“What are you going to do?” I whispered as he moved towards me like a panther tracking down its prey.
“Whatever you want me to do.”
“What if I don't want you to do anything?”
“Then we might have a problem.”
“Then we might have a problem.” I repeated as he stopped in front of me, his eyes never leaving mine as he continued moving the chain across his skin.
“Are you scared?”
“What do you think?” My eyes widened as my voice cracked. I took a deep breath. “I’m going to kill Hailey.”
“Who?” He frowned.
“My best friend. I was working for her.” I closed my eyes to avoid his intense gaze as my body shivered. “I would have been at home watching TV right now if it wasn’t for her.” My eyes popped open as his fingers touched my arm.
“What makes you so mad?” He said gently. “The fact that you took the job or the fact that you’re here?”
“The fact that I’m standing in front of a stranger with a big silver chain.” I gulped and licked my lips slowly.
“And does that make you mad or turned on?”
“What are you? A bloody professor or something? What’s with all the questions?”
“Why are you repressing your sexuality?”
“What?” My jaw dropped as I stared at him, my face heating up.
“Why can’t you celebrate being here with me? I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Let me just give you the lap dance and go.” I bit down on my lower lip. “You can keep the five grand. I think I might have given you the wrong impression of me.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“I think you are under the impression that I want to be with you in a way that I don’t.” I mumbled as I stared at his bulging biceps. Shit, he was so cut and built. I’d never seen a man as muscular and fit as him before. I wanted to reach out and touch his muscle to see if it was as rock hard as it looked.
“I see.” He took a step back. “That’s disappointing then.”
“I suppose.” I shrugged and turned away, feeling bereft and alone. Part of me wanted him to beg me to give him a chance. Part of me wanted him to stare at me with lust and desire so profound that I wouldn’t be able to say no. Deep inside, I didn’t want to say no.
“Stop.” His voice was low and gentle, yet commanding and all-consuming and my leg froze in midair. “Look at me.”
I turned towards him slowly, gazing at the look on his face. Gone was the laughing teasing man from the club. In front of me was a man so serious, so immobile that I wondered if he was the same person.
“The chains weren’t to scare you.” He pulled them off and dropped them on the ground. “I’m not going to use them on you.”
“I would think not.” I shuddered as I stared at the mass of steel on his cowhide rug.
“So this isn’t going down as I thought it would tonight.” His lips curled up in a small smile.
“What did you think was going to go down?” I asked curiously and then my phone started ringing. I looked at him and then at my handbag and he nodded at me to answer it. I walked over to my bag and lifted it up quickly and pulled out my phone. “Hello.”
“Evie, where are you?” Hailey’s voice sounded anxious. “Starr and Crystal just called me. They said you just disappeared.”
“I didn’t mean to just leave.” I mumbled, feeling guilty and hoping I hadn’t jeopardized Hailey’s job. “I just had to get out of there.”
“Where are you? Why aren’t you at home? What happened?”
“I kinda met a guy.” I whispered quickly, hoping she wouldn’t really understand what I was saying.
“You what?” She screamed into the phone.
“Hailey.” I turned away from a grinning Grant. He seemed to be enjoying eavesdropping a bit too much. “I’ll tell you more when I get home.”
“Evie Johnson, you come home right now.” She shouted into the phone.
“I thought you were on a date?” I asked suspiciously.
“I am and he’s here, but I’ll send him packing when you get here.” She sighed. “You’re not meant to hook up with the guys. You don’t know them, Evie. He could be a psycho.”
“He’s not a psycho.” I whispered, hoping Grant couldn’t hear me. “I’ll come home as soon as possible.”
“Evie, tell me where you are and I’ll come and get you.” Hailey sounded worried and I was about to turn around and ask Grant for his address when I felt his arms around waist. I froze for a second and looked up at him. “Evie?” Hailey pleaded onto my ear and I was about to speak when Grant grabbed the phone from my hand and ended the call.
“What are you doing?” My jaw dropped as he threw the phone onto the bed.
“Something I should have done as soon as you came out of the bathroom.” He spun me around and kissed me hard, his lips crushing into mine with such vigor that I fell into him. His hands crept up my back until his fingertips were pressing into my neck and the back of my head, pushing my face into his. I felt his tongue slip into my mouth as his fingers ran through my hair, tugging the strands almost painfully. I gasped against him as I felt his erection pressing into me and my hands flew to his back. His skin felt cool and soft and I ran my fingers down his back excited by the magnetic power I felt between us.
“I lied to you earlier.” He pulled back and whispered in my ear.
“About what?” I mumbled as I held onto his shoulders, lust taking over my brain.
“About a dance being enough. I want more than a dance from you, Evie. I want so much more.” He growled and picked me up, carrying me effortlessly to the bed and dropping me before lying down next to me.
“What do you want?” I swallowed as his fingers trailed down my neck.
“I want all of you.” His eyes blazed with passion as his lips replaced his fingers. I closed my eyes as I felt his teeth sinking into my skin, sucking and biting at the same time. A small moan escaped my lips as I felt his hand on my breast. My mind was overcome with thoughts and emotions as my body sang out in sweet bliss. “Is that going to be okay?” He whispered again against my neck.
“Yes.” I nodded, not thinking about anything other than this moment. “Yes, it’s okay.”
“Good.” His voice grew hoarse. “That’s the answer I wanted to hear.”