Page 63 of Wild Ever After
“Now what?” I ask.
“Well, dinner isn’t for a while yet, so I guess we hang around and mimic Scarlett and Leo for a bit.”
We glance at them at the same time and just in time to see Leo grab a handful of Scarlett’s ass. We both laugh.
“Not really my style,” I say.
“No? I seem to remember you being pretty fond of my ass.”
“Oh, I’m fond of it, all right, but I have a little restraint.”
“Hmmm.” She turns on her heel and sticks out her ass toward me, as if testing said restraint.
Eventually, we find our way to a table for dinner. Scarlett and Leo are with us, as well as two other couples. When Leo puts his arm around the back of his date’s chair, I wink at Jade and do the same. It becomes a sort of game between us.
Scarlett leans toward Leo and nuzzles into his shoulder, and thirty seconds later, Jade does the same to me.
It’s little brushes of hands and looking adoringly at one another, simple stuff, but it still has heat rushing through my body each time.
They start announcing the auction winners and our friends go from a little flirty to thinking about going at it right at the table.
When Leo, very obviously, scoots his chair closer and drops a hand to Scarlett’s lap, I do the same. I keep my palm firmly in place on Jade’s knee, but it still has her sucking in a breath.
It’s a dangerous game we’re playing, but I can’t seem to stop.
I don’t hear a lot of what’s happening around us. My every sense is locked in on Jade.
At some point, they announce Leo as the winner of the spa day package. Real shocker. I knew he’d make sure Scarlett got it.
Jade and I share a knowing look, and then watch as Scarlett hugs him and presses her mouth to his. What looks like it might be a quick kiss turns into much more when Leo cups the back of her head, keeping her close and deepening the kiss.
My mind isn’t even on imitating them anymore, I’m just watching them thinking how easy their love seems. But then Jade’s linking an arm around my neck and looking at me in a way that has my pulse racing.
Her expression bounces between emotions, like she’s trying to decide just how far she’s willing to go to keep everyone around us believing we’re a real couple.
I open my mouth to say something dumb like, ‘we don’t need to do this,’ but then she closes the distance.
23
THIS IS US
JADE
Declan stillsas my lips press into his. I linger there, letting all the sensations wash over me. I could so easily get lost in him. I start to pull back, but then his palm comes up and caresses the back of my head, just the way Leo had done with Scarlett.
I smile against his mouth as a shiver rolls down my spine. Pulling back, I look at him. His features are hard, his expression almost pained. What I told him earlier, how I thought it could be with us, I feel that deep in my bones. I think we could be great together, but will it last or will we burn hot and fast, then spend the rest of our time together miserable and uncomfortable? Though, isn’t tiptoeing around this thing between us already miserable?
Dragging my nails lightly over his dark stubble, I bring my lips back to his. This time, it’s not me pretending to be anyone but myself. And the way he reacts, sliding his hand down around the back of my neck and sliding his tongue into my mouth, I know he isn’t imitating anyone else either. This is us.
I don’t know how long we get lost in the kiss, but when we break apart, we’re both breathless.
“What was that for?” he asks, voice quiet and gruff.
“I guess I just wanted to kiss you. Is that all right?”
One side of his mouth lifts. “Yeah. More than all right.”
Applause starts up for the next auction winner, and I turn my attention back to the table. I catch Scarlett’s gaze. Her eyes are wide and her mouth hangs open in a shocked smile. Declan’s arm goes around the back of my chair, and he pulls me closer, while giving his focus back to the event. I sip my champagne and try to calm the flurry of warring emotions inside me.
