All Good Things(9)

"What about me?" I whispered. He was so close to me I could smell him. It was a delicious scent that overpowered my mind, throwing my senses into overdrive. My every nerve felt stimulated and my every hair stood on end, as though the static in the room had been corrupted by his powerful energy.

"Everything, Olivia." He replied, and I lost my breath. "I want to know everything."

I swallowed. "There's not much to know."

"Of course there is." He smiled a ghost of a smile. A haunted shadow passed through his blue eyes before it was gone. Their icy depths were staring at me with an intensity that burned.

"I don't know what to say." I admitted. I cursed the fact that I had never really bothered to date since the disaster of a relationship I had in university. My parents had adored him, but he had been a jerk. My parents were the only reason I stayed with him for so long. If he hadn't been the reason they looked at me with pride for the very first time in my life, I never would have put up with his shit.

"Tell me about you." He commanded, and I shivered. His eyes burned as he stared down at me with...interest? No, someone like him couldn't possibly be interested in someone like me. And, I honestly didn't want him to be...did I? "What's your favorite pastime?"

Seriously, he wanted to know what I did with my free time? Well, I was pretty damned boring. "I like to read."

The corner of his mouth twitched, pulling his lips into a half-grin. "What is your favorite food?"

I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest. He was not playing fair. "What's your favorite pastime?"

Darkness settled over his features, but his eyes never wavered from my face. "You don't want to know." I shivered again and his eyes flashed. "If you keep shivering, I'm going to be forced to find a way to warm you up."

I didn't know why his words sounded so threatening, but my lips formed an 'o' as my mind envisioned the many enjoyable ways he could warm me up. I shook the thought from my mind, scolding myself internally for my rash track of thought. Jeez, he was going to give me an aneurism. I said the only thing I could think to say, "I like Italian."

His brows raised and he chuckled. "I like Italian too." Oh, good. He could respond like a normal person. "I know an excellent restaurant. I would like to take you."

My heart raced as my mind deciphered the meaning of his words. Was he asking me out? I shook my head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"I happen to think that it's an exceptional idea, but I'm interested, so please indulge me. Why do you think it's a bad idea?"

I felt as though I were floundering in the intensity of his gaze. "I don't date."

He cocked his head, grinning devilishly. "I don't date either, Olivia."

"Oh," I blushed. "Well then,"

"Is that a yes?"

Was it? God, I wanted to...but I knew better. He was bad! He was the worst kind of bad. Good lord, he would be a devastating danger to the sanity of my mind and heart. "No."

His eyes burned with curiosity. Did he not realize I just rejected him? "So, it's a no?"

Was he dense? "I don't want to go out with you."

"May I ask why not?"

"No." I shook my head.

"Well, I'm going to ask regardless." His gaze swept my face, and I flushed...again. "Why?"

I tried to measure my uneven breaths. "I apologize if this is rude, but I do not associate with men like you."

"Men like me?"

I nodded, feeling bold and a tad frustrated. "Yes, men like you."

"You think you have me pegged?"

"I do."

"Please, enlighten me as to what kind of man you assume me to be." His words were gruff. I had offended him. That had not been my intention, but if that was what needed to happen for him to leave me alone, then, so be it. Offense was unavoidable.

"You're dangerous."

"I am." He confirmed, interrupting me.

I paled, but continued. "You toy with women's emotions and use your looks to your advantage in swaying the resolve a woman places against you. I have no interest in tangoing with a man like you."

His posture was stiff as he took in my harsh words. "I do use women, but not first without their consent. I assure you, if it is my desire, they find equal pleasure in my company, as I do, in theirs. I admit my looks are an advantage, but there are many other compensations I occupy that enable me to possess the women I crave." He lifted his hand from his side before sliding his fingers beneath my chin, tilting my face back, forcing me to meet his eyes. "I crave you."

My heart was beating erratically in my chest. He was so much more dangerous than I thought. The fact that I was turned on by his words was confirmation I could never meet with Jace again. He would destroy me, of that I was certain. "You are impossible," I breathed.