“I’m the only one watching you now.”
A breath caught in my throat, making a squeaking sound when I opened my mouth to speak. “I-I should get back.”
“The line is long.”
“What?”
“At the bathroom. We have time.”
His hands came to rest on my waist. He pushed himself off the wall and continued the forwards motion until he had me backed up against the opposite wall and he was pressed against me. My heart was hammering and my eyes couldn’t quite focus on his. I kept getting distracted by the fullness of his mouth.
“I should…”
Holden lowered his mouth to my ear and forced out a breath, making me shudder. His lower lip rubbed against my earlobe when he said, “You made me a promise, Secret.”
I didn’t want to respond physically, but when he whispered the words, a primal heat stabbed at me and I arched against him. “I did.”
His hands moved from my waist and to the small of my back, and our bodies were so close I could feel the heat from my body seeping into his. His soft lips grazed my neck, and I let out a whimper.
“You’re running out of time to make good on it.” His tongue darted out, flicking against the pulse held captive under his mouth.
“I don’t think…”
“Don’t think,” he instructed. “Stop thinking. You want this.” He lowered his lips again, this time to my mouth, and when he kissed me, I wanted to stop time. The bass thump pounded through us, making my skin hum, and when his tongue curled against mine, I had to kiss him back. My whole being insisted on it. His fingers dug into my spine, winding their way through the folds of satin to touch bare skin.
When one of his hands found the tie at the base of my neck, the one that would undo the whole dress, I broke from the kiss and held his head back, my fingers buried in his dark hair. I knew if I let him kiss me again, I wouldn’t be able to force myself to stop. He tasted too good.
I felt dizzy, and it wasn’t from the booze. The tequila haze had already begun to fade, leaving an aftertaste in my mouth that had me craving limes.
The suddenness of the memory brought me back to my senses.
“I can’t do this.”
“You want to.” He seemed mystified. My arousal wasn’t the problem here, and he could probably smell as much. I certainly felt flushed, and there were other telltale signs. “I know you want to.” He tried to kiss me, but my grip was firm.
“It’s not about what I want.” I sighed.
“Sure it is. Just one night. That’s all I asked for.”
I pushed him away but left my hands on his chest. “I wish I could. You have no idea how badly I wish this was about what I want. I do want you, and maybe I al
ways have. But I have the pack now. I have the Tribunal.” I balled my fingers into the soft cotton of his shirt and fought against the urge to pull him back to me. “I need to do what’s right. And this isn’t right.”
“Is this about your dog running away?”
I let go of his shirt. “Partly.”
“He’s gone. I’m here.”
“I’m sorry, Holden.”
He licked his lips, and I followed the motion of his tongue with hungry eyes. He watched me watch him and shrugged once. “There’s still time.” Then he vanished again, leaving me too hot and suddenly cold all at the same time.
Like I needed more complications in my love life right now.
Chapter Forty-One
Satin sheets were always a dead giveaway I was dreaming.