“I’ve had a couple,” I admit.
“Oh, no, that won’t do. We’re celebrating.” With her hand laced in mine, she starts to tug me toward the bar. “Let’s go, ladies. We have to get some drinks into these fuddy-duddies,” she calls over her shoulder.
I hear my sister squeal and then Sara’s laughter as they encourage Colby and Corbin to follow us. I don’t have to look back to know my friends are following along behind their girls just like I am. There isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for them.
An hour or so later, we’re all sitting around a table at the hotel bar, trying to decide where to go next. It’s just after midnight, but this city doesn’t seem to ever sleep, and we’re here to celebrate so that’s what we’re going to do.
“Oh! I love this song,” my sister says, pulling Colby from his chair next to her and out to the dance floor.
My hand that’s resting under the table on McKenna’s thigh gives her a gentle squeeze when she does a little shimmy in her chair. I open my mouth to ask her if she wants to dance when she pushes her chair back.
McKenna stands and reaches for my hand. “Dance with me.”
She’s a little wobbly on her feet, and I’m feeling my buzz pretty heavy. That doesn’t stop me from sliding my arm around her waist and pulling her into the middle of the bar, wrapping my arms around her.
“Rip, this is a fast song,” she says, smiling up at me.
“I want to hold you.”
“Yeah, but this song is sexy.” She sways her hips, turning in my arms, pressing her back to my front. Reaching back, her hands clamp around my neck, and I bend my head, kissing her neck. “Oh.” I hear her say when she grinds against my hard cock.
“That’s all you, Kenna,” I whisper in her ear. My hands grip her hips, and I pull her close, making sure there’s no question as to what I’m referring to.
I can’t tell you the name of the song or even the words. What I can tell you is that McKenna sways her hips to the beat, and she’s driving me wild. I wrap my arms around her waist, holding her close.
Damn this woman.
I allow myself to get lost in her. We’re the only two people in the room. Just me and McKenna savoring the feel of our bodies pressed close. My lips trail up her neck, and the taste of her skin explodes on my tongue. Drink after drink, song after song, we dance the night away. I lose track of time as the six of us hop from bar to bar and club to club. I don’t take my hands off of her the entire night. Part of me has to be touching her. I crave the feel of her skin. Even with the buzz of alcohol thrumming through my veins, I know this will forever be the best night of my life. The night I finally got to treat her like she was mine. Not behind closed doors. Out for the world to see.
There is no coming back from this. I no longer have to pretend, and that’s freeing. Tonight marks the night that McKenna Dawson becomes mine.
Chapter 16
McKenna
The shrill sound of a cell phone has me peeling my eyes open, only to shield them from the sun. Damn, I should have thought to shut the blinds last night. While that sounds like a grand plan, I’m not even sure how I ended up back in my room.
Wait. Am I in my room?
Squinting, I survey the room and see my suitcase next to the closet door. I sigh in relief as the phone stops ringing.
I’m not much of a drinker, so last night was not only out of character for me, but I’m miserable today. My phone rings again, and I groan. I’m never drinking again. Never.
“I’ll get it,” a deep voice says from beside me.
I freeze. I know that voice. What the hell did I do last night?
Cautiously, I look over my shoulder to see Rip in nothing. Holy shit, he’s buck-ass naked as he climbs out of bed to go in search of my cell phone. My head is fuzzy. What the hell is going on? He comes back with the phone to his ear. And lord have mercy, the full-frontal view, even with my brain not firing on all cylinders, is better than the back view. I know I’m staring, but I can’t seem to stop. Rip is… wow.
“She’s right here, Agnes. We’ll catch the next flight. I’m going to grab us tickets now.” He pulls the phone away from his ear and sits on the bed next to me. “Babe, it’s your grams,” he says, handing me the phone. I blink at him a few times, taking him in. There’s worry in his features, and my heart drops to my stomach.