* * *
The night had proven to be just as difficult as I expected it to be. The moment Joanna and I stepped inside the ballroom, it felt like virtually all eyes were on us. Joanna looked so gorgeous though, I couldn’t blame everyone for looking.
One of our co-workers, Libby, rushed up to us, hugging Joanna. “You guys are at my table! Come on!” she said excitedly.
And then Joanna and I set on the arduous task of hiding our attraction to each other.
There was no way I could help stealing adoring glances at her throughout dinner, and I felt beyond paranoid that everyone noticed.
After dinner, I slid my hand onto her knee under the table. She rested her hand on top of mine and glanced at me from the corner of her eye.
“Do you want to dance?” I asked, after much internal debate. I knew it would look suspicious if we spent the entire night sitting and doing nothing. Furthermore, I was desperate to touch her. Dancing seemed like the perfect solution, as long as I could control myself and not try to steal a kiss during the process.
Joanna hesitated at first, seeming to exchange glances with Libby, who was sitting across from us with a sly grin on her face. Ultimately though, she nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
Hand in hand, we made our way onto the dance floor. I scanned the room in search of Tobias. He only looked our way briefly, giving me an appreciative nod and then turning back to the important executives he’d been talking to throughout the night.
Unable to stop myself, I smiled at Joanna and slid my hand around her waist. She placed her hands on my shoulders, and we began to sway to the music.
“So, are you enjoying yourself?” I asked.
“Yes. This is nice. I’ve never been to a formal work event like this before.”
“I personally think it’s overrated.” I shrugged my shoulders. “But I have to be here. Personally, there’s other things I wished I could be doing right now…” I tightened my arms around her waist, pulling her closer to me.
She looked up, a smirk on her face. “Oh really? Other things like what?”
I leaned in, whispering in her ear. “Don’t tempt me to tell you right here in the middle of the dance floor.”
A low laugh escaped her throat, making me want to kiss her right then and there. She tightened her arms around me and gazed into my eyes. “Too bad we can’t find somewhere to sneak off to so that you could show me instead.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Is that a dare?”
Joanna tilted her head to the side and shrugged her shoulders. “No, more like a challenge.”
Come hell or high water, I would take her right now. I smirked at her. “Consider your challenge accepted.”
I searched for Tobias once more, but he was deep in conversation with the executives, which could allow us to make our escape. Concocting a plan, I stepped away from her.
“I’ll go first and wait for you at the staircase in the hall. Join me in five.”
“It’s a deal.”
Already missing her warmth and body, I left the ballroom and searched for a place that would allow us to have some privacy. Just as we had agreed, she appeared five minutes later, and I took her to a nearby closet. I glanced down the hall one more time, checking if there was anyone, and sighed with relief.
“Come on. Get inside.”
With a giggle, she entered the dark space that was stuffed with various coats and jackets. I turned on the light switch, but the light bulb didn’t provide enough light. Closing the door behind me, my eyes locked on hers in the poorly-lit room, and my cock jerked in response. I shrugged off my jacket and threw it to the floor.
“This is what I’ve been dying to do the whole evening,” I muttered and grabbed her waist, pressing her against my taut body. Her lips parted when I ran my tongue over them, and I pushed it inside. Our tongues stroked each other fervently, our kiss growing more heated with each passing second.
“I know,” she said and pulled my lower lip into her mouth, tugging at it. “You’re so handsome, Mr. Lawrence. I didn’t fail to notice some women throwing their glances at you.”
I pushed her against the wall and brought her arms above her he
ad, burying myself into her neck. Her soft skin invited me to kiss it and do so much more, which messed with my mind. She was so beautiful in that gown, and I needed to be inside of her as soon as possible.
“I didn’t even notice. All I’m able to see is you.”