Beating Hearts [Knight's Rest #1]

06

Darcy's companion for the night had scampered out of the hotel faster than she could count to ten in her drunken stupor, and all it had taken was a murderous look from the man of her dreams. She meant that quite literally as she wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not.

Her core clenched on its own accord as she stared up at him, separated only by the receptionist's counter between them. She wasn't sure if she should curse it or be thankful that it created some distance between them.

She didn't trust herself to be alone with him.

"Why'd you scare him away?" She regretted asking that question before the words had even passed her lips, but she was still quite tipsy.

His lips turned down in a scowl before he moved out from behind the desk with clear determination etched onto his face. For a second, she suspected that he was going to go for the guy that had just left, but a sigh of relief escaped her when he stood in front of her, leaning forward into her.

Her body flushed at their close proximity and her breath hitched. Her heart slowed down its beating considerably, also.

Even in her drunken state he had such an effect on her. If she was even the slightest bit sober then she would have cowered away at the menacing glare that he directed specifically towards her and the tight clenching of his jaw. Instead, she just reached out and stroked his jaw with her thumb, running it down the sharp edge of it until she got to his bottom lip; applying just enough pressure to part his lips.

Her lips curled up into a sultry smile as his tongue slithered out and gave it a teasing lick, despite his current mood.

Thelonious braced his arms on the desk behind her as he leaned in until their breaths mixed together as one. His voice was low and dangerous as his breath fanned over her ear. His lips curved up into a dangerous smirk as she shivered. He didn't stop her when she splayed her palm against his face before her arms dropped onto his shoulder, looping them around his neck and effectively pulling him closer.

"You refused my offer for coffee for him?" His lips brushed against hers as he spoke. Dropping his arms from the desk, he rested them on her hips as she fell into him, merely giggling in response and tightening her hold on him.

There was no doubt that she would be extremely embarrassed in the morning but for now, she allowed the liquid courage to lead her.

Darcy hummed as indication for him to repeat himself, too distracted by the look of him. He was so close that she couldn't focus on anything else. It was his fault. No one asked him to be so damn irresistible.

He looked down at her with hooded eyes as he did just that.

"I didn't expect to pick up a guy tonight." She admitted honestly, craning her head and stepping up on her tip toes to rest her head in the crook of his neck. Her eyes fluttered shut on their own accord and a satisfied sigh escaped her when he tightened his arms around her.

She couldn't help but feel safe even though technically, he was still a stranger.

He clenched his jaw at her admission, not expecting her to be that truthful. "Where did you meet him?" He asked even though he wasn't too excited to hear the answer.

"At a club."

A pregnant pause passed between them and he feared that she had fallen asleep as her breath had evened out against his skin, but the light pressure of her lips against the base of his neck indicated otherwise. "Did you let him kiss you?" He asked, not completely sure if he wanted to learn the answer.

"No, we were saving that for later."

He wasn't happy about that. The thought of another person, be it man or woman, kissing the woman in his arms didn't settle well with him. "Well, I guess I intervened at the right time then, didn't I?" His words appeared humorous on the surface, but held tones of distaste and bitterness. She caught neither and merely laughed softly at his joke.