"You've had too much to drink."
She blinked, shook her head and looked at the ground. For what seemed like forever all she did was stare at her feet, as if she was thinking about something really hard, and this one moment would define it all. When she lifted her head and glanced at her friend, he realized he was actually feeling nervous about what she was clearly going to say. Mary turned back around, and when their eyes locked she smiled slowly. It wasn't the smiles he had seen countless times when a female thought they could seduce him, but one of relaxation and heady lust. Fuck, he wanted her so damn bad, but at least he was with it enough to think logically and realize doing this here and now was a major fuck-up. Because as much as he wanted her, wanted to be inside of her and touch every inch of her, even this was moving a bit too fast for him … right? Shit, he didn't know. He was so damn conflicted. He should have never walked up to her and started all of this, and if Mary was as smart as he knew she was, she'd go running in the other fucking direction.
Chapter Nine
What in the hell was she doing? Mary stared at Alex, and realized that everything inside of her had stilled as soon as he touched her. She tried pushing him away, although it had been in vain. She wanted him, and by the erection that had just been digging into her belly seconds before, he wanted her, too. She tried denying him, but really it had all been for nothing. She was just as weak as every other girl that fell at his feet, but why did she have to say no to him?
Because you're smarter than half the female population that have been with Alex. He'd hurt you, and that would be a fact because your heart would become involved.
He turned and started walking away, and why, because she said she had two drinks? It had been after she uttered that sentence that he had closed off from her. But Mary should be thankful, because her resolve had slowly been leaving her the longer Alex had his hands on her body. The haze of desire slowly dissipated, and Mary was left standing there slightly cold and very embarrassed. No, she wasn't drunk, but at that moment she wished she was. The two cocktails Darcy had thrust her way when they first arrived had done loads to help her relax. The atmosphere of Tainted was unlike anything she had ever experience. Mary had been to a few local clubs and bars since moving to Columbus, but this was like a whole other world. The darkness that added to the already sexually charged atmosphere, and the way people didn't care if others saw them practically having sex right on the dance floor was heady and already added to the slight buzz from the alcohol going through her system.
She was with it enough to know it was Alex that had touched her, that had nearly kissed her, and that knowledge had her wetter than she had ever been. Of course it was the alcohol that had dimmed her inhibitions and let her break down her walls to allow him to do those things. In the back of her mind she knew it was a bad idea, but her body was screaming at her mind to shut the hell up. He had let go of her, and she ached to have his hands on her again, to have his fingers brushing along the small of her back. It might not have seemed overly intimate, but it had been like flames moving along her body.
This was a bad idea, a very, very bad idea, but it sounded so good. The drug-like sensation that Alex had caused inside of her when he touched her body came back full force at that thought, and she found herself moving toward him as he leaned against the bar, almost seeming angry. He had to know that she wanted him. It wasn't like she was hiding the fact anymore, although she should. As if he was some kind of animal and sensed her presence he lifted his head and stared right at her. His expression was unreadable, but even more so since shadows from the darkened club slashed across his face. His cheekbones seemed more pronounced, and his chin squarer. She took another step, and another, until they stood toe-to-toe, breathed in the same air, and she was swaying toward him. Hell, this was so not her.
"What are you doing, Mary?" His deep voice was low and wrapped around her like liquid silk. He knew damn well what she was doing. He had been with enough women to know when one was coming on to him. That thought came at her full force, but she pushed it away. She wouldn't think about it, wouldn't let it take her under. She wanted this, and by the look of the bulge still pressing against the front of his jeans, Alex wanted this, too. For whatever reason he was holding himself back from her, and she would be lying if she wasn't a bit hurt by that.
"You're being coy, Alex." Lifting her hand and placing it on his hard stomach, right above the button of his jeans, had Mary feeling awash with potent arousal. She could feel the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles right under her finger, and when she started to slowly moved her palm up the muscles bunched in response. She looked into his turbulent hazel eyes and knew that she could easily fall for this guy, just jump off a damn cliff and never look back, and how crazy was that?
Turn around, Mary. Just turn around before this guy you hardly know ruins all other guys for you.
"You are experienced with women wanting you, right? I mean you do know when one is coming on to you?"
She didn't phrase it as a question, and it wasn't said as a slap to the face, but when she saw the dark look that washed over her face she knew she should have kept that last part to herself. His jaw tightened, and a muscle under his cheek ticked violently.
"Yeah, Mary?" His voice was low and deep, and slightly scary.
She took a step back, but he followed her move. Suddenly her pleasurable buzz was gone, and in its place was her familiar friend of uncertainty. A look over her shoulder showed Darcy grinding with some huge tattooed guy with far too many piercings.
"Look at me."
Alex's voice was right beside her, commanding and with an edge to it. She snapped her attention back to him, found him right in her face now, and parted her lips in surprise. He was so big, so muscular, and could crush anyone that stood in his way. She should be afraid of this feral side of him, and the wild look in his eyes, but for some inexplicable reason … she wasn't. In a move quicker than she anticipated Alex had her hand and was pulling her through the thick crowd. Before she could ask him what he was doing they were down a long, semi-secluded hallway where the shadows were far too thick for her comfort. He pressed her against the wall, and the coldness of it seeped right through her skin. She was breathing heavily, unable to catch her breath, and not knowing if she should surrender to the carnal look reflected on Alex's face or run in the other direction. He pressed his big body against hers, and she felt every hard length of muscle. He was still hard, and his erection dug into her belly. His face was almost stern, as if he was angry, with either her or himself. The pounding music fading away until the only thing she could hear was their combined respirations.
"Look at me, Mary. Really fucking look at me." His words were cold, harsh, and cut her deep, but they didn't have the effect she assumed he was going for. Instead of feeling intimidated she melted like hot butter against him. He was so controlling, so demanding, that all she could picture was surrendering herself to him. When she didn't answer he moved in so close she was sure he would put her out of her misery and kiss her, but right at the last moment when their lips would have touched he turned his head and whispered in her ear. "Tell me what you fucking see when you look at me." Mary let her eyes close as his warm breath smelling sweetly like the beer he drank brushed along her cheek.
"I … " Her mouth was suddenly so damn dry. "I don't know what you mean." Maybe if she wasn't high off of the smell and feel of Alex she might have been more conscious of what he was trying to get at, but as it stood she was putty in his hands. His chuckle was deep and low and sent all sorts of delicious tingles throughout her body, but it also sounded humorless.
"You know what I mean." The way he spoke, slowly, deliberately, had his lips lightly brushing along the shell of her ear. "You think you want me, but you don't. Not really, Mary."
Oh, she really wanted him, but maybe it was the fact he didn't really want her? But then again that didn't make any sense since she could feel exactly how much he did want her pressed against her belly. But he was a man, and she was a woman, and maybe it was simply biology and his body reacting to being so close to the opposite sex. Denying him was fruitless, and she just wanted to do this already, because the anticipation of what would happen was too much. Why on earth would she think a man as gorgeous, talented, and strong as Alex would want a too curvy, size sixteen wallflower like her? Lance had made comments about her weight, and there was no amount of exercise, even when she did force herself to go, that would make her look like the svelte blondes she had seen hanging from Alex's arms. Defeat settled inside of her, but before she could turn away from him Alex was leaning back so he could stare into her eyes.