Page 56 of Elling & Jackie

She counted to five and stepped out into the hallway, closing her door, and darted into Elling's room.

"Yes, you did," said Terri.

"Great. Thank you." She looked up at Elling and raised her brows. The distraction worked because Terri would've changed the computer screen. "See you tomorrow night."

Disconnecting the call, she pointed toward the hallway. "I didn't want her to see me on the camera. I'm not supposed to go inside any of the rooms that are occupied by guests."

"Rebel," he murmured.

He wasn't wrong. She'd always been one who wanted what she couldn't have. Touch what she couldn't reach. Hear what she wasn't allowed to know.

"Where did you go today?" She shut the door to his room. "You left so fast."

"Later. Right now, I want some of this." He hooked his finger in the V of her shirt, trailing the back of his finger between her collar bone, over her throat—she swallowed— and around her neck, palming the back of her head. "Hell, you feel good."

She tilted her head back in resignation that she was powerless to stop what was happening. "This is so wrong."

"It doesn't feel wrong." He brought her closer. "It feels good. Right."

"My family will kill you for touching me," she said softly.

"I'm not scared of your family, Jacqueline." His deep voice rolled through her. "I'm not planning on sleeping with your family. I don't want your family. The only one I care about is you."

She closed her eyes, needing his strength and bravery. Her family was a scary enemy. She understood and accepted them for what they were, but for the first time in her life, she wanted something so bad that could start a war between the two clubs.

Opening her eyes, she whispered, "What are we doing?"

"We're taking what we both want." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "It's my last night here. I'll be gone in the morning."

Her chest squeezed, and she grabbed his vest. She wasn't ready for him to walk out of her life and never see him again. Their paths wouldn’t cross if his business at the hotel were over. He'd never be allowed on Brikken property. She would never walk on Slag's property.

"I don't want you to go." She lowered her chin.

His Slag patch stared her in the face. She couldn't compete with his club. She wouldn't want to. But she wanted him.

"I'll see you again." He raised her head and held her jaw in his trembling hand. "Somehow, we'll make this work."

She stared into his eyes, wanting to believe he could stay in her life. "Nobody can know."

"We'll be careful."

"We'll keep it a secret," she said, agreeing with him.

"Ja. We can do that." He brought her forward and lowered his head, capturing her lips.

Thrilled at the prospect of continuing to get to know him and having him all to herself, she stood on her tiptoes and looped her arms around his neck.

He pressed his hand against her lower back and held her tightly. His excitement palpable, she opened her mouth and tasted the heat of him.

A moan bubbled out of her. She lowered her hands, pushing at the leather on his shoulders. Breaking her mouth from his, she said, "I want to feel all of you."

She'd never had him fully naked against her, in her arms, on her. He was a big, hard man, and she wanted to experience his muscles moving and see his unconcealed reaction to her. She wanted him stripped of his vest.

She didn't want the Slag member.

She wanted the man.

She wanted Elling Halvorsen.