Chapter 83
Aria’s POV
I gasped, but Damian’s scent surrounded me immediately.
“Damian p>
“What are you doing out here?” I asked, steadying myself against the wall.
“Waiting for you,” he said simply, pushing off the wall. “You’ve had quite a bit to drink tonight p>
“I’m not drunk,” I protested, even though the hallway was definitely swaying slightly.
“You’re tipsy at minimum.” His other hand came up to cup my face, tilting it so I had to meet his eyes. “And absolutely gorgeous when you’re flushed like this p>
My breath caught. We were alone in the hallway, and the heat in his gaze was unmistakable.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that,” I whispered.
“Like what p>
“Like you want to devour me p>
His lips curved into a dark smile. “That’s because I do, sweetheart. I have since the moment I saw you. And watching you charm my entire family while looking like sin in that dress has been torture p>
“Damian p>
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” His thumb brushed across my lower lip. “Sitting across from you all night, watching you smile and laugh, seeing my mother falling in love with you. Knowing I can’t touch you the way I want to with my entire extended family watching p>
Heat pooled low in my belly. “You’re supposed to be recovering p>
“I’m recovered enough.” His hand slid from my back to my hip, pulling me flush against him so I could feel exactly how recovered he was. “More than enough to do what I’ve been thinking about all day p>
“What have you been thinking about?” The words came out breathier than I intended.
Instead of answering, he backed me against the wall, his body caging me in. The solid weight of him pressed against me made my head spin more than the wine had.
“I couldn’t wait any longer,” he growled against my neck, his lips brushing my skin in a way that made my knees weak. “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been sitting across from you all night, watching you, wanting you, not being able to touch you p>
His hands slid up my sides, his thumbs brushing the undersides of my breasts through the thin fabric of my dress. I bit back a moan.
“Your family is right there p>
“Let them wait.” His mouth found that sensitive spot just below my ear, and I melted against him. “I need this. Need you p>
“This is crazy,” I breathed, even as my hands came up to grip his shoulders. “We can’t p>
“We can.” His hand slid into my hair, tilting my head back so he could look into my eyes.
Then his mouth was on mine.
The kiss was everything I’d been craving since this morning—demanding, possessive, consuming. His tongue swept into my mouth as his body pressed me harder against the wall.
I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, could only feel the way he was claiming me with every stroke of his tongue, every press of his hands.
“Mine,” he growled against my lips. “Say it p>
“Yours,” I whispered back without thinking, and felt him shudder against me.
His hand slid up my thigh, pushing the fabric of my dress higher, and I gasped against his mouth. We were in a public hallway. Anyone could walk by. His entire family was just down the corridor.
But I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“I want you so fucking badly,” he breathed against my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. “Want to take you home and strip this dress off you. Want to lay you out on my bed and taste every inch of you. Want to make you scream my name until you forget you were ever anyone else’s p>
The reference to Ethan should have cooled my desire, should have made me push him away. Instead, it only made me arch against him, desperate for more.
“Damian p>
The sound of a door opening down the hall made us both freeze.
“Shit,” Damian cursed, pulling back just enough to look toward the sound. “Someone’s coming p>
“Aria? Is that you p>
Ethan’s voice cut through the haze of desire like a bucket of ice water.
I went rigid in Damian’s arms. What the hell was Ethan doing here?