Inked: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World), стр. 17

“You invited me.” My brows pull together in confusion. That message definitely said it was her. I’m pretty certain I didn’t meet any other Harlows last night. I guess it explains the different number.

“No, I—” A thought hits her and her lips purse, but sadly, it’s not in preparation for a kiss. “Bailey,” she seethes, turning towards where her friend was just standing, only she’s gone. “What the…” We both find her at the same time, dancing with a guy only a few feet away. She notices our attention and smiles and waves, a cheeky glint sparkling in her eyes.

Blowing out a breath, Harlow turns to me. “I’m so sorry. As you can tell, it wasn’t me that invited you.”

“Well, I’m here now. Fancy a drink?” Harlow looks from me to her now very distracted friend.

“Sure, why not?” She takes a step around me and I place my hand on the small of her back as we make our way towards the bar. Her movement stills for a beat when my warmth hits her, but she doesn’t push me away like I first feared she might.

“Rum and Coke, right?” She smiles and nods beside me as I repeat our order to the bartender.

I don’t allow her to take the glass; instead I pick both up and turn. “Let’s go and find somewhere to sit.”

“There’s a quieter section around the corner.”

My eyes drop to her cleavage for a second, and my mouth waters. “Sounds perfect,” I mutter, my eyes finding hers once more. Her head tilts to the side, her brows rising in amusement but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she spins and leads the way. I could swear there’s more of a spring in her step than there was earlier.

She comes to a stop beside a sofa that a few people are vacating.

“Here?”

“I’m easy.”

“Is that right?” The music is quieter back here, so I hear her as I fall down onto the sofa beside her.

“I guess that’s something you’re going to have to find out.” Her cheeks heat, but I don’t miss the darkening of her chestnut eyes.

I slide over so we’re close enough that her bare thigh has to press up against mine, and I rest my arm over the back out the sofa, temptingly close to pulling her into me.

“So what’s the occasion?” I ask, changing the topic for fear of coming on too strong and ruining my chances.

“Uh…” She stalls. “No occasion, just a night out to…”

“To?”

She sighs. “Forget.”

“Oh?” I ask, wondering if she’s about to open up. I’m usually not one for all the talk, I’m more of an action guy. But as a conflicted look passes across her face, I can’t help but want to listen to all her worries. It freaks me the fuck out, but still, I stay put, my need to get to know her bigger than my need to run.

“It’s n-nothing. Just family stuff.”

“Ah, now that is something I know all about.” Reaching forward, I grab both of our drinks from the small table in front of us. “To forgetting.” I lift my glass, and after a second she taps hers to it.

I watch as she brings her drink to her lips and sips. Her eyes shutter slightly as the taste hits her and I find myself captivated.

“Not thirsty?” she asks when she lowers it once again and notices that I’ve not had any.

“Not so much.” Her eyes run over my face and focus on my lips when I run my tongue over my bottom one. “Last night wasn’t the same after you left.”

“No? Bailey didn’t keep you company?”

I laugh, because I’m sure she happily would have given the chance, but everyone kept her busy chatting and drinking before she had to be escorted into a car to get home.

“No. I was pretty lonely, to tell the truth.” I down my drink before placing the glass on the table and turning my attention to her.

“My heart bleeds,” she says with a smile.

“Maybe we could make up for it tonight.” Not able to keep my hands to myself any longer, I reach out and take her drink from her before I tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. The connection I remember all too well from last night crackles between us the second our skin touches.

“I’m… um… not sure…”

“I thought you wanted to forget.” My hand wraps around the side of her neck, my fingers twisting in her hair and my thumb brushing her cheek.

“I do. But—”

“Let me help you,” I interrupt. “I know the perfect way to distract you from whatever it is putting that frown on your pretty face.”

“Corey, I—”

I lean forward and cut her words off with a brush of my lips. She stills, her breath coming out in a rush and tickling over my face. “Shush. Don’t think. Just feel.”

She nods ever so slightly and I make my move. My fingers tighten in her hair as I tilt her head to the side and seal my lips over hers. She shudders beneath me, and it’s all the encouragement I need.

My tongue sneaks out to tease her, and her lips part almost immediately, allowing me entry.

The taste of her mixes with the rum and Coke she just had a sip of, and my need for her quadruples.

She turns to me, allowing me to run my other hand up her bare thigh. I push my fingers slightly under the hem of her dress, my addiction to her too much to deny.

Everything around us disappears as her tongue twists with mine, but it hardly satisfies my need, which continues to grow by the second.

“Jesus, Harlow. You’re addictive,” I admit when my lips brush her ear. Her increased breaths rush past mine, and I shiver.

“Corey, I—” She can barely get her words out, she’s breathing so fast, but I help her out by cutting her off.

“Dance with me?”

“O-okay.”

I pass her drink back and she immediately tips it to her lips and drains the lot before reaching for my