Page 6 of Cartel Devil

I look like a fucking sloppy drunk.

Cute. Real cute.

“Are you all right?”

“I misjudged the step and nearly got my heel stuck.”

“The car shifted.”

Thank God. I thought it was my head making it seem like the floor moved.

“Thank you for catching me.”

“I’d never let you fall.”

There’s something in the soft way he says that that makes me think he truly means it. Like we might be around each other in the future. His hushed tone also makes him seem shy—like he’s nervous I’d reject his pledge.

I don’t know what possesses me, but I strain on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. His surprise is obvious, but he doesn’t appear displeased. A moment later, his grip on my hip tightens.

“Those shoes must be even more uncomfortable now.”

I nod as my mouth goes dry. I lead him down the hallway as I fish out my key from my pocket. Bless Vittoria for her practicality. I hate having to carry a purse at these sorts of events. When we reach my suite, I tap the card against the sensor, and Joaquin presses down on the handle. He holds the door open enough for me to step through, but then he eases past me as he lets the door shut.

I recognize what he’s doing. He won’t leave me alone in the hallway, but he also doesn’t want me to enter farther into the room without him sweeping it. It must be force of habit because he can’t think there’s a reason for anyone to lurk in here. He’s unobtrusive as he looks around, and I’m glad I’m a naturally neat person when I travel. I don’t like to run the risk of losing something, so I keep my belongings tidy.

When I’m certain he’s satisfied, I walk to the closet and open it. I purposely bend forward with my ass in the air as I reach for the ballet flats. I hope he likes what he sees. I hope it gives him some ideas.

“Oh!”

I’m unprepared for him to slide his arms around my waist as I straighten. I didn’t hear him step behind me as I reached forward. The man’s a fucking jaguar. Dark, sleek, light on his feet, and an apex predator.

I like being his prey.

He draws me against his front, and I feel how much he enjoyed the view. He slips the shoes from my hands and lets them drop to the floor. He nuzzles my neck, and I tilt my head. His lips trail from the crook of my neck up to behind my ear.

“Things will be winding down by the time we return to the ballroom. Then I’d just have to escort you right back up here.”

“Have to?”

“Mm-hmm.”

He nips at my earlobe before kissing along my jaw. I turn my head toward him, but the angle’s awkward. He guides me to face him. He cups my jaw and sweeps his thumb over my cheek.

“You’re a gorgeous woman, Tre. You tempt me like none other, but we’ve both had a lot to drink tonight. Are you sure?”

“Extremely.”

He leans forward, and our lips brush together. Mine tingle, and it’s not the remnants of the aguardiente. It’s a sexual sizzle. A “I need more” sizzle. His hand slips from my jaw to cradle my nape. His other arm lifts me off my feet as we continue to kiss. My feet dangle against his shins as I wrap my arms around his neck and drink him in. The longer we kiss, the more intense it gets.

He steps back from the closet before carrying me to the bed. He puts me down by the edge and pulls away. He’s giving me another chance to end this, but that’s the last thing I want. I slide my hands under his tux jacket’s lapels and push it off his shoulders. He catches it as it slips down his arms, then tosses it behind me onto the foot of the bed. I yank at his bow tie as he does that.

I’m just as impatient as he is when I tug his shirt free and begin working the buttons from the bottom up. He helps by unfastening the collar and working his way down until we meet in the middle.

His chest…

His abs…

It’s like a master sculptor took a chisel and carved out each curve and dip. Then a master painter covered him in tattoos. It’s not like there isn’t an inch of skin between them, but there are several. I trace my fingers over a line with arrows at the top and bottom. It runs along the dip between his left and right abs. There are angel wings on each side.