d been trying to drink away. I was lost in her, my hands in her hair, her legs still warm on either side of mine, and the world narrowing to nothing but the feel of her against me. I ached with needing her this badly.

My fingers moved to her thighs, squeezing as I went higher. She rolled her hips, grinding against me, and I groaned, my hands unable to decide where to touch her next. Everywhere. I wanted to feel every part of her. The button on her jeans seemed like a good place to start.

“Ahem.” A throat cleared loudly.

We both froze. There was only one other person in the house, and the prick chose now of all times to interrupt this fucking moment.

I’m going to murder him.

Kaylor jumped in my arms as if she’d been caught red-handed, scrambling off my lap so fast I almost yanked her back again just to keep her there.

Frowning, I pinned Raine with a death glare that promised pain. He stood in the doorway, one brow arched, amusement stamped across his smug face. “Why is it every time I walk into a room you have your tongue down her throat?”

I flipped him off without hesitation as my head hit the back of the couch.

Kaylor reattached the button I’d just freed.

My brother had the nerve to chuckle. “Anyway, now that things seem to be going in the right direction here, I’ve got to head out. Something came up.”

I caught the glance he threw me, brief, but a look that meant something was happening.

Something bad enough that he didn’t want her alone or involved.

He would fill in the details for me later.

I crossed my arms over my chest, already settling back into the couch. Too bad my dick wouldn’t calm down.

“You”—Raine pointed at me—“are staying.”

Kaylor’s head snapped up. “No. No, definitely no,” she said, shaking her head. “That’s not what we agreed on. He needs to go with you. He’s not staying in this house.”

Raine shrugged like he didn’t hear her. “Kick him outside for all I care, but it’s best if someone stays. Besides, he needs to sober up and stay clear of our father until then.”

“Fine by me,” I said smugly. “I’ll stay.”

“No,” she barked, eyes wide now, panic edging her tone. “Absolutely not. You can’t stay here.”

“It’s just one night. After what I just interrupted, I’d say the two of you have some unfinished business.” Raine was already halfway down the hall. “I’ll send a driver in the morning,” he tossed over his shoulder.

Kaylor jumped up from the couch, her voice echoing after him.

“You can’t just leave him here!” She rushed after my brother, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she tackled his ass to get him to stay.

I considered watching from the hallway, but I leaned back, smirking at the ceiling, the taste of her still on my lips and the warmth of her lingering on my thighs, and I swear to God, for once, I wanted to hug my damn brother for being such a genius.

Manipulative, yes, but most people didn’t realize how manipulative Raine could be. He did it so flawlessly.