She felt like a fool because she didn’t know the rules. Didn’t know the rules because she’d never played the game. “Oh. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“I’m not offended. Just a little surprised by your straightforwardness.”
“Why?” No one she knew was surprised by it, but then she wasn’t exactly dressed for her usual role as CEO and head engineer of Starpower Industries. There she was unequivocally confident and master of her domain. Here she was nervous, out of place, and utterly attracted to this guy. Maybe he didn’t like strong women? She hoped she didn’t intimidate him. Perhaps she should pretend to be meek, timid, and afraid, because she was feeling all those things at the moment and it rattled her to her core.
Owen stared at her for a long moment and just when she thought he was going to get up and leave her, he said, “Would you like to meet my friend Kellen? He’s over in the corner booth waiting for me.”
Caitlyn looked in the direction Owen indicated with a nod of his head. She could see silky black hair on the crown of Kellen’s head, but the rest of him was concealed by the high-backed booths. Caitlyn immediately realized what this was about. The good-looking one, Owen, captured unsuspecting women for his homely friend Kellen. It explained perfectly why he was coming on to her in the first place. Wouldn’t they be surprised when she turned the tables on them and rejected them both? She didn’t like to be taken for a fool.
“Sure.”
Owen rose from his seat, and she couldn’t help but notice the hard cut of his body and how his perfectly pressed shirt clung to his shoulders and chest. How it tapered down to be tucked into a pair of well-made slacks that accentuated his narrow hips. A leather belt drew her attention to his trim waist. She’d seen pictures of guys built like this, but wasn’t sure if she’d ever encountered one in real life. It took her a moment to realize he was holding his hand out in her direction. She slid her palm into his, finding it warm, strong and, apart from the calluses on his fingertips, smooth. She couldn’t help but wonder what those fingers would feel like against her skin.
She slipped from her chair and stood on the spindly high heels she’d purchased at the club’s basement shop. They were white patent leather and made her pretty white negligée seem a little less innocent. She’d chosen the piece of lace lingerie because they wouldn’t let her in the club wearing her tweed and denim and it was the least trashy of the items they offered. Plus, the short teddy came with a thigh-length gauzy robe which, though transparent, gave her the illusion that she wasn’t showing so much bare skin to strangers. She wondered why the one man she wanted to see naked had been allowed to bypass the no-street-clothes rule. Owen was dressed all in black, except he was barefoot. Every other person in the room was at least partially undressed, and a few were entirely naked.
Clutching her transparent robe at the waist, she took a hesitant step. While she didn’t wear heels in the lab, she wore them in the boardroom, but she’d never worn a pair four inches high until tonight. She was so busy concentrating on not breaking her neck that she didn’t realize Owen had stopped until his hand touched her arm. She froze in midstep and looked at him in question. What had she done wrong this time? She was so not used to this scene.
Owen’s eyes raked down her body. “Mmm. You must realize I asked you to stand so I could get a better look at you,” he said.
Anywhere else in the world, she’d have been pissed by his blatant come-on and told him to go f**k himself, but here, she was expecting it. In a strange way, hoping for it. She was going to let this happen tonight. Tonight, but probably never again.
“And?”
“Even better than I’d fantasized. Stunning. Now walk that way so I can check out your ass without you noticing.” He winked at her, and she burst out laughing.
“You’re bad,” she said.
“You have no idea.” The devilish grin left his face and his expression warmed, leaving him looking sweet and gentle. “I can be good, if that turns you on. What turns you on, Caitlyn?”
“You,” she blurted, and heat rose up her cheeks. She couldn’t believe she’d actually said that, even if it was true.
“Then I’ll improvise,” he said.
He placed a hand on the small of her back to urge her toward the booth where his homely friend was waiting to make his move after Mr. Smooth Operator took his leave. Caitlyn focused on keeping her ankles from twisting as she stalked in that direction. It was impossible for her to walk in heels without taking confident steps. She forced herself not to look behind her to see if Owen really was checking out her ass. She hoped he enjoyed the view. The white thong she wore couldn’t be hidden, even with the gauzy robe in place.
She paused at the table, eyes going wide when Owen’s presumably ugly friend looked up from his beer. Kellen was on par with his gorgeous friend, even though they looked nothing alike. Where Owen had blue eyes, dirty-blond hair, and even features, Kellen was rugged and dark. Dark hair, dark eyes, dark mood. He was shirtless, which allowed her to scan the tattoos that decorated the hard muscles of his broad chest. His black hair was straight and just long enough to brush his collarbones. He looked untamed, like a Plains warrior. She could easily picture him astride a Paint Horse, hair flying out behind him as he aimed his bow at some animal he hunted. This guy was ruthless and hard. At least that was her impression until he smiled and his features softened. Her heart thudded so hard, she thought it might explode in her chest. Okay, if these two planned a bait and switch, she wouldn’t mind at all. Her goal to have sex with a hot, young stranger would be fulfilled by either of them.
“Is Owen making an ass out of himself again?” Kellen asked as his gaze shifted above her shoulder to his friend.
“Can’t help it,” Owen said. “I had to corral her before some other jerk found enough confidence to approach her.”
He moved close behind her, and she was promptly engulfed by his warmth. An instant later she caught the scent of his clean-smelling aftershave. Her eyelids fluttered.
“Would you like to sit?” Kellen asked her.
Yeah, on Owen’s naked lap. Or yours. Yours would work. Because now she didn’t feel the need to screw every man in the club to help her get over her ex. Just one. Or maybe two.
“You’d better do it soon,” Owen whispered close to her ear, “or I’m going to bend you over that table and break the club’s no-penetration-in-the-lounge rule.”