Chapter 26

Fifteen minutes turned into forty-five, and Remi kept drinking the whole time. When things finally started to wind down, Darien left the door to Finn and went to rescue Berk, who was starting to lean on the bar more and more.

“Have a good night,” Pascal said with a wink as he walked by.

Snarling, Darien kept going without comment and strode toward Remi. She turned in the stool, swayed slightly, but managed to stay upright. She had a smile on her face as she watched him head toward her. He knew why she was smiling. What he didn’t know was if he was going to be able to do the right thing and walk away.

Berk lifted his head and then blinked. “Can I go home?” He stood up and sidestepped. “Actually, I think I’m going to crash in one of the empty rooms downstairs.”

Darien nodded. “Thanks.”

Berk wiped his hand over his brow. “I can’t even tell you how happy I am that boss lady doesn’t do this often.” He turned and took a few steps toward the kitchen, swaying with each one.

Looking down at Remi, he couldn’t help but grin at the way she was smiling at him. Holding out his hand, she placed hers in it and got up. He expected her to wobble, but she didn’t. Shit.

Following close behind her as she danced through the doors into the back room, he mentally talked himself through what was going to happen. Get her upstairs. Get her to bed. Alone. Come back down and close the bar.

As they rounded the corner to the supply room, she spun and shoved him back against the wall. As his back hit the cold surface, he grabbed her waist, thinking she had fallen into him. When her eyes moved up his body slowly and stopped on his face, it only took one look at the expression on her face for him to realize I’m in trouble.

Her hands moved up his chest to rest on his shoulders; leaning her body against his, she licked her lips. “Can I have that kiss now?”

Part of his brain said you can have anything you want; the other part wanted to find the nearest door and remove himself from the temptation. His wolf brushed back and forth against his skin. Gripping her waist, he started to push her to put a bit of space between their bodies when she took hold of his neck in a death grip and pulled his head down to hers.

Momentarily shocked, he tried again to move her as she nibbled his bottom lip. She’s drunk, he argued with his wolf. The beast didn’t seem to mind. When the hell did she get so strong? He managed to lift his head an inch. “Rem…”

She took advantage of him opening his mouth to speak, and shoved her tongue into his. Wolf or no, as soon as her flavor hit his tongue, he grasped her by the neck and took the kiss. Her body molded to his, and he had to suppress a moan.

“Hey, Dare?”

Lifting his head, he glared over at Emery, leaning against the doorway. The young vampire had a smirk on his face.

He shrugged. “I’m thinking maybe you should take Remi upstairs.” Emery’s eyes were lit with amusement.

Remi giggled and began nipping at his collarbone with her teeth.

With a lift of his eyebrows, Emery turned and went back towards the kitchen.

“Come on,” Darien growled at her. When she didn’t move to start walking but continued up his neck with her teeth, he hissed out a breath and picked her up.

An enthusiastic noise came out of her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. “You’re going to pay for this tomorrow, Álainn.”

She attacked his neck with her mouth again, “Make me pay now.”

Clenching his jaw, he started toward the stairs, not even sure how he was going to make it with her rubbing against him. Each step was torture, with her body rocking against his groin. He should have brought her up earlier before she could drink so much.

Finally reaching the top of the stairs, he paused to catch his breath, and she took that as the all-clear and grasped his hair, jerking his head back down to hers. He intended to resist the urge to kiss her until neither of them could breathe, but the message didn’t reach his mouth in time, and before he could think, he had her pinned up against the wall drinking in her flavor.

“Oh!”

Gasping, he lifted his mouth from hers and looked over his shoulder to see Cait standing there, gobsmacked.

“Cait! Dare’s helping me bed.” Remi’s words were slurred.

Both eyebrows raised, Cait looked from the inebriated woman in his arms to him. “Has she been down there drinking all night?”

Darien nodded and gasped out a breath again. Hopefully, she’d lend him a hand in getting her to her room. Cait looked helpless, the side of her mouth turning up like she wanted to smile, but she didn’t.

“I’ll cover for her in the morning.”

With that, she turned and went into her room. Darien blinked and looked at the door again. Being alone spurred Remi back into action, and she grasped his hair again. Reaching around, he pried her hand loose. “Keep that up, and we’re not going to make it to the bedroom.”

She stopped and smiled up at him, her legs loosening before she slid down his body to stand on the floor.

Inhaling, he tried to ignore the scent of her. Grasping her hand, he gave it a tug and walked quickly to her bedroom. Once inside, he moved to the bed, hoping to get her to it, and then he was getting out. When he was almost to his goal, she pulled on his arm and shoved him. Stumbling back, his knees hit the bed, and he dropped down to sit.

Remi quickly straddled him, jerking his t-shirt out of his jeans before he realized what was going on. Jesus, she’s made me dimwitted. Trying to balance their weight and slow her down, he almost lost the fight when she squirmed, dragging her tongue along his bare chest.

His beast was panting, more than happy with their mates’ acceptance and attention. Grasping her hair, he gently pulled her mouth away. He needed to come up with a better plan, or they’d be naked in the next minute. “Remi,” he paused when her lust-heavy eyes looked up his body at him, fuck, “baby, slow down.” Pushing up, he released her hair and flipped them so she was lying on the bed.

Moving slowly, he crawled up her body, pinning her wandering hands to the mattress. Shaking, he kissed her throat softly, working his way up. If he could just get her to lay still for a few minutes, she’d be out. “That’s better,” he crooned beside her ear. “There’s no rush.” Kissing her jaw gently, he squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that if he didn’t look at her, this would be easier. As if his senses responded, all he could do was smell her scent, and it quickly chipped away at his resolve.