A Deal with Demakis(37)

                “You’ve never what?” His gaze widened with a dangerous curiosity that sent a pang of alarm through her. “With all your antiquated notions, did you refuse to put out, Lexi? Is that why he left you?”

                Her gut flopped. She shivered, amazed at his razor-sharp mind. He was so close to the pathetic truth. “The P.I. couldn’t figure out if I had already lost my V card?” She was attracted to Nikos, and it was nothing like she had ever felt before. It was intense, and it made her feel frayed, as if she was coming apart at the seams.

                Why else would his amusement hurt so much?

                He grabbed her wrist and tugged her closer. “Articles in Cosmo have nothing over practical experience.”

                “Are you volunteering then?” she said, before she could lock away the thought. “Will you help me practice so that I can then seduce Tyler away from your sister?”

                A cavern of tension sucked them right in.

                His dark gaze moved over her with lingering precision from the top of her hair to her feet clad in open-toed sandals. There was such a jaded look in those eyes that something within her rebelled and twisted.

                He had no interest in her. She had seen his type and like every other man on the planet, it was boobs and legs. Neither of which she possessed enough to count, sadly.

                For the first time in her life, she wished she had paid more attention to her clothes, had worn proper makeup. Because she wanted him to feel that hunger she felt for him, she wanted him to be mindless in his craving for her.

                “I’m sure I can be persuaded,” he finally answered.

                The color leached from Lexi’s face, leaving a pale mask behind.

                Nikos instantly regretted his words.

                She recovered fast, her mouth trembling with her fury. “I’m glad I’m such a source of amusement for you, but I’d rather be dumped by Tyler another hundred times than take you up on your offer. I’d rather sleep with one of the guys that frequent the club. You’re unfeeling, manipulative and arrogant. You’re toying with me just for the fun of it, and I don’t need your pity sex.”

                She ran out of the garage as though the very devil was behind her. Stunned by how hard her words hit, Nikos forced himself to breathe, a storm of inexplicable emotion surging through him.

                He had never meant to hurt her. He had only needled her, as he always did. His curiosity about every facet of her life, about her relationship with Tyler, it knew no bounds, shattering his usual reserve.

                Had he hit the truth? Was there no end to her innocence? Why should it matter to him if she had slept with her blasted boyfriend or not? So he had covered his stunned reaction to it by needling her some more.

                Are you volunteering?

                Yes.

                His body roared with its own answer. But he didn’t want just sex, he wanted her. For the first time in his life, he wanted something that he didn’t even understand.

                He understood the pull he felt for her. It was more than just attraction; it was something as unique as the woman herself.

                Her upbringing, her isolation even after the way she surrounded herself with people, her loneliness—it was like looking at an image of himself he didn’t know existed. Only a better one, with compassion, affection, love.

                And the fact that he was letting her burrow under his skin, blared like an alarm in his head.