Chapter 12
Rowan hooked his arm around Nellie’s waist and pulled her away from the crowd. “I’ve been dying to dance with you all night. Now that they’re all occupied, I didn’t want to miss my chance. Care to dance?”
Nellie’s cheeks were flushed with alcohol and excited chatter. She looked adorably sexy and there was no way he’d be able to keep his hands off her. She just felt too good. Plus, all that talk about marriage seemed to have turned Rowan on.
“I’d love to. I didn’t know if we were allowed to go downstairs or not. I’m new to this VIP treatment.”
“You'd better get used to it, because it’s all you deserve,” Rowan whispered into her ear.
He glanced up as he turned to lead her out of the VIP area and saw Damon’s knowing, smug smirk.
“Sutton Ramsey,” Rowan mouthed. The smirk fell and Damon’s eyes narrowed making Rowan laugh.
His brother was so obsessed with marrying them all off it was time Damon found his own wife so he’d stop meddling in their lives.
“This has been so much fun getting to know Bex and her family. Can you imagine having all those brothers and cousins?” Nellie stopped and then giggled. “I guess you can.”
Rowan led her onto the corner of the dance floor that was still open and, more importantly, not the easiest to see from the VIP area.
He was ready to have Nell all to himself for a moment.
He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her close as they both began to move to the music.
Nell’s eyes went wide, but it wasn’t with surprise.
Rowan could tell by the way they darkened it was with desire as she ground her hips against his and tossed her arms over his shoulders.
There wasn’t a glimmer of light visible between their two bodies as all conversation stopped, yet they never looked away from each other.
Rowan felt the quick inhale of breath as she felt him harden against her stomach. Instead of backing away, she pressed herself closer. Rowan’s hands moved from her hips to her back. He held her to his chest with one hand as he trailed the other slowly down her spine.
He watched the way her eyes glazed over with desire and then her mouth opened on a silent gasp when she moved against his hardness.
It felt so natural to lean down and inhale that gasp.
His lips closed over hers, slow at first, giving her time to decide to lean into the kiss or to back away from it.
Nell made a very clear decision. Her fingers tangled in the hair at the back of his head and she used her grip to pull his lips to hers.
There was no easing into this kiss now. It was built-up desire that had been let loose.
The sharp tug on his hair wasn’t to tell him to stop, but telling him she wanted more.
Rowan was happy to oblige. Their tongues danced together as her other hand slid down his back, wrapped around the waistband of his pants, and then slowly moved up his abs to his chest. Her other hand controlled the angle and pressure of his kiss until Rowan snapped.
He used one hand to cup her cheek, angle her head how he wanted it, and deepened the kiss.
It wasn’t a romantic, sweet kiss. It was hot, sweaty, and blatantly carnal.
The music shifted, but they didn’t move.
They were too lost in each other’s touch and the passion of their kiss to notice.
Rowan didn’t know how many songs had passed when Nellie pulled away, her gaze still slightly glassy. Nell placed her hands on her flushed cheeks. “I can’t believe I just did that. I have never made out in the middle of a crowd like that before.”
Rowan felt his chest tighten with worry. “Do you regret it?”
“Goodness, no. That was the hottest kiss of my life. I have never completely forgotten my surroundings like that before.” Nellie paused as she used her thumb to clear up her smudged lipstick. “How do I look?”
“Kissable,” Rowan answered with a smirk that told her he was ready to kiss her again.
Nellie laughed and rose up on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek. “Let’s go spend time with the birthday girl and I’ll see what I can do about that.”
Rowan followed Nellie back up to the VIP area, but he couldn’t stop touching her.
He had his hand on her hip or the small of her back.
He would run his thumb over her skin, loving the way she’d lean closer to him even if they were talking to other people.
He loved the way Nellie’s head would fall back as she laughed out loud at the Morettis’ stories and the crap they gave Wilder.
And he really loved the way Nell also couldn’t stop touching him.
She’d place her hand on his arm or wrap it around his waist or rest it on his back as they talked to the group.
