Page 64 of Riding Dirty

He hums as he moves forward, then steps to the side. I take another step. The room is focused on me and only me. I don’t understand it. Then the leader, Dare, emerges from the group of lookie-loos and closes the distance between us.

Tipping my head back slightly, I look up into his eyes. “You good, babe?”

I open my mouth, my brows snapping together in confusion, because I don’t understand why he’s asking or what he’s asking me. I open my mouth, then snap my lips closed. I don’t know how to respond to it.

“Look upset. Just want to make sure you’re good.”

I open my mouth again, but the words don’t come out. Then I hear a noise behind me, and I spin around to see Coast walk through the door, with three guys behind him.

The other three are dressed in tuxedos, but they all wear serious expressions on their faces, their jaws set tightly. I stare at them in confusion, but Coast doesn’t seem confused at all. I don’t know if he senses me, but he strolls directly toward me. He doesn’t look anywhere else but right into my eyes, and he doesn’t stop until he’s right there.

Right in front of me.

He’s so close that his entire body is almost touching mine. I want to reach out, curl my fingers in his shirt, and force his body to touch every inch of mine. I forget why I came down here, and then he lifts his hands, cupping my cheeks, before he leans down and kisses me.

I forget my own name.

He kisses me in the middle of the bar, surrounded by all of his guys… and those girls. No fucks given. His tongue slips inside my mouth to taste me thoroughly. And I love every second of it. The rest of the people in the bar melt away. If they’re watching us, I wouldn’t know, and, more importantly, do not care.

My back arches, my chest presses against his. I want to feel him this way naked. I wish we were naked. I don’t think I would even say no if he wanted to get naked right here in the middle of the bar.

I’m pretty sure I would do just about anything.

When he breaks the kiss, he rests his forehead against mine before he pulls completely away. I feel his panting breath wash over my face. It’s sexy, and goose bumps break out over every inch of my skin.

I curl my fingers around his wrists, holding on to him, trying to keep him close to me. He lifts his head, much to my dismay, and shifts it back slightly. When his gaze finds mine, he just smiles. Then the entire room around us erupts in cheers and applause. Coast chuckles, and that’s when I let my hands fall from his wrists.

“What are you doing here, Haze?” he asks.

Everything from the news, the reality of what happened, slams into me so hard that I physically jolt. I take half a step backward, my spine straightening. I think about not telling him anything yet, sure that this is something we should talk about in private instead.

But I have to say something. He wants to know why I’m here, and I have to tell him what made me come down here in my dirty work clothes covered in sweat. Starving, exhausted, and dirty.

“I saw the news.”

It’s all I can say. The words tumble out of me. I can’t stuff them back inside as much as I’d like to. I expect him to get pissed at me or at least frown, but he doesn’t. He dips his chin in a single nod.

He understands what I’m saying.

He knows what I mean.

He doesn’t question it further, almost as if my thinking is right. This conversation doesn’t need to happen in an open forum. Whatever he has to say, he doesn’t want his men to hear. Which is fine with me, because I want him to be honest with me, and I don’t think he would be with an entire roomful of people watching us.

“We’ll discuss it later,” he murmurs.

Coast lowers his head again, his lips brushing mine. “We’ll discuss this later.”

I say all I can think to say. “Okay.”

He moves back slightly, then takes a full step backward. He doesn’t move away from me, though. Instead, he slips his arm around my waist and tugs me against his side. Dare takes a step forward, shifting so he’s standing in front of Coast.

“In my office. I need a debrief before your night commences.”

CHAPTER

FORTY-NINE

WRATH