Assured (Soul Serenade #2) (5 page)

“Listen to your wife, Kace. I give you my word.” Tonight. All bets are off when she sobers up.

He stares at me for what seems like hours, even though it’s only a few seconds at the most. He must find what he’s looking for, because he nods and laces his fingers through Logan’s. Without further argument, he guides them out of the ballroom.

I glance down at Stacy; her eyes are closed, and she looks so damn peaceful.

Beautiful.

“All right, you. Let’s get you up to your room. Can you walk?” I have no idea if she’s even awake. I don’t get a reply, so without losing my grip on her, so she doesn’t fall, I very carefully pull away from her and lift her into my arms. I scan the room and see that Tristan is still on the dance floor, all wrapped up in Logan’s cousin. I think her name is Lauren. My eyes roaming around the room, I find Gavin sitting next to Cassidy. They both seem to be lost in thought as they watch the remaining guests. My boys are good; time to get this damsel in distress up to her room.

I manage to hit the Call button for the elevator without dropping her. When the car finally arrives, I again work to hit her floor—well, our floor. Kace rented the whole damn thing, along with the honeymoon suite. I rest my back against the wall of the elevator and watch as the numbers climbs. Looking down to the beautiful mess in my arms, I can’t help but smile. This is not how I wanted this night to end, but I have to admit that getting to see her like this, so relaxed, is a nice change from what I usually get. She always seems on her guard around me. I tell myself it’s because she feels this sexual energy between us, but really I can’t be sure that’s what it is. A man can hope.

Reaching our floor, I realize I don’t have a key to her room. Shit! I stand there in the middle of the hall, not sure of my next move. I guess I’m going to have to set her down so I can call downstairs. From the looks of this slinky dress she has on, there is nowhere to hide a key card. I spot a bench just down the hall and head that way. I try to carefully place her on it, but her grip around my neck is tight.

“This isn’t my room.”

Ah, she’s awake.
“No, sweets, I need you to let go so I can call down to get a key.”

“I got my key.” She releases her hold around my neck and begins to inch up her dress. I place my hand over hers to stop her progress. I’m not getting under there, so I don’t need to see that shit.

“Let me get it.”

“Stacy, babe, where do you think you’re going to get your key?” I’m at a loss for words right now.

She throws my hand off hers, wiggles her ass against the bench, and works her dress up over her thighs.

Fuck me.

I watch with rapt attention as a white garter comes into view. I’m waiting for her to reveal more, knowing it’s a bad idea, but unable to look away if my life depended upon it.

I watch as her fingers slip into the garter and slide out with a white key card. Fuck, that’s hot. She holds it in the air like a prize and gives me a goofy grin. “Ta-da!”

Her drunken excitement is infectious, but then again, maybe it’s just her. I grab the card from her hands and swiftly sweep her back into my arms. Her hands instantly clasp around my neck. “A girl could get used to this,” she whispers.

My first thought is “Don’t.” My next is that a girl like her deserves to get used to being treated right. As soon as the thought comes, I shake it off. This wedding has got me waxing all kinds of fucked-up poetic in my brain. I shouldn’t be thinking that shit. I should be thinking about what it’s going to be like when I finally get to bury myself deep inside her. Fuck, no, that’s not good either. Now I’m hard as fuck with no relief in sight.

Reaching her room, I pull off some ninja skills to unlock her door, getting us both inside without incident. The door closes behind us, and I toss the key onto the dresser as I make my way to the king-sized bed, which takes up most of the room.

I lay her on the bed and reach back to untangle her hands from around my neck, but she has other plans. Before I realize it, her lips are on mine.

Hot.

Wet.

Fuck!

It may be an asshole move, but I’m not letting the opportunity to taste her pass me by. Not a fucking chance.

Leaning in to her, I deepen the kiss. Her lips part for me, as do her legs. She slowly slides further onto the bed and I follow after her, drinking her in. I’m lost in the moment, fighting for control. When her hips lift and rub against my cock, nestled between her legs, I know I have to rein myself in. Just my fucking luck that she’s drunk off her ass.

I slow the kiss and pepper a few against her jaw before lifting my weight off her. Unfortunately, this pushes my cock against her hot center.

“Cole.” She moans my name like a fucking porn star, reaching up to my neck. Before I know what she’s doing, she’s removing the band that holds my hair up and it falls over my shoulders. “I’ve wanted to do this all night,” she says as she begins running her fingers through my hair.

My hips have a mind of their own as they rock into her, causing yet another moan. Fuck, I need to stop before I do something she’ll regret in the morning. I would feel guilty, but something tells me I would never regret being inside her. She’s just. . . . Yeah, no regrets on my end.

When I try to pull my hips from her heat, she wraps her legs around me. “Don’t go.”

Fuck! She’s killing my restraint.

“We have to stop. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

“I won’t,” she slurs.

Yes, you will.
Relaxing back in to her, I place my lips next to her ear. “I want you sober when you allow me inside you. You’re going to need all your energy.” I nip her ear and quickly climb off the bed, off her.

Running my fingers through my hair, I realize I don’t know where the tie went. Stacy clears her throat. I close my eyes tight, willing myself to look at her and not devour her.

God, give me strength.

Slowly, I open my eyes and she’s sitting up on her elbows, hair a mess, eyes glassy, lips swollen by mine. She sits up all the way and reaches out to me. In her hand is my tie.

