“Come with me,” I whisper in Hannah’s ear, my voice rough with sudden urgency. I pluck the glass from her hand and set it down along with mine, then wrap my arm around her waist to guide her away before Aaron notices us and inserts himself into our business again. I’ve seen more than enough of him lately—I could honestly go the rest of my life without ever running into that asshole again—so I’m not about to create an opportunity for him to bother her.

“Where are we going?” she asks, her breath catching at my tone.

“You’ll see soon enough,” I reply, my fingers pressing possessively into her hip.

I lead her from the main ballroom into a quiet hallway in search of somewhere a little more private. My blood pounds in my veins as I try door after door, desperate to find somewhere—anywhere—to be alone with her. They’re all locked, so clearly the staff is trying to keep everyone corralled in one room, but I’m determined to find a place where we can be alone. Eventually, one of the doors clicks open.

“Found one,” I murmur with satisfaction, flashing Hannah a smirk as I pull her by the hand inside the small supply closet loaded with folding chairs and tables.

The door clicks shut behind us and darkness instantly swallows us, but in the last light leaking in from outside, I see hunger ignite in her eyes as I step toward her like a predator stalking its prey.

“What are you…?”

Her voice trails off as I stop in front of her. I can already feel myself getting hard just from the tension crackling between us and the thrill that’s playing out all over her face. Her expression softens as realization slowly sets in, and she blinks several times in succession as she tries to acclimate to the darkness.

I reach out to gently drag one finger up her bare forearm, and the way that goosebumps instantly appear on her skin makes my cock twitch in my pants. Her eyes snap to mine, and she swallows hard. It’s so quiet in the dark, small space that I can literally hear her heart pounding in her chest. The sound sends desire surging through me, hot and demanding.

“Thank god. I can’t wait any fucking longer,” she rasps through the blackness, and the next thing I know, her lips are on mine. The fire that’s been burning low between us all night long erupts into an inferno, and my tongue claims her mouth, forcing its way inside. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I snake my hands down her sides and reach up the slit of her dress for the bare skin on her thigh.