Chapter 30 Eva
Eva
He tasted like whiskey poured over ice. The intensity of his tongue waking every cell in my body despite our public location and audience.
I was under his spell.
It was as simple and as raw as that. Without any layers or filters, on a primal level, I was entirely charmed and under the elixir of a darkened nightclub, surrounded by people moving and grinding to the rhythmic backing track of the latest hits, it felt captivating.
Intoxicating.
All I’d ever wanted was a firework in the sky kind of love.
A love so warm and bright that you could look at it and think about nothing other than whoever it was who brightened your darkest nights with pops of unexpected colour.
And when I looked into the frozen stare of Cooper, wide-eyed and breathless, it felt as though that sparkle of vibrant fire poured into my bloodstream.
My courage might have come from a bottle, but the desire behind my actions had always been mine. Even with the bass thumping around us, a constant reminder that we weren't alone, I didn’t care.
Because Cooper shredded the art of kissing and set it alight, leaving a quivering, needy me in his wake.
“Evy?” He spoke against my mouth, and I hummed my acknowledgement, my lips moving into the crook of his neck where for just a second I allowed the spicy scent of leather to encase my soul.
“We have a very captive audience.” He said with a hint of humour.
Reluctantly, I turned to find not only the girls all watching us with open mouths, but Andy, Jack and Jay equally as stunned.
“That was nearly indecent, Evangeline,” Arna squealed from Andy’s lap.
“Hot!” Felicity mouthed in my direction, giving a shoulder bump to Marlee before adding loudly, “Look at your sister-in-law.”
Marls nodded mischievously, winking at me as if we were co-conspirators in some inside joke I was yet to be let in on.
“Bro, you’re lucky Seb isn’t here,” Jay called and when everyone burst into laughter, I shot a grin of my own up at Cooper.
“Would have been worth seeing Coop get his arse kicked,” Andy mocked and Cooper tsked.
“Man, I’d love to see those two go at it,” Jack added, and Winter slapped him playfully on the forearm in reprimand.
“My money would be on Seb,” Andy added, intentionally goading. “What do you think, Marls?”
Marlee looked as though she were watching an Oscar worthy performance, her attention entirely fixated on Cooper.
“I think my money would be on Evangeline,” she gleamed, and I laughed.
“True. If anyone was going to lay two men down, it would be our little firecracker, Eva,” Flick chimed in.
“Is that what you’re into, Autumn?” Jay cooed and everyone spun to face Felicity, ready for her quick-witted reply, only she surprised us all by simply shaking her head dismissively before raising her glass.
“To our newly engaged and very clearly in love friends.” Her tactical pivot was crisp, and I noticed the narrowing of Jay’s gaze before he covered it with a smile and raised his own glass.
“Never thought I’d see the day.” He directed towards Coop who laughed easily.
“The day I’d get engaged, Coach, or your boys would get whacked by fifty?” Coop shot back, starting a playfully heated argument about the way the Hearts were in a slump lasting longer than anyone expected.
“I love you, babe, but this is boring. I’m going to dance,” Arna said when the conversation turned into discussions on trading players before gesturing for everyone to shuffle so she could hop out from behind the table. “Who’s coming?”
“Definitely me!” Flick said as Marlee also stood.
“As much as I could contribute to this conversation and need to tell you why you don’t want that young Talons’ defender,” Marlee directed to Jay, “duty calls.” She threw a thumb over her shoulder towards the dance floor.
“Ooooh, me too,” I called, spotting Seb on his way back and knowing it would help ease some of Coop’s tension. Marlee planted a chaste kiss on my brother’s lips and kept walking while I filled him in on where we were headed.
“Seb, can Win and I chill in your office for a bit, it’s loud out here.” Jack asked and when my brother nodded, Winter looked more than grateful.
“You good if I stay?” Cooper asked as Seb chimed into the football discussion.
“Of course. Plenty of other guys out there to dance with,” I joked, only he gripped my wrist, halting me from leaving. The fire in his eyes sent a pulsing of heat between my legs and I bit my lip to hide my smile.
