Slide(Boosted Hearts Book 3)(29)

Lifting her arms, she put some extra swing in her hips, shaking her ass, letting her body move to the music and the pounding drums. The dancing carried on, and though she hadn’t turned back, she could feel his eyes on her. Finally, she allowed herself to glance back at him over her shoulder.

He was closer now, had moved right up to the edge of the dance area, body held rigid, fingers curled into fists, chest rising and falling with each breath.

Hers stuck in her throat.

Oh God.

The look in his eyes could only be described as wild, and when she turned toward him more fully, he took another step forward. Heart in her throat, she moved closer, dancing as she went, rolling her hips, and though it was hard, kept her gaze locked with his. He didn’t look away.

She kept coming until she was a foot in front of him. “Have you been following me? Watching me?”

“You know I have.”

Now she was breathing as hard as him. God, panting. She stopped dancing. “Why?”

Something flickered through his gaze and the muscle in his cheek jumped. “Because no matter how hard I try,” he rasped, “I can’t keep away from you.”

“Why?” she said again, feeling dizzy from the blood pumping hard and fast through her veins.

He bared his teeth like some kind of wild animal. “You know why.”

“Do I?”

“You just danced for me, baby girl, swung that sexy ass in my face because you know I want to get my hands on it.” He took a step closer, getting in her face. “You know.”

Yeah, she knew. What she didn’t know was if he’d allow himself to give into it. “What are you going to do about it?”

A rough breath blew past his lips. “You really want a manwhore like me putting my filthy hands on you, sweetheart? An hour ago you walked away, disgusted at the idea.”

She blinked up at him. He was so damn wrong. “That’s why you think I walked away?” Yes, she’d thrown that word at him over the years, more times than she’d like to remember, but it was out of hurt and jealousy. Self-preservation. She shook her head. “I didn’t walk away because I was disgusted or scandalized by what you said.” She straightened her spine. “I walked away because I’m sick of your goddamn teasing. You pull me in then you push me away, Adam. You make it clear you won’t ever touch me then you act like you did at Abella’s or throw the women you’ve been with in my face. That’s why I walked away.” She poked a finger into his chest. “Not because I’m judging you, but because I…I want you.”

He stilled, unnaturally so, then his eyes drifted shut and when they opened again, they were blue flames. So hot she squirmed where she stood.

“What do you want from me, Lucy?” he rasped.

She closed the gap between them so her chest brushed his. “I want you to give me the next three days. That’s it. Three days, then I’ll walk away and you can go back to the life you chose for yourself. I won’t ever mention it again, won’t say a word to anyone.” She gripped the sides of his shirt at his waist, fisting it, afraid he’d push her away again while reveling in the way his heart thudded against hers and the hard ridge of his cock pressing into the softness of her belly. “That’s what I want.”

His nostrils flared. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“Yes…I do.” She squeezed her legs together, close to falling to her knees and begging him to give in. “I’ve wanted this for a long time, and I think you have, too. For the next three days…I want…everything.”

His shuddering breath brushed her forehead, then his eyes were locked on hers, searching, so damn intense. He growled, more of that beast coming through. “You have, haven’t you?” His breathing turned ragged. “You want my hands on you. Want to feel me moving inside this hot little body, don’t you, Luce?” One of his hands went to her hip and she felt a shudder move through him.

Would he push her away, or would he…

“I can feel those sweet, tight little nipples against my chest. Can feel you rubbing those sexy as fuck thighs together. Are you wet, baby girl? Do you ache for me?”

Oh God. She’d already come this far; there was no point lying. They were on the precipice of something amazing. Of finally getting what they both wanted—not all, but then she’d resigned herself to never having his heart a long time ago.

“Yes,” she whispered. “You have no idea how much.” And then she did what she swore she never would, she begged. “Please don’t say no. Please, Adam. Don’t leave me hurting.”