I was nervous under his watchful eyes. I began seriously contemplating why I’d decided to ditch my friends to be in this man’s company.
“Were you able to get the stain out of your shirt?” God, why did I bring that up?
He shrugged, still intently watching me under his lowered lids. “I threw it away.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t invite you up here to talk about the shirt.”
“So why did you?”
He turned his head, glancing down at the crowd. I was sure he’d dismissed my question, and I was proved right when he changed the topic. He glanced back at me and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Juliana.”
“You’ve come here before.”
“Yeah,” I responded, but wasn’t sure he’d even asked a question.
“I’ve watched you.”
Okay… That was not a thing most people would just admit to doing.
“You like to dance, drink too much, and flirt.” He raised an eyebrow, and the last declaration sounded laced in disapproval. “A bit of a cock tease.”
“What? I didn’t come up here for you to judge me.” I sure as hell had enough of that from my father, and he sure as hell wasn’t my daddy.
I stood, but barely took two steps before he snapped, “Sit.”
He didn’t raise his voice, but his tone was enough to give me pause. I hovered over the decision to walk off with my dignity or take a seat as he’d instructed, handing all the power over to him.
His expression hardened, his piercing blue eyes silently compelling me do his bidding. I hadn’t realized I was obeying him until I felt the cushion beneath me.
He leaned forward in his seat, elbows braced on his knees, zeroing in on me. “If this is going to work, you’re going to have to drop the party girl persona.”
“If what’s going to work?”
He moved his fisted hand underneath his chin and stared at me like I was a petulant child. “I’m not a man fond of games.”
I wasn’t playing a game. Maybe I did know what he was implying, but if he was going to be bold enough to imply it, he should have the guts to say it aloud.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-three. You?”
“Older than you.”
I huffed, shaking my head in exasperation. “So I don’t know your name, you won’t tell me your age, but you’re implying we’re going to have a sexual relationship.”
“It’s not implied, Juliana. We’re going to fuck. I just need to know how many of your games I have to play to get there.”
Wow… maybe I didn’t need him to say the word outright after all. I looked away as my face warmed up, glancing to the crowd below as a distraction. As a matter of fact, it felt like my entire body lit afire from the sexy images his deeply rumbled words conjured. I’d heard a ton of lines from outgoing college boys, but from this man, it sounded more like a promise—a dare to challenge him and to be taken harder.
“I’m not interested.” I stood again, determined to escape, because his domineering should be turning me off, but it wasn’t.
Had to be the pretty face.
With a face like that, he could say strip and bend over, and most women would be all too willing. He rose, blocking my exit. His hands cupped my face as he moved in closer. “I’ll call your bluff.” And then he kissed me. An all-in or go home type of kiss, working his tongue into my mouth aggressively, his taste flooding my senses. His smooth caresses caused me to moan.
His lips moved across my jaw to my ear, and then he whispered in a smooth, whiskey tone, “How badly do you want me to fuck you now?”
I tried to hold back my shiver but ended up quietly groaning instead. There was no hiding how much I ached for him, and I was angry with myself for letting him disarm me so easily. “I have to go.”
I pushed past him, but he grabbed my arm, swinging me back.
“Wait…” His tone was different, almost desperate to keep me from leaving. “What will it take?”
I stared at him. It was on the tip of my tongue to say there was nothing he could do, but I couldn’t spit it out. He cocked an eyebrow, and I smiled slowly. “Show me that you see me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “See you? I definitely see you.”
I took a step closer, his gaze fixated on my mouth, the tip of his tongue slowly gliding across his bottom lip.
God, the man is a sexual menace.
I tugged my hand from his hold and reached out, hesitated slightly, then ran my hand over his short, fuzzy hair that was beginning to grow on his face. “Show me that you see me as more than your next piece of ass.”