Page 180 of The First Taste
Calum pauses, his muscles tensing for a fight.
“Please,” I whisper, looking at Calum. “Please don’t.”
Calum looks at me, his sapphire eyes glinting. He looks back. For a second, I think I’ve lost him.
Then he just sneers and jerks his head toward the ballroom door. “Let’s go,” he grits out.
I hustle him out of the hotel and downstairs into the icy cold night. The thought occurs to me that our coats are still upstairs.
But that’s not important right now.
I look up at Calum, hesitatingly reaching up a hand to touch his cheek. He looks down at me, still breathing hard.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
His face contorts for a moment. “I’m supposed to ask you that.”
I squint at him. “I’m not the one who just got into a fistfight, Calum,” I say softly.
He brings his hand up to his face, covering mine briefly. For just a second, he closes his eyes and leans into my touch.
My heart starts beating a tattoo in my ears. I can see that he’s going through something, but I have no idea where to even begin. I mean, Calum and I are basically strangers, when it comes down to it.
He kisses my palm and steps away from my touch, reaching in his pocket. “Let me call my driver.”
Calum starts scrolling through his screen, his expression blank. He puts his free arm around my waist as he dials, looking around.
Consciously or not, he’s still in protective mode.
Calum sweeps me along to the street. I watch his face, trying to gauge his mood.
But I can’t tell what the hell is going on with him. Especially once the limo pulls up and Calum yanks the door wide.
I get inside with a gulp, unsure what happens now.
Calum
The elevator door dings. Kaia glances nervously up at me as I pause, letting the concierge walk out before us. I stare at her, telling her with my gaze all the things I’m about to do to her.
She shivers and places her hand in mine. I lumber out of the elevator, keeping her by my side.
The concierge smiles at both of us as he walks ahead, sweeping the door open.
“Our most grand suite,” he announces.
I walk in, feeling Kaia’s small waist against my large hand. I glance around for about three seconds and see everything I need to see: great wall to ceiling views on on side, a lavish sunken living area right ahead of me, a hallway leading off to my right.
The concierge beams. “Will you two require any other?—“
I toss my entire money clip at him. “No.”
I hear Kaia’s tiny intake of breath, watch her hands close and open. Before the man is even out of the suite, I sweep her up and throw her over my shoulder.
“Calum!” she protests. The sound of her voice is muffled by my broad shoulder.
“Get used to calling my name,” I rumble. Shouldering my way through the doorway and into the darkened bedroom, I don’t stop until I tumble her to the mattress.
She flexes her hips into mine, leaning up to twine her arms around my neck. I allow myself to be pulled down by her weight. Burying my face in her collarbone, I grab her neckline with both hands and rip her blue dress down to the waist. I expect her to protest again, but she just encourages me, flicking her hips against mine and letting out a needy gasp.
