“I’m so going to regret this in the morning.” She eyed the shot, let out a sigh, and took it despite her prediction. “And so are you.”
“Blimey, stop worrying so much.” He grinned, refusing to dwell on the possibility of a hangover. Besides, he’d have all day to sober up for opening night. “It’ll be worth it in the end.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay. Ready?”
“Yes. One. Two.” He paused and looked into her eyes, his breath catching at the sparkle of life he saw there. She might be protesting the shots, but she looked more alive right now than she had all night—except when he’d kissed her. She had looked pretty damned alive then, too. “Three.”
They licked their wrists, slammed their shots back, and sucked on their limes in unison. Pulling the lime away from her mouth, she grinned up at him and swiped her forearm over her chin to clean up a trickle of juice. “That was actually pretty good.”
A tiny piece of lime rested right below her lip, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss it away and taste the blend of alcohol and lime and Lexi. Instead, he settled for reaching forward and swiping it off with his thumb. When he brushed against her lower lip, she flushed and swayed closer. A flash of lust lit up her eyes, and the knowledge that she wanted him in the same way he wanted her hit him like a sucker punch.
Their gazes collided. “Justin?”
“Yes?” he asked, his heart skittering to a halt. What would she say? Would she admit she wanted him as much as he wanted her? Christ, he hoped so. If she didn’t, he just might have to kiss her and find out for himself if he was wrong. If she slapped him and left … he was wrong.
If she pulled him closer and touched her tongue to his … then thank fucking God.
“Can we do another one before we go? If I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna get a proper buzz going.”
The hope rising in his chest crashed back down. Forcing a smile, he motioned the bartender over. She came over carrying the tequila with the same smile on her lips. “Of course.”
They repeated the process of salting their wrists, but this time her tongue lingered on his wrist. So did her touch. He took a deep breath and they slammed back the shots. This time there wasn’t any lime on her mouth, but he brushed his thumb over her lip anyway.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. At first he didn’t even realize he’d said it out loud. But when her eyes widened, he cursed inwardly. Idiot.
“Thank you,” she said back, her lower lip caught between her teeth.
She swayed toward him, her gaze latched with his. He cupped her cheek and stepped closer, breathing in her intoxicating scent, his other palm cupping her hip and tugging her closer. If she so much as stepped back from him, he wouldn’t touch her again. If she shook her head, or slapped him, he would apologize profusely.
Instead, she placed her hand on his chest and closed her fingers around his shirt. And, if he wasn’t mistaken … she damn well pulled him closer. And just like that, he fell arse over elbow into her arms.
He lowered his head, his lips descending to hers so slowly he could swear a year had passed before they touched. He wanted to give her the chance to tell him no—to refuse him if she wanted. Give her the chance he hadn’t given her outside, before he knew about her past. But she lifted her chin and met his lips with a tiny sigh … and he got lost in heaven. It was a simple kiss. A mere touching of their lips. Tamer than the kisses he’d shared with his costars on stage—and yet the most moving he’d ever had.
His heart stuttered when she sighed into his mouth, and she placed her small hands on his chest. He felt like he could give her the world, if only he had enough time. And he really wanted that time, even though she hadn’t promised him any. His grip on her hip tightened, and he ran his tongue over the entrance to her mouth.
She parted her lips, letting him inside, and clung to him tightly. Her tongue glided against his, and he groaned into her mouth. Christ, but the hold she had on him already was honestly frightening. He knew, without a doubt, that she was the type of woman a man would lay his life on the line for.
She deepened the kiss, her hands curling around his neck and yanking him closer forcefully. She rubbed her hips against his, brushing her soft belly against his cock. Bloody hell. Underneath her stockbroker exterior, Lexi was made of pure and unadulterated passion. It took all of his self-control not to throw her against the wall and let his hands explore every inch of her body. But this wasn’t the time or the place for that.
Reluctantly, he pulled free of her hold.
Sucking in a deep breath, he met her eyes. “I know you’re still grieving for your fiancé, and you don’t want anyone in your life right now. I get that. And respect it. But if we kiss again … I’m bringing you home with me for more than some blasted fireworks.”
“And if I want you to?” She nibbled on her lower lip. “If I want to stop thinking for a little while, and just feel? You did promise me a distraction … ”
She spoke so quietly he could barely hear her—but he heard that. “Then kiss me again, and I’m yours.”
Her eyes flashed, and then …
And then she kissed him.
As soon as their lips broke apart, he grabbed her hand and towed her to the door. He knew she was only going with him to bury the pain she still felt from the loss of her fiancé, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to care right now. At all. If she ended up leaving him with a heart that had been slightly dented, then so be it. It was a risk he would be more than willing to take. If she wanted him, then he didn’t care how or why.
All that mattered was she wanted him, and he wanted her, too.
Blessedly, he lived right around the corner from the restaurant. They made it home through the crowds in record time, and she followed him with flushed cheeks and complete silence. He half expected her to let go of him and bolt in the opposite direction before they made it back to his flat. But as he climbed the stairs and went into his place … she followed him.
He unlocked the door, let her go inside first, and then bolted the door behind them. Leaning against the cool steel, he locked his gaze on her. She hugged herself and looked at her shadowy surroundings, then blinked up at him. “This is a nice apartment.”