“Aren’t we lucky that I don’t find that career appealing.” She smiles devilishly.
“I’m not sure if that was an insult or a compliment.”
She looks up at me through her lashes, all doe-eyed and submissive, leaning in close. I could easily close the gap and kiss her, but I hold back. This girl’s quick, all fire, a hot shot with her tongue. I’m going to make her work a little harder before I give her what she so clearly wants.
I barely catch the mischievous sparkle in her eye before she says, “Definitely an insult.”
Cheers rise from the club as the countdown to midnight begins.
Ten…
The world seems to echo around us, as everyone joins in the proclaiming of the final moments of this year: people on the streets, in the club, even other rooftops. It’s as if all of Atlanta has turned out to celebrate. In the distance the peach rises above the crowd ready to drop.
Nine…
Shelby leans over the railing, watching the people outside the club pair off as they get ready for a midnight kiss. I wasn’t expecting to find anyone like her in Atlanta, much less on the rooftop of my club. She looks over her shoulder at me, a silent dare in her eyes.
Eight…
I snake an arm around her waist, enjoying the sound of her breath hitch. My fingers connect with her skin through the cutouts on her dress, pressing against her bare skin. It’s tempting to push the dress aside and explore more, but the dress locks her in fabric. She shivers, and I pull her closer to me.
“Happy New Year,” she says.
“You’re a little premature on that, sweetheart.”
Three…
I pull her tightly against me. She follows my command, pressing herself into me. Her hands move up my chest, grabbing hold of my blazer’s lapels. I know exactly how this night is going to end.
Two…
Her lips hover over mine, but I don’t move in right away. Shelby’s eager and waiting, breathless in anticipation of my touch. What man can resist such a sight?
One…
Our lips meet. Fireworks rip through the night and the city roars with celebration, but that is so far removed from this moment. Kissing Shelby is a perfect curveball. She’s soft and her grip tightens on my jacket as I slip my tongue into her mouth. She moans deep in her throat and I shift my arms, letting one hand settle over her perfect ass.
I pull back and she tries to reel me back in by my jacket. I study her face, beautiful, flushed, and alive. “You wanna get out of here?” I ask.
Her eyes glossy and lips still puffy from the kiss, she breathes, “Absolutely.”
We break apart reluctantly and climb down the stairs and emerge on the top level of the Library. The place shimmers with glitter and confetti. From this vantage, I spot the guys in their corner of the room. Ryder and Cash are both wrapped around their women. Parker and Jackson are nowhere to be seen, but if I know those boys they’ll have found someone for a New Year’s kiss.
Taking Shelby by the hand, I lead her toward the stairs, but she stops short, pulling away slightly. I turn back to her and see her startled expression. Her eyes scan the crowd and freeze on someone, but before I can track her line of sight she drops her gaze.
She backs up in the opposite direction of the front door.
“Actually, let’s go out the back way,” she says. The look she’s giving me says this isn’t a joke. There’s something—or more likely someone—on the floor of the club who she doesn’t want to meet. Probably some ex. A girl like Shelby definitely has a trail of broken hearts in her past.
My first impulse is to demand to know who the jerk is and I bet I could make him regret whatever troubles he caused her. But I can tell from her stony expression that she wants as little as possible to do with this guy—even if that means giving up the opportunity to see me knock him out. To put her at ease, I say, “Don’t want to be seen with a Yankee?” It works. The tension leaves her body and her hand slips back into mine.
She tugs me along the top tier of the club toward a hidden set of back stairs I didn’t even know existed. Shelby must have some sort of insider knowledge of the club. “It is absolutely because you’re a Yankee. It’s amazing how you know me so well after such a short time,” she says. Standing on her toes, she gives the club one more look.
“The coast clear?” I ask, scanning the room to see if I can spot who she’s looking for.
“Let’s go.” She leads me toward another back stairwell. Once we’re safely out of anyone’s sight, she gives me a quick, hot kiss, her tongue wrapping around mine in a flash.
“Thank you for understanding,” she says as she pulls away, biting her lip. “I promise I’ll make it up to you later.” I press my lips into hers again, hungry for another longer kiss.
I’m looking forward to it.