“Not at all,” he said. “Don’t apologize, please. Are you okay?” His back was to Cole again, and I winced a little, keeping his attention on me even though more than thirty seconds had passed, but from my on-the-floor vantage point, I could no longer see what was going on.
Then Cole and Tyler were behind Neely, and Neely was helping me up, and Cole and Tyler were asking if I was okay, and everyone was heading out of the gallery, with me and Cole and Tyler thanking Neely for his time, and Neely apologizing profusely and promising to make sure that the floors weren’t waxed the night of the gala so as to make it easier for women to navigate in heels.
“Oh my god,” I said when we returned to the van. I threw myself into Evan’s arms. “Holy shit, holy fuck, oh my god.”
I was about to start the rant all over again when Evan soundly and firmly closed his mouth over mine.
The kiss was long and deep and if he was trying to calm me, he missed the mark entirely. “That was insane,” I said.
“You did great,” Evan said.
“Seriously,” Cole said. “You saved my ass.”
“Well, it’s an ass worth saving,” I said, and Tyler laughed.
“I’m so wired,” I said, feeling jumpy and bouncy and certain I would explode if I couldn’t do something to release all this nervous energy. “This is crazy,” I said. “It’s like I’m hopped up on gallons of caffeine. Is it always such a high, or is this extra kick from our close call?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Evan said. “Because this is the last time you’re doing anything like this.”
I laughed aloud. “True enough,” I said. “I don’t need to steal ancient notebooks to feel this way.” I grabbed his collar and pulled him close. “I have you for that.”
“Oh, hell,” Tyler said. “They’re at it again. Just shoot me now.”
Evan flipped him the bird, then caught me in a long, slow kiss that illustrated my point. Yeah, I thought. Who needed larceny when I had this man?
“Do we want to grab some lunch?” Tyler asked, and I wanted to scream in frustration and disbelief. I mean, honestly, how could he be so calm?
“Sure,” Cole said.
“No,” I said. I turned and stared Evan down. “And you don’t either.”
“Apparently I have a prior engagement,” Evan said, his voice filled with humor.
I saw Cole and Tyler’s knowing smirks and I really didn’t care. I intended to jump Evan Black the moment we were out of this van—and I really didn’t care who knew it.
“You’re sure you don’t want lunch,” Evan said as soon as we were alone on his boat. “I think I have a frozen pizza I could heat up.”
“Don’t you even tease me,” I said. “I don’t want pizza. I don’t want food. I just want you. Right here. Right now.”
“Right here?” he said, looking at the dining table.
“Hell yes.” I unbuttoned my blouse and peeled it off, then tugged off the camisole I wore underneath. Evan was watching me, his expression amused, which only fired me up even more. I’d show him amused.
I unzipped my skirt and dropped it along with my panties, then hopped up onto the table.
“You are serious,” he said, but the amusement that had been in his voice earlier was replaced now with heat.
“Please,” I said. “I think I’m desperate.”
“I think I like you desperate,” he said, unfastening his jeans as he approached me. He stepped out of them, then moved between my legs. I was breathing hard, anticipating the feel of him inside me. Wanting this wild, hard moment. And, yes, wanting it now.
He dropped to his knees then, frustrating me, but only until he hooked my legs over his shoulder and then buried his tongue inside me. I cried out, my fingers twisting tight in his hair, as he licked and sucked and then—without any warning at all—he stopped and stood.
And before I had time to protest or anticipate what was coming, he was right in front of me, pulling me close, positioning his cock so that he could slam hard and fast into me.
I arched back, crying out, my body craving more. Deeper. Harder. “Yes,” I cried, alternating with cries of “Harder, Evan, please, deeper. Oh, god, yes.”
I pressed against him, meeting him thrust for thrust, completely wild and wanton, totally exhilarated. And when the orgasm took me away, all I could do was cling tight to this man who had made me feel everything and all at once.
He pulled back, taking me with him, and we tumbled to the carpeted ground. “We should move,” I said, after we’d laid there for a moment.