Bound to the Fallen (Prophecy #2) (16 page)

Brooke

July 16, 2014

Sitting at the large bar, I sipped nervously on a margarita. A clap of thunder roared and rattled the glasses on the cabinet behind the bar. I finished my first drink and ordered a second. There were only a few people scattered throughout the bar and the music was drowned out by the heavy rain pounding on the roof.

My hand
closed around the tall glass, spinning it on the counter. I anxiously made patterns over the wet surface with my fingertips. My leg bounced under the ledge and my free hand twisted the paper from my straw into a tight ball before tossing it down on the floor.

What the hell am I doing? This was a ridiculous idea! I’m going to seem like a complete fucking idiot. I can’t even form complete sentences around the man.
What the hell is wrong with me? This is so wrong.

Taking
a long sip of my drink, I released a frustrated and dejected huff.

I pulled my phone from my purse and typed a text to Constance. Just as I was about to press send
, Gavin walked in. My eyes were instantly glued to him and I shoved my phone back inside my purse. He pulled the hood of his rain jacket down and ran his hands through his hair. The wind must have been blowing the rain everywhere because his hair was damp, soaked strands clinging to his jaw.

Oh, shit! I bet that’s what he looks like when he gets outta the shower.

He wiped the rain from his face, smiling as he approached the bar. Pulling the heavy wooden chair out to have a seat, the legs scratched against the concrete floor as he scooted himself up to the counter. My hand gripped the edge of my seat and I had to force my eyes to peel away from him.

“It’s pouring
out there. It’s like a bloody monsoon,” he said, glancing over at me. His skin glistened from the moisture he’d neglected to wipe off and the way his wet hair hung in his face made him look incredibly fucking sexy.

“I just missed it, thankfully
,” I said.

He pulled his jacket off and draped it over the back of his chair.
“So, what was the deal? No work-related topics, right?”

“Yep, if you mention it
, you have to take a shot.” My lips felt weak as I tried to hold a smile. The effect this man had on me was ridiculous. He literal made me weak and tingly. I took another long sip of my drink, stirring the straw around in the glass. My knee banged against the counter and I reached down, pressing with my hand to still it.

Gavin
’s eyes narrowed into an accusatory glare. “I’m not going to let you get me drunk so you can take advantage of me, you know?”

Heat traveled over my chest and face and my eyes shot down to my half empty drink.

The bartender
made his way over to us. “What can I get you?”

“Scotch on the rocks
, please,” Gavin said and adjusted himself in the chair.

God – that voice.

I crossed my leg. “Really…scotch…hmmm?”

His eyes cut over in my direction
, gleaming. “Yes, what’s wrong with scotch?”

“Oh, nothing
. It just
seems
like something a doctor would drink.”

He
arched one eyebrow, a devious expression forming on his face. “You just mentioned my work — which I believe means
you
have to take a shot.”

“That’s not how it goes, sorry,
” I argued and smiled derisively at him.

“O
h? And who made you the rule maker?” he demanded as he took the glass of scotch from the bartender. A cunning grin pulled his lips up and he waved at the bartender. “Excuse me. Could you please give this young woman a shot of Patron? Put it on my tab, please.”

The bartender nodded and reached for the bottle of clear liquor.

Laughing, I said, “Okay, I see how this is going to go.”

An hour later we
’d had several rounds of drinks and my head was swimming from the alcohol. I sat my empty glass on the bar top and Gavin reached over, placing his hand on my knee. The sensation of his hand on my bare skin created a fever that traveled up my leg. I tried to covertly swallow back the bundle of nerves forming in my throat.

“You know, I really hope this doesn’t offend yo
u, but…” he leaned in close to me and paused. I could smell his cologne and the scotch on his breath.

I found myself leaning in closer.

He continued, “I — just —” He placed his hand on the side of my face and paused again. His eyes gleamed with a look of uncertain desire. He wet his lips with the edge of his tongue; his stare was intense, possessive, and unfaltering as he rested his forehead against mine. “I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t want you like this,” he said as his thumb delicately rubbed across my mouth. His finger pressed down on my lip; he closed his eyes, his breath deepening into a soft groan.

M
y heart was crushing against my ribs. A warmth crept across my skin when he pulled my face toward his and placed his soft, plump lips on mine. His lips rested against mine and I felt a short breath escape him. The sensation sent a shiver of arousal across my core. My heart was thumping with such force I could hear its echo in my ear. The heat of his tongue skirted across my lips and found its way inside my mouth. He sensually massaged my tongue with his while his thumb traced along my jawline. My body tingled everywhere; his kiss awakened fibers in my body I didn’t even know existed. His touch was so sensual, his lips felt like velvet against mine, and my body was melting into his. He pulled away and I found myself trying to follow him.

Gavin
looked into my eyes and his deep voice turned to a soft whisper. “I’m very attracted to you, Brooke. I know I shouldn’t be. You’ve no idea the trouble I could get in for this.” He paused. “But I can’t help it.”

I pressed my lips together
, trying to hold in and savor the taste of his kiss. As if this entire moment wasn’t enough, hearing him utter the word “trouble” made my want for him even stronger. Almost unbearable.

P
ulling his leather wallet from his back pocket, he laid a crisp twenty dollar bill for our waiter’s tip. A tendril of hair fell from behind his ear as he reached for my hand. He leaned over and tenderly kissed me, the tip of his tongue slowly grazing the inside of my bottom lip. A small groan of desire flowed from his mouth to mine and his fingers clenched into my side.

“Let’s go,” he said.

I slowly shook my head in agreement. Gazing into his eyes, I found myself unable to form an intelligible response. The only word I could seem to formulate came out as a very breathy, “Okay.”