“If anyone touches you, I’ll rip their throat out,” he gritted, and I giggled. I knew he was serious; I could see the envy pouring off him in waves, only my cocktail laced brain thought it was fun to poke the bear. Found the malevolence a turn on and the thrill of goading him erotic.
“Better keep watch then,” I nudged, leaning onto my toes to press a teasing kiss to his jaw, before I turned to walk away.
His grip on my wrist tightened and shockingly, he swung me back until I slammed into him, my hands flying to his chest. Gripping my left hand, he pressed a swift kiss to my palm.
“While you wear this ring, you’re mine, Evangeline, do you understand?” The commitment in his words was soft, spoken for me only.
I shivered, utterly spellbound and left wondering if I’d ever been so horny.
Part of me wanted to tease him some more. To find someone to dance with and see what it took to send him over the edge while the other half wanted to beg him to take me home and prove his words to me.
“Now that little speech was memorable,” I grinned, with false bravado.
The mixture of alcohol and lust giving me a confidence I normally wouldn’t have.
Daring me to be bold even if it ruined me.
So, I ignored the tiny voice reminding me of the rules and I decided to start feeling rather than thinking. At least for tonight.
“I’ll make you a deal?” I waited for him to reply, watched as he caved, the idea of a challenge too much for him to refuse.
“Go on.”
“I won’t let anyone else touch me…” I paused, my tongue darting out to moisten my lips and watching as he tracked the movement with his eyes. “If you promise to do it for me when we get home.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t caught fire,” Arna screamed over the music. “That man has heat in his gaze.”
I brushed her off with a lazy gesture, as if her words were nonsense but I could feel the truth behind them. To know he would be watching like a hawk to make sure no one came within a foot of me.
I thought I was in control of the flirtatious game, driven by liquor and longing, only he’d been in the driver’s seat the entire time.
His mouth had unravelled into a full-blown smile - my words clearly pleasing him.
Because I’d again openly acknowledged I wanted more and not when we were surrounded by people we needed to convince, but when there was no reason to pretend.
“Deal,” he’d agreed, concluding with, “but don’t drink anymore.
I want you completely coherent while I taste that pussy I’ve been thinking about for an unforgivably long time.
” His hand released my wrist at that moment, and I was forced to try to walk away without overtly shifting to chase relief at his words.
I was barely a metre away, when he caught me again, icing the entire cake with a seductive vow. “Once you’re done dancing, get back over here and I’ll make that little ache go away, Evy.” Memories of his sinful oath sent a smattering of goosebumps across my skin.
“Holy shit,” Marlee screamed, giving me a gentle shove before getting right up into my face.
“You’ve actually fucked him!” Her mouth hung open, her whole body moving to the Paramore track blaring over the speakers.
Her perception was unnervingly accurate, but I wasn’t going to be admitting to that when all I could think about was how soon we could leave, and he could make do on his promises.
“Uhhh, I think my brother wants you.” I avoided her statement, my finger drifting toward where Seb lingered at the edge of the dance floor, offering not even a glance in our direction as he scanned his club. She took the bait, beelining for him as the song came to an end.
“I need hydrating,” I called to Arna and Flick who were lost to the lyrics as I headed back to the table.
As if reading my mind, Cooper was leaning up against the wall beside the table with a glass of water.
“You finished dancing?” He asked, as I sculled the entire drink before nodding.
“I am.”
“Did you have any alcohol while you were out there?” His tone was light, and I loved this playful side of him. The side where he was enjoying whatever little game we’d created. I knew he’d been watching me the entire time, but I played along anyway.
“I did not.”
“And did you let anyone touch you?” To anyone watching he was the epitome of calm.
Arms crossed over his broad chest accentuating his biceps, sandy blond hair falling lazily across his forehead, stopping just above the sparkling blues daring me to disobey.
Bridging the gap between us, I moved into the space between his spread legs, leaving less than an inch between us.
“I did not.” I kept my stance composed, but my voice wavered exposing the storm inside me. I’d imagined what it would be like to be on the receiving end of a look like that from him for so long. Long enough that I didn’t think it would ever happen.
Always a dream, never a reality.