The touches went from innocent to flirtatious then suggestive as the night went on.
Rowan wondered briefly if it was alcohol loosening their inhibitions, but he’d stopped drinking two hours ago, and he’d noticed Nell had switched to water around the same time.
The increased sexual tension wasn’t fueled by anything other than themselves and their desire for each other. Which made Rowan more turned on.
Nellie’s hand slid across his lower back as she leaned in close to him as she sat beside him. She placed her other hand on his thigh, and not the part close to his knee, but high enough that her touch caused his breath to catch in his throat.
“Rowan, take me home.”
Nellie had never seen a man move so quickly before.
She had stepped way out of her normal box in terms of dating.
She was never the one to make a move, but she couldn’t stop thinking about his kiss.
Then, for two hours he’d been touching her.
Little touches at first, but it felt as if each contact was pouring gasoline on the fire.
She rubbed her thighs together to try to relieve the ache but she’d much rather have Rowan relieve it. Apparently, judging by his swift movements to stand and begin saying goodbye to everyone, he wanted that too.
Nellie smiled and told the Morettis how much she enjoyed meeting them.
They were a slightly larger version of the Townsends and it cracked her up to see the way they teased Wilder just like the Townsends teased Granger.
She hugged Bex, even when Rowan didn’t let go of her hand, and waved goodbye to the rest of the women before Rowan led her from the VIP area, out into the fresh air, and over to the garage.
The second they made it to the car, Rowan placed his hand behind her neck and walked her back so she leaned against her door. His lips were on hers and all the teasing was gone. They kissed recklessly, fully, and yet it wasn’t nearly enough.
Nell’s heart hammered and her body yearned as she started grabbing for him.
His hand reached behind her and took hold of her butt cheek, pulling her to him.
She felt his erection and groaned into his mouth.
She had never wanted a man more than she wanted Rowan.
It wasn’t just physical. It was also because of who he was, how he treated her and her family.
She was in deep and those feelings combusted with how attractive she found him.
And well, that’s how she ended up practically climbing him in a parking garage.
Rowan pulled back suddenly. He dropped the leg that she’d wrapped around his hip, and took a deep breath. It was then that Nell heard people walking toward them. She also took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
“Let’s get home.”
Rowan opened the door for her and she took several deep breaths getting in as he walked around to his side and got in.
He started the car and maneuvered it out of the garage.
It didn’t take long to get out of the city.
The road to Shadows Landing wasn’t busy and they talked about their night, the people there, and the friends she was quickly making.
Friends who seemed more plentiful and real than the ones she had back home who had dropped her the second she’d stood against the Faust family and backed her sister.
Nell glanced over in the darkness to see Rowan’s profile.
The dash cast a slight glow upon him and she found herself staring at his arms and hands that were on the wheel.
He looked so in control. And the way his muscles flexed and the length of his fingers .
. . oh, what could he do with those fingers?
“What are you thinking about?” Rowan asked.
“Your hands,” Nell answered, finding no reason to lie. After all, she was hoping he’d be using those hands on her as soon as they got home.
“These?” Rowan placed his left hand on the wheel and held up his right hand.
Nell nodded, already lost in her own fantasy.
But then Rowan reached over and placed that hand on her thigh.
His fingers wrapped around the inside of her leg and he gave her a little squeeze that did crazy things to her insides.
“Do you like them?” Rowan asked as he slowly slid his hand under the short mini skirt and stopped just short of her panties. If she took a deep enough breath, he might brush against her.
“Very much,” she said, finding her voice completely breathless.
Rowan’s fingers began to stroke her inner thigh, getting close, but never quite hitting her panties. Her breath was shallow and she was about to die from anticipation when he pulled into his garage.
“Thank God,” she murmured, causing him to chuckle.
However, one look at her and his chuckle died in his throat. He was out of the car and pulling her out of her seat in the blink of an eye. Then it was a free-for-all. Their lips crashed together in a heated kiss and their hands explored each other freely.