Gavin grabbed my
hand and pulled me in the direction of the door. We stood in the light drizzle and hailed a cab. He stood there, staring off, his thumb rubbing over the pendant of his necklace. I opened my mouth to say something but couldn’t. I just stared at him.

A cab
pulled over to the curb and we climbed in. Gavin shut the door and quickly leaned over, running his hands through my dampened hair. “I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you,” he said. His confession took me by surprise.

M
anipulating his mouth down the side of my neck, his fingers traced the ridge of my collarbone. His sensual touches caused chill bumps to sweep across my skin. I instantly became wet as his hand moved down the material of my thin dress to my breast, and I shifted my legs to try to maintain the overwhelming surge of arousal. He laid his hands over my chest, applying pressure with his palm as he groped me.

Oh – my – God!
I’m getting felt up by a man I work with – in the back of a cab.

His hand crept down to the top of my thigh and his fingers gripped my flesh as he
drew in a sharp breath. “Damn,” he groaned, and his fingers dug deeper into my skin.

The gruffness in his voice dripped sex and sent another wave of
undeniable want across my body. My heart slammed against my chest and then up into my throat with each touch, each breath, each thought of how he’d feel pressed over me.

The cab driver banged on the glass of t
he cab and yelled, “Break it up back there.” I looked through the window and into the rearview mirror. The driver’s gaze met mine. He scowled and rolled his eyes before redirecting them back to the road. “This isn’t a damn hotel room,” he mumbled.

Gavin pulled away from me. His eyes were dark and almost possessed.
Sweeping my hair to the side of my neck, he placed his warm mouth over it. His fingers flexed and pulled in my hair while he worked his mouth down my neck to my shoulder.

Shit!

My hands grasped at the fabric of the seat, bending my nails back. We couldn’t get back to the hotel soon enough.

Shortly after
, the cab slowed to a stop and we got out in front of the hotel. I listened to the sound of tires tread over the wet pavement and watched Gavin lean back into the cab to pay the fare. As we walked toward the lobby my adrenaline surged from the anticipation of what was about to happen. I knew I should stop it, but lacked the restraint to do so. I had never had such a visceral physical reaction to a man. My self-control had been broken the moment he kissed me.

Neither of us said a word as we waited on the elevator
. We just stared at each other, our eyes locked intimately in a gaze of shameless want. The doors opened, we stepped in, and Gavin pressed the button to the fifth floor.

G
lancing at his reflection in the silver doors as they shut, he said, “You’re coming back to my room.” He was so certain of himself.

H
e turned to face me and then slammed me against the back wall of the elevator, forcing his mouth over mine. His body pressed flush against mine as he ran his fingers up the back of my neck. His erection pushed through his jeans; he forced it against me before pulling away to lock eyes with me. My breath was ragged and uncontrollably shaky. I wanted him to rip my clothes off right then and there.

The doors opened
and his eyes narrowed. A small laugh escaped him as he grabbed onto me and pulled me behind him like a primitive man claiming his woman.

My heart thrashed uncontrollably
while I watched him stick the card key into the door. The little green light blinked. The sound of the lock unlatching forced my breathing shallow.

Am I really about to do this?
I’m really about to sleep with him… I can’t do this…

D
oubting what I was doing, I froze in the doorway. Gavin glanced back over his shoulder and a coercive smile shaped his lips just before he violently yanked me inside and shut the door.

The co
ld air from the hotel room hit me. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I stood in the entrance gazing at the bed, certain I was moving too fast. Although I wasn’t close to being a virgin, I’d never hopped in the bed with somebody so quickly, and I’d most definitely never been with what I would consider a “man.” Gavin was five years older than me and was the epitome of what I’d always thought a “man” should be. Everything about him was unnaturally beautiful and
absolutely
irresistible.

He flipped the l
ight switch and immediately turned around, firmly grabbing my hips. Pulling me into him, he inhaled deeply, and crushed his mouth against mine in a hard and merciless kiss. His tongue transferred the faint whisper of scotch to mine and my knees buckled. His rough stubble brushed against the skin under my nose and chin, adding to the sensation of his kiss.

“You’re not afraid, are you?” Gavin whispered against my lips.

I shook my head and managed to breath out the word, “No.”

Gavin’s eyes studied me.
His tongue skimmed the inside of my mouth. “Then – why are your lips trembling?” he breathed the words into my open mouth. He knew
exactly
what he was doing to me.

G
uiding me through the dimly lit room, his grip on my hips tightened. His tongue licked over my lips as he backed me toward the bed. I felt the footboard hit against my thighs and my pulse skipped. “I – maybe – we should just wait?” “I – just…” my voice trailed off and my eyes darted back to the door.

Gavin’s
hands crept up my stomach. His palms brushed over my breasts and then slid around to my back. Reaching up, he grasped the small silver ring of my dress, unzipping it halfway. “Wait? For what?”

He
teasingly unzipped my dress the rest of the way. “You know, I can’t let you leave. That would just be a sin.” He pulled one sleeve of my dress from my shoulder, sending a chill over my skin. “I promise I’ll be gentle,” he said, pushing the other sleeve down. I felt the material fall to the floor and crumple around my feet. Pushing himself against me, he said, “I’ll make sure to pay exquisite detail to each – last – inch of that fuckable body of yours.”

Those words –

His finger trailed between my breasts and dipped beneath the top of my panties.

A
momentary feeling of vulnerability washed over me as he stepped back and scanned over my body. His chest rose and his fingers drew into his palms. His tongue skimmed his bottom lip and he swallowed. Hunger – a carnal hunger showed on his face. It terrified me and turned me on at the same time.