There were a couple of hallways that veered off the room, and without knowing where they led, I chose the one closest to me, hoping being out of view would give me a few minutes’ respite.
My wish came true as I turned the corner to see a mostly empty hallway with only a couple of catering staff going in and out of the doors that must lead to the kitchen.
Good enough for me, I thought, leaning against the wall and taking a pull of my drink. I almost laughed at myself, because here I was, at my first official event, and I was lying low in a back hallway. Ridiculous? Yes. But I needed a breather, and more than that, I needed a second to wrap my head around the emotions swirling through my brain.
I didn’t care what Imogen said to make me feel better—Viper looked good tonight. That perma-scowl and the don’t-give-a-fuck attitude I’d been so attracted to until he’d used it on me…all that was still one seductive package.
Had it really been four days? I didn’t think there had been a day that’d gone by since we met that we hadn’t seen or spoken to each other. But sure enough, four long, miserable days had passed of wondering what he was doing, if he even cared what I was doing, and if any part of him thought I’d been right when I told him he was making a mistake. The look I’d seen flicker in his eyes on the red carpet earlier made me think maybe, just maybe, he was having a hard time without me too, but it had passed so fast that I wondered now if I’d made it up.
I dropped my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. Images of taking Viper on the roof, of using him the way I’d felt used, assaulted the peace I’d escaped the party to find, but I couldn’t seem to open my eyes to make them stop. I still wanted to see the way he looked at me with his heart in his eyes even though he couldn’t see it himself.
Forget him. Just fucking forget him.
Sighing, I brought the glass to my mouth and sucked an ice cube between my lips along with some of the vodka soda, and as I crunched on it, that was when I heard him.
“Hiding?” The deep rumble of Viper’s voice had me snapping my head to where he stood a few feet away, his hands jammed in the pockets of his jeans. He gave me an uncharacteristically tentative smile. “Hey.”
I swallowed the remaining ice but didn’t move. “Hi.”
Taking that as a sign he could come closer, he walked toward me, stopping a few feet away and letting his eyes roam over me.
“You look good, Angel,” he said, and then, when it looked like he was going to move toward me again, I held up my hand.
“Don’t. Just don’t.” I didn’t need to hear him say that shit to me now, and I didn’t need to be in a quiet hallway alone with him either. I didn’t trust myself not to reach for him, even though I knew that would be a bad idea. A very bad idea.
Where the hell is Imogen when I need her?
An awkward silence descended as we stared at each other, neither of us saying a word, because what was there to say? We both knew where things stood, and that whatever had been between us couldn’t and wouldn’t ever happen again. It twisted my guts to think how easily I’d fallen for Viper, how I’d done it without even realizing. I never expected to want more. I never expected to want him.
As I looked at Viper, that was the one truth I couldn’t deny. I wanted him. I still wanted him, and if he would only say the words now, tell me he was all in with me, then I’d be his in a heartbeat.
Say it. Just say it…
“Where the hell have you two been? Do you know how many people are looking for you?” Brian’s voice thundered down the hall, startling us both out of our stare-down, as he marched over. “MGA hasn’t spent tens of thousands of dollars on this party for the two of you to go MIA. Get out there and work the floor. That’s what you’re fucking here to do.”
Viper ran his hand through his hair as he pinned Brian with narrowed eyes. “Give us a goddamn minute.”
“Oh,” Brian said. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting something? Guess what? I don’t give a fuck. Get your asses out there before Marshall comes looking for you.”
Viper took a step toward Brian, but before he could do something he’d regret, I said, “I’m going.”
The look Viper gave me then told me he didn’t want me to be the one to leave, but I wasn’t going to stand around and play the staring game all night. If he didn’t have anything to say to me, then I was out.