Take Me for Granted (Take Me #1)(16)
Author: K.A. Linde

Grant finished out the lyrics to the last song, which had to be my favorite. “That’s our show. Thanks for coming out to see us. We’re ContraBand. See you in a few weeks.”

The crowd cheered, and I joined in with the applause. My eyes were still trained on Grant, and after he put his guitar back on its stand, he found me again in the crowd. He crooked his finger at me, and my cheeks heated. Cheyenne nudged me forward through the dispersing group of people to the side of the stage.

“Hey,” I managed to get out over the noise in the room.

“Come here you,” Grant said, holding out his hand.

I wavered for a second before the girls made up my mind for me and pushed me forward. I walked straight up the stairs to Grant.

He smirked. “Hey, Princess.”

Oh, those goddamn nicknames! At least it isn’t darlin’!

“I didn’t wear my glass slippers tonight.”

“Then, I guess that means you won’t be leaving me at midnight either,” he said, taking my hand and walking me toward the stage exit.

I glanced over my shoulder for a brief moment and saw my friends freaking out along with a whole lot of other girls glaring at me. I raised my head and attempted to look like I belonged exactly where I was going. It was what I’d been raised to do. Though, my parents had probably instilled it in me for when I would meet politicians and CEOs, not for when I was walking backstage at The Ivy League.

The backstage area actually wasn’t much of a backstage. It was more like a long hallway with a restroom, a closet, and two exits. The other guys in the band were standing in the hallway. I only recognized Vin because he had tried to drug me, and he was now interested in Cheyenne.

“Picking early, Grant?” Vin asked, eyeing me up and down.

Oh, dear Lord, did he actually think I was a groupie? I opened my mouth to make sure he knew that I wasn’t, but Grant was already pulling me down the hallway.

“Something like that,” he said over his shoulder.

“Are you going to let them think that we’re coming back here for a reason?” I hissed as we walked away.

“That’s exactly what I’m going to let them think.” He wrenched me through the closest door.

The room was bigger than it looked from the outside. It looked more like an employee break room.

“I’m not some groupie,” she said, trying for a playful attitude. I fluttered my eyelashes at him, placed my hand on his chest, and mockingly leaned into him as if I were. “Oh, baby, take me now,” I purred.

Grant reached for me, and I slithered out of his grasp. I twirled slowly in a circle, knowing his eyes were on me, and then I beckoned him forward. When I backed away and tried to sidestep him again, I almost got past him, but he was too fast, and I was in heels. He pinned me back against the table, and I was lost in his dark brown eyes.

“If you keep teasing me like that, I’ll make you one,” he growled.

I laughed softly, trying to slow my thudding heart, as he nipped at my ear.

“I was just joking.” I pushed him off me and straightened out my dress.

“Darlin’, joking about sex with me when you’re not offering it up might not be in your best interest.”

He had a playful glint in his eye, but I knew he was serious.

“So, you came to my show.”

“Well, you stopped stalking me, so I thought I’d give it a go.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, yeah? How’s that working out for you?”

“I think it’s working out better for me than it did for you.”

“I like that.” He dropped his hands to my waist and ran his hands down my sides and before landing on my hips. “I’ve been thinking about you.”

I took a step forward, startled by his honesty. “You’ve been thinking about me?”

“Mmhmm…about this.”

His lips touched mine, and just like last time, I felt myself giving in to him. I thought I’d imagined how intoxicating his kisses were, but my memory hadn’t done this justice. The only thing I could focus on was the electricity between us. Heat pooled in my stomach and radiated from my center.

Grant moved me to the couch to sit next to him. He dragged my bottom lip between his teeth and then captured me in another searing kiss. My breathing was ragged. My arm was around his neck, the other grasping his side. My leg was nestled against his, and as he drew me closer, it slipped over his knee. His hand dropped down on my bare leg. I didn’t even have a mind to move him. His kisses were keeping me completely occupied.

He positioned me to straddle him. My dress rode up dangerously high, and I squirmed, wondering if I was letting this go too far. But he kept his lips on mine, and that energy was burning its way through me.

Both his hands were on my legs now, and I could feel his calloused fingertips trailing up my thigh. They were featherlight touches at first, making my whole body hum, as he traveled higher and higher. His hand slipped under my short dress, and I let out a soft gasp against his mouth. He grinned at my response as he slowly traced the line of my underwear. My body quivered at the touch, and I seriously contemplated letting him do whatever he wanted with me. How did he get me this flustered?

He distracted me with his mouth, but this time, he pressed his luck, tugging lightly at my underwear. His finger slid under the material, and he swiped it down my core. That brought me back to my senses. I jumped out of his lap faster than I’d thought I could move in these heels and yanked my dress back down.

Jesus, I was about to become a groupie if I couldn’t get a hold of myself. Gripping the table, I took a few deep breaths. I didn’t care if he saw how worked up he’d gotten me. I just had to stop.

Grant casually leaned back, looking completely unperturbed that I’d run away. Well, aside from the large bulge in his jeans.

I averted my gaze quickly. “I should probably get back to my friends.”

He stood and moved so that he was in front of me again. He tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind my ear and planted another kiss on my lips. “Are you sure?” he asked, his hands finding the hem of my dress again.

“Sure, um…yes,” I said.

“Your body disagrees.”

He started to slide my dress back up over my hips, but I stilled his hands.

“My friends,” I said more confidently.

He sighed. I guessed he was realizing he wasn’t going to get anywhere else with me right now.

He checked his watch. “Ten minutes.”

“What?”