“Thank you.” I reach for it, but she closes her hand tight.

“Don’t go.” Her eyes are locked on mine, trying to tell me . . . something. It’s a lost effort, though, because my cock is thinking for me right now. He’s telling me to take what she’s offering.

“I have to, sweets.” My voice is gruff. “If I stay, you’ll hate me tomorrow and regardless of what you or anyone else thinks, I’m not okay with that outcome.” Bending down, I kiss her cheek. Her hand falls open and I grab the tie. Once I have my hair pulled back in a knot, I chance another look at her. “I want you, Stacy. I’ve wanted you for months now, but not like this. Our time is coming, babe, and when it gets here, we’re going to set the fucking house on fire.”

Needing to get out of there and away from temptation, I turn and walk out of her room.

The sun blazing through the windows has me throwing my arm over my eyes. My head is pounding and my mouth tastes like ass—well, what I would suspect ass tastes like. My tired eyes blink away the fog and slowly open. I survey my surroundings and come to the conclusion that I am indeed in my hotel room. Scenes from last night flash through my mind, but they’re hazy at best.

What the hell happened?

Throwing the covers off, I see that I’m still in my dress from the wedding.
Well, at least there’s that. Good to know I more than likely slept alone last night.
Slowly, I pull myself to a sitting position. UGH! I need the bathroom, a bottle of water and some headache medicine, stat.

I wince at a sudden knock on the door. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, I see that it’s still early. Too early for the newlyweds to be out and about. Gingerly, I lower my feet to the floor and pad my way to the door. I don’t bother asking who it is; at this point, whoever it is will be shot down. I’m in need of some hygiene attention, right after that headache medicine.

I pull open the door and cringe when I see Cole standing there.

“Well, that’s not a greeting I’m used to getting.” He smirks.

Shit. I look like I’ve been rode hard and put up wet. Well, at least once he gets a good look he’ll stop with this “you will be under me” bullshit. He’ll know exactly what he would be waking up to. Then again, I can’t see Cole as the “let’s spend the night and cuddle” type. From what I’ve heard, he’s more of a “let me rock your word and then roll out” kind of guy.

“What the hell are you doing up so early?”

Cole steps in, crowding my space, inviting himself into my room.

“Come on in,” I say dryly.

“I helped you back to your room last night. I knew you would be feeling like . . . well, how you look this morning, so I brought supplies.” He holds up a tray with two coffees and a bag from the bakery downstairs.

I take the offered bag and peek inside. Fresh doughnuts. Yum!

“Oh, and this.” He reaches into his front pocket and pulls out a small bottle of Advil.

“Gimme.” I hold out my hand for the bottle. Cole Hampton is a lifesaver. Never thought I would be saying that.

He chuckles and hands it over. “Safe to say I made a good decision?”

“Yes. Thank you.” I swallow three pills and chase them with coffee, burning my tongue in the process. “Thanks for stopping by, but I have to pee, shower and scrub my mouth for at least an hour. Make sure the door is locked when you leave,” I call over my shoulder. It’s a bitchy thing to do, but he smells incredible. His tight jeans and that messy bun have him looking all sexy, and I look and feel like death warmed over. The self-conscious part of me kicked in, and in turn bitch mode broke loose. I feel a little guilty, but Cole is a big boy—he can handle it.

To be honest, I’m a little disappointed that this cat and mouse game we’ve been playing has come to an end. He’s seen me at my worst; no way he’s going to continue the pursuit. It’s better off that way, but damn if it’s not fun going back and forth with him. Yesterday was the exception. Usually I’m not so . . . close, and no hands are involved. Dancing so close to him just about had me breaking my resolve.

Stripping down, I start the shower; I need the water nice and hot to break away this funk. I spend several minutes brushing my teeth before submerging myself into the hot spray, moaning at the feel of it against my sore muscles. I must have slept in the same position all night.

I take my time, enjoying the warm water against my skin. Whoever invented the shower was a pure genius.

Stepping out, I wrap my hair in a towel and wrap another around my body.

“That’s a good look for you.”

I scream at the sound of Cole’s voice. Shit! “I thought you were leaving?” I tighten my hold on the towel.

“Why would I do that? I’m glad I didn’t, seeing as how I get to see . . . this.” He points from my head to my toes. “This is definitely not something I would want to miss out on.”

Well, I guess seeing me look like death didn’t deter him.
“There’s nothing to see here.”

“Oh, sweets, I beg to differ.”

Gah! This man is so damn frustrating. “You can go now. I survived the shower.”

“Nope, you go on ahead and do your thing. Pretend I’m not even here.” He smirks.

Right. Cole Hampton being within a hundred-mile radius is hard to ignore. Sitting in my hotel room, with me in nothing but a cotton towel? Impossible.

“What are you doing here again?”

“Besides bringing you the hangover cure, I’m your ride home, remember?”

Shit! Now I do. I rode over in the limo with Logan, so Kacen arranged for Cole to take me home since he and Logan would be off on their honeymoon.

“Let me get dressed.”

“Don’t do that on my account. I’ve got nothing but time.”

Still holding the towel, just in case, I quickly grab my clothes and rush into the bathroom, this time locking the door. Not that I think he’ll come busting in or anything. I was naked and he didn’t try, so my guess is that I’m good, but it’s not worth the chance. But Cole is deliciously tempting—all six-foot-four of him. There needs to be safeguards in place.