CHAPTER 21
Alicia
At the bar, I considered which booth to sit in. Our usual table was just past the bar, up against the side wall, but the idea of sitting there made my skin crawl. That was where he’d told me he was leaving all those years ago. I didn’t want to relive that moment.
So instead, I chose a small table in the back. Only two chairs sat around it and there was no one in the vicinity. The closest patron sat at the end of the bar, a good twenty feet away.
I pulled out a chair and sat down, wiping the sweat off my palms. I was even more nervous than I’d been the night before.
Kellan’s felt different than Ricci’s. At Ricci’s, we were just two old friends catching up. Sure, there had been chemistry and tension, but nothing I couldn’t easily ignore. At Kellan’s, though? I knew I wouldn’t be able to deny my connection with Zane, especially not after what had happened the night before. The pub held too many implications. Too many reminders of our time together.
When Zane walked in, he spotted me immediately. The way he moved was enough to make my face flush. As he smiled, I couldn’t look away from his lips. I had to shake myself to stop remembering the way those lips had felt against my skin.
I gulped.
It was going to be an interesting night.
“You made it,” he said as he sat down across from me.
“Of course, I did. What? You didn’t think I would show?”
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I was worried you might regret last night.”
I shook my head. “I probably should, but I don’t.”
“I’ll get us some drinks,” he offered. “The usual?”
“Sure.”
He came back to the table less than two minutes later with our drinks in hand. He set mine down in front of me and I immediately picked it up to take a sip, needing something to help relax me. The alcohol burned slightly as it slid down my throat and landed in my stomach.
I took another gulp. Then another.
Zane laughed. “Thirsty?”
“Nervous,” I admitted.
“All of this is still so new, yet…”
“Really familiar?”
“Exactly.”
I nodded. “I know. I keep thinking I have to speed off to class in the morning.”
“And I keep thinking I have to run off to PT before we even make it to bed. Feels like a million years ago, doesn’t it?”
“Sometimes. Other times, I think it all just happened. Like I never even left Savage.”
“Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t.” Zane’s face fell slightly.
I knew something serious had crossed his mind, but I also knew he didn’t want to talk about it. I smiled and leaned against the table. His eyes flickered down to my chest for a fraction of a second and I grinned wider. “What are you thinking about?” I asked playfully.
“Well, I was thinking about something, but now I have no idea what it was. All I can think about is how amazing you look right now.”
“I do, don’t I?” I said, tucking my hair behind my ears.
“You have no idea.” His voice was rough and his eyes bored holes in mine. I had forgotten just how much we could say to each other without speaking.
I moved my foot slowly across the floor until it touched his. When I slid it gently up his leg, he closed his eyes and exhaled sharply.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish,” he warned.
I smiled and leaned back. I finished my drink and got up to order another round, feeling his eyes on me as I walked away. When I sat back down, he looked ready to pounce.
“What?” I asked innocently.
He just smiled and drank his beer. We went through three more rounds, flirting and touching each other innocently. And we talked about everything from the past to the future, all the while controlling our urges.
After the fifth drink, I knew it was no use. We’d been in this situation before. I glanced around to make sure no one was watching before I reached down and took Zane’s hand. I lifted it to my lips and slowly slid his middle finger inside my mouth.
“I want you,” he growled. “Now.”
I stood and led the way to the back hallway where the bathrooms were located, glancing around and making sure no one saw us. When we reached the bathrooms, I held my finger up, telling him to wait while I pushed the door to the women’s room open. I checked every stall, ensuring they all were empty. Then I opened the door to let him in.
He didn’t even wait until he was fully inside to let his lips crash onto mine. I tasted alcohol on his tongue, which intoxicated me further.
Zane pushed me against the door and I slid my hand behind me to lock it. Even drunk, I wanted to make sure we weren’t interrupted.
“Just like old times,” he whispered as he tore at the buttons on my blouse.
“Only better,” I moaned.
He didn’t bother unhooking my bra; he just shoved the cups aside and took my nipple in his mouth. My hands frantically pulled at his pants. I had to feel him inside of me. I couldn’t want a second longer.
He pulled me forward and pushed me gently against the sink. His hand reached under my skirt and pulled down my panties. He then pulled my unbuttoned blouse down so he could kiss my shoulders.
He was inside me in an instant. I bit my lip to keep from screaming as my entire body rocked with pleasure. His kisses turned to bites as he thrusted harder. I could feel every inch of him.
He pushed my skirt farther up so that he could wrap his hand around my bare skin.
God, he felt so good. I had nearly forgotten how good sex with him was. Now, I could hardly remember why I’d left him that day.
He held onto me tightly with one hand while his other slid down to play with my clit.
I held onto the sink for dear life and moaned openly, unable to hold them in any longer. Zane breathed heavily behind me and I knew he was close. I pushed myself closer to him, wanting the moment to last forever. The slight shift in position coupled with his wild stroking made everything more intense. My legs shook and Zane was the only thing holding me up. My grip on the sink went slack as he pounded against me, harder and harder.
I screamed as my orgasm washed over me, but Zane quickly covered my mouth and held onto me, both of us sweating profusely and breathing like we had just ran a marathon. I leaned back against his chest while he raked his nails up and down my thighs.
He lowered his head to lick the sweat off my body making me shiver. Then he turned me around and pulled his pants up with one hand while kissing me, hard and fast, his tongue desperately tasting mine. His hands gripped my breasts roughly and he growled into my mouth. He took a step forward, forcing my back against the sink. I could still feel the effects of my orgasm working their way through my body.
I pulled away quickly, pushing him backward. I exhaled sharply and pushed my sweaty curls out of my face with one hand while I holding him away with the other.
“Stop,” I said weakly. “If you keep doing that, we’ll never leave this bathroom. So unless you want to go again…”
He laughed and yanked me back to him, kissing me again, but stopping quickly. I moaned and grabbed the back of his head, pulling his lips back to mine. He pulled away gently, but I bit his lip and pulled him right back.
“Didn’t you just say we should stop?” he asked.
“I just can’t control myself when you’re around,” I said.
“I know the feeling,” he said.
I pulled my panties up and rebuttoned my shirt, laughing softly. “I didn’t expect that to happen.”
“Why not? It’s not like this bathroom hasn’t seen it before. Many, many times before…”
“Trust me, I remember. I couldn’t forget if I tried.”
I was ninety-nine percent sure our daughter had been conceived in that bathroom.