Only this was very much real, and so was the audible moan that slithered up my throat when he slowly trailed a finger up the seam of my pants, pausing when he got to the bottom of my zipper. My chest tightened, my hips involuntarily inching closer, begging for more.
“Does this pretty little pussy need to be touched?” He drawled, and as if connected to his words, the ache between my legs picked up speed. My nipples tightening, my hands shaking as they glided up his chest and around his neck, trapping his hand between us where no one else could see.
I nodded once, suddenly too self-conscious to answer and coiled so tight that it wasn’t far-fetched in thinking I could detonate with even the slightest pressure.
He placed his free hand on my lower back, while the other expertly undid my button followed by my zipper and discreetly slipped beneath the material.
My wide eyes shot to his, as terrified at him continuing as I was at him stopping.
“You better move those hips, so everyone thinks we’re dancing.” His breath was warm against my cheek, laced with the sting of whiskey and his hand dipped lower again while I did as he said, lost in the haze of it all.
“Perfect.” The appraisal fell from his lips as his fingers tickled and teased, edging closer to my entrance as we both rocked to the music, the sounds of conversation and laughter surrounding us.
“Jesus,” he rushed, his touch finally dipping into me, finding me lasciviously wet.
Exhaling, a soft, aching sound tumbled forth and my fingers fought for grip in the back of his hair. Anything to ground me when I felt as though I was about to lose control.
I raised my chin, gazing at him pleadingly, an unspoken demand for him to be inside me. And as if we weren’t surrounded by hundreds of people, at the side of my brother’s nightclub, he didn’t hesitate, finding my swollen clit and applying the slightest amount of pressure.
“I’m going to make you come right here, okay?” he asked, the push and pull of his own breaths mingling with my own.
I wanted to feel him too.
To slip my hand inside his pants and feel how hard he was, but I knew that would be too obvious.
“Seb!” I said suddenly, looking to the side where Andy, Arna and Jay were chatting animatedly. My brother, Marlee and Felicity were nowhere to be seen and with a quick thrill, I realised Cooper and I were garnering no attention.
“I was kind of hoping to leave him out of this,” Cooper said with his signature grin, his hand paused.
“Funny,” I breathed, enjoying the way his smile increased.
“Saw him and Marls head upstairs about five minutes ago. I’m sure he’s busy.” His mumbled words were spoken against my forehead and to an observer, we really would have appeared as a couple very much in love, enjoying the swing and sway of the music.
“We can stop,” he offered, simultaneously crooking his finger.
Pleasure zinged over me, and I swivelled my face into his chest. The spicy reminders of this very shirt I’d sneakily taken whiffs from, only inflamed my already heady need.
“Please,” I panted, everything in me begging to spread my legs wider. To rock against him in an act certain to garner a crowd.
He responded immediately, increasing the speed of his hand movements, a second finger seeking and gaining entrance.
“Stop looking at me like that, Evy,” he pleaded, the desperation in his voice bringing me that much closer to the edge already.
“Like what?” I didn’t sound like myself, the breathy words escaping from between gritted teeth.
“Like you want me to fuck this tight cunt, right here, right now,” he spat with barely contained restraint.
I fought for oxygen, both at the filthy words and the increased friction. His fingers moving faster and his palm collecting my clit in the perfect symphony of pleasure.
“Cooper.” I begged, a plea for him to keep going while we danced, because right or wrong, I was all in.
One song bled into another, this one faster, louder, and I matched the swing of my hips to meet the rhythm of the music. My heavy panting masked only by my face in his chest, inhaling lungfuls of his signature spice and exhaling moans at his rough touch.
“I can’t wait to taste you,” he gritted, edging me closer to release. “Look at me, baby,” he commanded, and I wasted no time. Only when our gazes met, the gentle flush to his cheeks, his parted lips and glazed eyes sent the familiar tingle blossoming from my centre and rippling outward.
His other hand drifted from my lower back, tracing over my arse as he moved in sync with my dancing.
“When we get home,” his ragged breathing was as uneven as my own, “I’m going to need you to ride my face and then I’m going to fuck you.” And with that final filthy promise, I yanked his face down, smashing our mouths together as everything ignited.