Page 109 of Cross the Line
I don’t know what they’re doing to me. I’ve never been this hot, this off-balance.
I grip her wrist tightly where she’s still holding my jacket behind her back, and press my body deep into hers.
Fuck, her ass fits perfectly to my groin. Suddenly, I can’t wait for the party to be over so we can go to our suite and I can make good on the promise I made her in Florida—to own every last part of her.
“Oh my God, yes,” she moans, head falling to my chest while Eli kisses down her neck. The sight of him loving on her ratchets my heartbeat into a bruise.
“Do it, Eli,” she breathes, shivering when he licks that spot behind her ear. “Please, Love… Mark me.”
She grinds back on my cock, clawing her nails into my thigh. My fingers trail over sequins and feathers to warm skin. When I grip the fleshy part of her thigh, she twists into my neck as Eli sucks her soft flesh.
“JJ… Yes. Yes…” My fingertips skim the apex of her thighs, teasing.
Meanwhile, Eli pulls away from her with a loud pop. Before Finley or I can follow his lead, he lifts her up over his shoulder and grabs my hand, guiding me with him toward the couch. He sits her on the back, parting her legs while tugging me between them.
“Mark her, Jayden. Make sure everyone can see who this angel belongs to.” The order is gruff and raw, pulling me to my knees before the words truly sink in.
I hike the feathery hem of Finley’s dress higher and latch onto her creamy, velvety skin. Biting and sucking on her flesh while he caresses a long, thick finger along my jaw. From below my ear to where my chin is pressed deep into her thigh.
The taste of her, combined with the feel of his touch, is fucking nirvana.
“Now…” Eli grips the back of my neck and pulls my mouth off our girl with a pop. “Now, you’re not just perfect, Fin. You’re fucking divine. Don’t you think, JJ?”
I glance up at him. Relishing the pleased smirk on his lips with a grin of my own. I fucking love it. The confidence that’s blossoming in him is sexy as hell.
Pride warms through me at the realization that I’ve played a part in that.
No matter what else I achieve in this life, this will be the pièce de résistance. Seeing Eli and Finley’s confidence flourish fills me with more joy than I have ever known.
It’s by far the most addictive feeling, and even though I’m on my knees at their feet, I feel like the most powerful asshole in the whole goddamn universe.
***
The frenzyof the press hits me straight in the gut. Unlike the other franchise parties, this one’s at an exclusive rooftop bar in the Sunset Strip’s most prominent hotel—The LA Imperial—rather than our arena. From the instant I step out of our chauffeured ride, there are more paparazzi than makes sense, snapping from every angle.
The red carpet is short; my nerves ebb a notch as I help Finley out of the blacked-out Mercedes Lex hired. For someone who likes to have control over most aspects of his life, Eli gives Lex a lot of freedom with the handling of his public image. Bret, my agent, only briefed me on what my affiliations are saying and advised me on how to navigate tonight conscientiously.
As invasive as Lex is, it’s been a relief to have someone else wrangle the worrisome parts of coming out so we can live. The last few weeks could’ve been pandemonium, but Lex and his team have kept a lid on it—even with us pushing back, and with all the Ryker shit.
Fuck. Thinking of that bastard turns my stomach.
Finley looks back at the hotel, exhales, and laces her fingers with mine.
“Phew,” she hums up at me with a nose-scrunching smile, “I know this place. Makes everything feel less… daunting?”
Eli rounds the car as one of Lex’s PR people emerges from an emergency-exit alcove by the press barrier.
“You know this place?” I ask, catching Eli’s eye when he coils an arm around Fin’s waist and grazes my side.
“Yeah, Summer’s husband owns it. You know, my boss?” She adds with an excited chirp. Her joy in her smile radiates through me. “Remember this morning? When I told you her husband is a huge Comets fan, and… were you even listening?”
“I might have been distracted.” When she’s naked in front of me, it’s hard to focus on anything but her gorgeous body, and add in a naked Eli… Yeah, no mortal computes.
“There’s no might about it,” Eli snickers, poking my side.
The crinkles around his eyes are tight with the same apprehension that’s roiling beneath my skin, yet he’s holding steady, being the same man out here as he is at home. I could not be prouder of him and Finley.
We start the carpet, pausing when PR nods us to face the right photographer. Lex is giving The Chronicle the main close-up in exchange for intel on where their article’s photos came from.
