Sweet Consumption

Chapter 23

The rest of the evening goes by pretty successfully. Collin introduces me to the few people he actually likes and by the end of the night, we’re all dancing together and laughing at how ridiculous we look when we try a new move or attempt something from our own high school dances.

I take my shoes off somewhere around midnight and they dangle from my fingers while Collin devours me with his mouth in the elevator up to his suite. 

"I'm going to want you to put those shoes back on, Ms. Martin.”

I groan in protest, but he takes the sound as an invitation and grabs them from my hand, bending down to put them on. I pout at him as he lifts my foot and he chuckles. 

"Don't worry. I'll carry you to the room, so you don't have to walk in them." A smile instantly lights my face like I just received the best present in the world. He laughs harder in response.  

He stands back up and before he can pick me up, the elevator dings and the doors open to Mindy, standing there with a scowl on her face. She perks up when she sees Collin and saunters into the elevator. 

He pays her no attention as he begins kissing along my neck, my eyes closing in pleasure. 

"Collin," she sneers and he freezes. He didn't even know she had gotten on the elevator until she spoke. "This is the second time I've caught you doing this. This behavior  really is childish.”

My eyes pop open and I glance at his face to see he’s glaring daggers into the wall behind me. "What I do, is none of your business and I don't think you need to say anything about being childish, Mindy. I saw you follow Olivia into the bathroom and while I don't know what you said, I'm sure it wasn't a friendly conversation." He turns around and glares at her. "You stay away from her from now on." 

Her face visibly pales at the anger radiating off him, then she straightens and a defiant look comes into her eyes. 

"I was merely giving her some friendly advice and by the way, that paperwork you asked me to sign, it's been misplaced. I'm going to need you to bring me another set,” she says with a bright smile before the elevator stops and she steps out. 

Before the doors close, he stops them with a hand. "What do you mean, misplaced?" he growls and I think any minute he's going to throttle her.

She shrugs her shoulders and pins him with a mocking stare. "I told you not to test me, Collin. Let's hope she's as forgiving as you hope her to be." And with that she walks away, her hips swinging in time with her steps.

The whole time she’s been talking, Collin has a hand on my hip, holding me in place. His breathing has increased and when he looks back at me there’s real fear in his eyes. 

"Collin, what’s going on?" I ask, scared that she’s affecting him this much and wondering if she was referring to me forgiving him. 

“Nothing," he replies gruffly, anger still evident in his voice. He takes his hand off the door so it can close and the elevator can continue its ascent to the suite. He pushes my body against the wall and begins kissing me again, this time harder and deeper, like he's afraid I’ll disappear.