Page 104 of Bad Wolf

You can’t erase six years of dancing in glorified underwear and living paycheck to paycheck. Hell, I did it for a quarter of my life, and my previous address will always be a dilapidated apartment building on the outskirts of a vice addled town.

That kind of shit sticks to a girl and—

“Hey. Don’t listen to her. You’re perfect,” Knox says, caging me in completely, blocking out the sight ofBrenna.

The sounds of the arena and the locker room fade as he closes in. Sometimes he makes me feel like we’re the only two people in this whole world. His warm lips skim my jaw and I melt a little.

His skin is slick with sweat, hair flat and matted to his head. You’d think that would be gross. You’d think I’d want to keep my hands to myself, but I don’t. I run my fingers through his wet strands as he bends to look me in the eyes.

“Meet me at home. I’ve left a key. I want you in my bed tonight. Wrapped inmysheets.”

My brow pinches. I thought we were going out for drinks with his friends.

“I’m gonna give my interview, shower and then I’ll come straight to you…” His blue eyes darken, as his left palm snakes to the pocket of my jeans and squeezes my butt cheek. Hard.

“We’re not going out tonight?”

He shakes his head no.

“Okay,” I breathe, but I can’t get that word out of my head.

“Stop that, baby. Whatever is going on inside that big beautiful brain of yours, stop it now. I’m selfish is all. Twelve days is too long. I want you splayed out on the bed, in nothing but that hot as fuck lipstick you wore while you danced, and my jersey.”

His words hit their mark, and I’m snapped back to him standing before me, with heat in his eyes and a grip on my waist so tight, I’ll no doubt be bruised.

Brenna may have been right in what she said, but it looks like the man standing in front of me wants me anyway.

At his request, my brain gets busy cataloging the contents of my vanity case as he traces my lower lip with his thumb.

“The…glittery one?”

He captures his own lip with his teeth and nods, “The red one. Does it smudge?”

My breath hitches. “Given the right situation…”

He closes his eyes with a groan, “Fuuck. I’m getting hard in my cup. I want that. I want you to mark up my cock while you’re choking on it. Taking all of me. Taking everything I give you.”

I whimper as he nips at my bottom lip. He smirks and then captures my mouth in a rough, messy kiss that leaves me gasping for air.

“I’m right behind you. Jersey, lipstick, and nothing more, Wren,” he says as he inches backward, and then he turns and I watch him trudge his massive body, made even bigger by his skates and pads, down the corridor, disappearing around the corner. The music that was once muffled fills the quiet space as he enters the locker room, and then it’s muted again as soon as the door swings shut.

Flushed and a little dazed, I hustle back the way I came and power through the remaining stragglers as I head out onto the street, which is still a shit show.

I walk further out of the sea of people, almost jogging to put some distance between me and the arena. Between me andthatword.

Trashy.

I fight to not let it ruin the night. Push it out of my mind, focusing on the words Knox uttered instead. The heat in his gaze, the need written across his face.

And all for me.

That does it. Focusing on what Knox wants rather than the bite of a bitchy girl has me rushing all the more.

Finally, I’m far enough away and hover closer to the stream of flowing traffic, my arm lifting to hail a cab.

I’m successful, and jump in, spouting off Scott’s address and praying like hell the vehicles in front continue to move at a fast pace.

Asking the cab driver to wait is probably an expense I can’t afford, but with the look Knox was giving me, I know it’s a necessary one.