Page 27 of Undercover
I leaned in toward the bathroom mirror, really concentrating.
The doorbell chimed and made me jump right as I did that final tug, and the whole thing went askew again.
“Fuck,” I grumbled as I headed for the door. “Of all the guys in the world, I have to invite the one who’s on ti—”
The words died away into something like a squeak when I opened the door and found Alec waiting for me in a tux of his own.
He’d shaved. Not that I didn’t love the stubbled look he usually had going on, but cleaned up and with his wavy hair tamed and his broad shoulders and long legs encased in elegant black, he took my breath away. I stood staring with my mouth open, probably looking like an idiot.
And then he frowned at me, his brows furrowing, and my cock decided it didn’t need oxygen, thanks. It’d just take my entire blood supply instead. Alec’s frownsdid somethingto me, and I’d already known I was kind of messed up. I could accept that I wanted him to fuck me senseless while glaring me into submission.
“Do I have something on my face?”
“Nothing that shouldn’t be there,” I managed. “You look—amazing. You found a tux.”
I bit my lip. Yes, thank you, Sherlock. God, I sounded so dumb. All breathy and eager and not cool and nonchalant at all.
“So did you,” he replied, his voice dipping into an even lower register than usual, one that sent a little shiver up and down my spine. His dark eyes darkened even more, fixed on me in a way I usually reserved for strange flavors of ice cream. “But don’t tell me you can’t tie a bow tie.”
He stepped forward, right into my space, his chest almost brushing mine. His body ran so hot. I could feel the warmth of it between us, and I wanted to feel it skin to skin. When his hands brushed my chin as he picked up the ends of the tie, I tipped my head back and let out a whimper. Just that touch had every nerve on high alert.
God, there was something to be said for this taking it slow thing, but if we took it any slower I might actually explode.
“I know how,” I whispered.
He chuckled, and I felt his exhale on my forehead as he bent even closer. At this distance, I had a perfect view of his neck, and the tiniest patch of stubble under his jaw where he’d missed a spot.
I couldn’t help myself. I leaned in, nuzzling into his neck, and flicked my tongue out, letting it rasp over that bit of skin.
Alec went rigid. “What are you doing?” I felt the words through my tongue against his throat as much as heard them. “Gabe. Don’t.”
His hands had gone still, but I felt the tension in them. And there was something even more wrong with me, because having his big hands on a tie wrapped around my neck, with that warning tone in his voice, only made me want it more.
Wanthimmore. Want him to spin me around and hold me by my loose bow tie, and maybe tighten it a little bit, and press me into the wall. Fuck me right there with the door open, mess up my tux. Make us both late for the party, or miss it altogether.
Pull my pants down and find that little scrap of black lace around my hips.
I shuddered and pressed my mouth to his throat in an open-mouthed kiss.
Alec jumped back, letting go of my tie. “Maybe you should tie it,” he said, sounding as strangled as if I’d yanked on the ends of his. His cheeks had a hectic red flush, and he tugged on the bottom of his jacket as if he needed to cover something up with it.
I followed him, stepping right back into his space. We were both outside my condo now, standing in the little vestibule at the top of the stairs. No one else had any reason to come up here, since I only had one neighbor downstairs. It still made my pulse race.
“I’m clumsy today. Help me?” I put my hands behind my back and tipped my chin up.
Alec shook his head, but he moved closer, slowly reaching up to take the dangling ends of the tie into his hands again. His deft, practiced motions suggested he’d done it quite a few times. That didn’t seem to quite fit what I knew about him…but his fingers caressed my throat as he tied the tie, and his face was so close, and…the thought slipped away as my mouth went dry and my whole body flushed with heat.
“There,” he said huskily, pulling back at last. “All done. Ready to go?”
I looked up at him, caught in that dark gaze. “Sure you don’t want to stay in?”
Alec grimaced. “Not sure at all. But we’ll be late.”
I sighed and went to get my keys and wallet, hoping my erection might subside by the time we made it to the party.
Alec
Driving to the party should’ve given me a few minutes to get it together, but sitting in a small enclosed space with Gabe, smelling the hint of his aftershave and the warm sweetness of his body, didn’t exactly give me a chance to cool down.
