Chapter 101

Jon let his fingers slide over the slinky material that hugged her to perfection.  She leaned back into him, and raised her hand to his cheek and he caught her wrist scraping his teeth over the sensitive veins there.  “You look so amazing,” he said into her ear so she could hear him over the noise.  “Is it awful to say, that I wish we were home, where you could be naked at midnight?”

Tessa quaked against him and he gave a satisfied smile.  Who needed words when she reacted to him so physically? They made their way down the first flight of stairs and over to the smaller bar with the least amount of lights and twinkles.  He gestured for her to get on the barstool and he crowded in behind her.

“What’ll you have?” the bartender said over the din.

Tessa just shrugged, “A glass of wine?”

Jon shook his head,  “A Cosmo for her and a whisky for me.”

She looked over her shoulder, then swung herself around.  “Are you trying to get me drunk?”

He shook his head yes, “No.”

She leaned into him, her sparkly, shadowy eyes full of mischief.  “How long do we have to keep the tie?” She tapped the knot with a crimson tipped nail. 

“Trying to undress me already? What would people think?”

“Eh, I already got through the red carpet.”

“And you did a wonderful job, impressive even.”  He was honestly awed by how well she handled herself in the end.  The woman never ceased to amaze him.  She could adapt to just about anything. He wasn’t sure why he’d even been the slightest bit worried.  “But there’s photogs crawling around in here and they are the worst kind.  These are the sneaky ones that have a nasty reputation for kill shots.”

“I’ll make sure to flash only the cute ones.”

He leaned in and nipped her jaw along her ear, peeking down the steep v of her dress.  You couldn’t see anything of course, but the slice of skin had him itchy to see more and to taste more.  She had him all wound up and adding the spice to her normally fresh scent only lent a more destructive edge to his lust.  He knocked back the double shot sized drink and felt the old heat creep into his belly.

He’d been a whisky drinker once upon a time, but watching himself slide into excess had been a scary thing.  He valued control above all and he couldn’t find control in that kind of madness. But tonight…he tapped his finger on the bar and his glass was quickly replaced. 

He brushed his knuckles over her satiny shoulder.  Control had no business in his heart tonight.  He grabbed her drink and his own and nudged her off the stool.  “Dance with me,” he whispered and downed his shot again.

A bit of his own madness seemed to echo in her eyes as she belted back her drink and slid it back on the bar.  She picked her way through the crowd, her fingertips lingering on his belt the entire way.  He felt his cock swell as she let her touch drift lower, a sneaky knuckle tracing the underside of his cock as it pressed against his belly. 

“Damn underwear,” he muttered.

He didn’t think he’d said it loud enough to be heard, but she simply grinned over her shoulder at him and slowed until his front was crowded into her glittery back.  The music grew in volume as they neared the staircase down and her hips twitched in response. 

Groaning as her smell circled him, blending with the delicious haze of single malt he gripped the banister in response.  Playfully she grabbed his tie and tugged him down the last of the stairs.  Her hips shifted into the music as a soulful sax crooned for the room. 

He glanced at the singer in the center stage.  He knew him from a few social functions, but his raspy voice was perfect for their mood.  Playful, soulful, intense and had a perfect sense of timing.  Matt Nathanson was perfect to slowly get the crowd into the mood. 

Jon watched as her arms raised and her lithe form shimmered under the lights and with a soul deep happiness that was hard to resist.  A new song started and she dragged him into the middle of the crowd.  Bodies writhed, the lights pulsed and the song took over the moment. 

She spun around and bumped back into him.  His arms circled her as the song spoke of a lingering longing.  All the things that made him ache and want, that told the story as if he’d written the song for her, about her.  When she was gone from him, this was what he wanted, what he needed when all was said and done.  

His fingers slid down her dress, his palms soaking up her heat, the rough texture of her dress and the smooth muscles that twisted and bunched beneath his touch.  

Come on get higher
Loosen my lips
Faith and desire
And the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love

Her body melted into his and the fact that he didn’t have to hide, didn’t have to pretend that touching her was all he ever wanted to do, left him with a sense of rightness that had always been missing when they were in public. 

The music, with its underlying happiness vibrated from her and he pulled it into him as they moved as one.  The crowd was still there, but not.  The taste of alcohol and her maddening scent swirled through him and he did in fact drown in her.

I miss the sound of your voice
The loudest thing in my head
And I ache to remember
All the violent, sweet, perfect words that you said

If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what’s next
Make you believe
Make you forget

 

And when she turned, letting her arms twine up and around his neck he pulled her in, letting his thigh slide through hers.  The wisp of nylon against the wool of his pants staggered him.  He wanted her alone, wanted to bury himself inside of her where everything always made sense.

Rightness was the only word that made sense when it came to Tessa, and starting the New Year off with that in his heart and his head made the small things slip away.  

I feel the pull of your heart
I taste the sparks on your tongue
I see angels and devils and god when you come on
Hold on

She rose onto her toes and left little more than a breath between their lips as the song rose and their hips stayed in rhythm.  His fingers gripped her waist as he breathed in her breath and the almost kiss seemed to electrify the room.  The pulse grew louder in his ears and his need for her rushed him until their lips met and the music burned them.

Come on get higher
Come on and get higher
Because everything works love
Because everything works in your arms