Page 14 of Slick Trip

I walked toward him, my heart hammering. He watched me approach, his gaze slowly tracking my hips.

Good. Let him look. Let him choke on it.

The closer I got, the more space opened up around him—as people knew better than to get in his way.

I stopped inches from him. He didn’t even blink.

“Having fun?” Jon asked, his voice unfairly, deliciously low.

I smiled. I cast an affectionate look over my shoulder at Liam who was standing in the corner, pretending he didn’t see us. He was just a guy I’d been flirting with earlier until he’d noticed Jon and made some flimsy excuse to stop talking to me.

“You bet,” I said anyway with a dreamy little sigh. “Liam’s amazing.”

Jon’s jaw clenched. His obvious annoyance gave me a sudden surge of courage.

I trailed my finger across his chest and let it stay. “You look angry. Are you jealous?”

His expression revealed nothing, but he’d always had a terrifyingly good poker face.

“No.”

He peeled my hand off his chest like it didn’t belong there.

I bristled. “Right.”

Tilting my head, I stepped even closer until his scent began to make my head swim. What I felt for Jon was more than attraction—it was a primal need written into my core. I needed him to acknowledge it and stop avoiding the inevitable.

“You’re just watching me like that for fun, is that it?”

“I’m making sure you don’t do something stupid.”

I leaned in, invading his personal space until I felt the steady thud of his heart. A time would come when I’d fall asleep with my head on his chest. His heartbeat would lull me to sleep and he would watch over me, just like he was doing now.

“You know me,” I murmured. “I’d never do anything stupid.”

His mouth tugged. Okay, fair. I’d done something stupid once or twice in my life. Feeling reckless and brave, I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my cheek against his chest. I inhaled. Warm. Clean. Him.

Mine, if he would just admit it.

“Cooper.”

“Jon.”

I rose up onto my toes next, my lips hovering just shy of his. My heart thudded so hard he had to hear it. I didn’t rush it—I didn’t dare. I was taking this further than before, but I was ready. So damn ready.

“What are you doing?” Jon’s tone had changed. Suddenly, I felt small compared to the sheer, broad-shouldered reality of him. His presence made my knees feel weak. Three years I’d spent on wobbly legs because of him.

“If you really want to know,” I said casually, pretending my entire heart wasn’t on the line. “I’m trying to kiss you.”

Well, that got me his attention, just not in the way I’d hoped.

“You’re drunk,” Jon said, but he didn’t pull away.

I scoffed. “I’ve had, like, two beers.”

“That’s two too many.”

“Shut up. That’s not nearly enough to impair my judgment.”