I smiled and turned my hand over so our palms were joined.“How about I take you out tomorrow and show you?”
His surprise was painted on his face, but he nodded his acceptance.“It's... a date.”
“Does dating make you uncomfortable?”
“We'll have to wait and see.”
I gaped at him.“Are you saying you've never been on a date?”
He shook his head.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-nine.”
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.“How is that even possible? You seem... well-versed in women.”
He smirked as he pulled his hand away and ran it into his hair.“That I am.”
“So women just let you... take what you want and disappear?”
“Most times we have an understanding. Other times...” He pressed his lips together and shrugged.“Yeah.”
“Can we come to an understanding that's not what I want?”
He leaned in again and ran his fingers up and down my arm as his gaze became sultry and suggestive.
I could definitely see why it would be so easy for him with women. My body was screaming yes and bowing toward him involuntarily.
But my mind was set. Proceed with caution,it warned.“I don't know what I want. Usually I never get past a couple dates with anyone.”
“So we’ll do it your way. Date and let you decide when you want me to... take you.” He winked at me, and it was really unfair that he was so charismatic when he was being overtly forward.
I took a deep breath and pulled my arm away from him. He was pulling me in too quickly, and his touches made matters worse. He quietly accepted my need for space. So we talked for over an hour, mostly about his company and school. By the time he dropped me off at my place, I knew this man was going to change me. He was after me, and I was going to let him have me in any way he wanted.
Chapter Five
Juliana
Trace poked his head into my room. “Your date’s here.”
I smiled at him in the mirror, a little excited, and a lot nervous. I was way out of my league when it came to Devlin, and that was the main reason I wanted to take things slower, make him see me for me before I became an insignificant notch in his bedpost. I wasn’t expecting love and a happily ever after, but I needed to feel like I would be remembered for more than a new set of legs to slide between.
“This is crazy, right? I shouldn’t go.”
Trace heaved a sigh as he stepped in the room and came up behind me. “Do you like him?”
I bit my lip and nodded. “But he’s...”
“What? Dark and dangerous?” He growled in jest, but I really did fear Devlin’s claws. I felt things when I was near him that shouldn’t be so prevalent this soon. “Every girl likes the bad boy.” He paused, then frowned. “Well, most of them do.”
He was referring to Claire, but he was wrong. She did like him. Most girls did like the bad boy, but they also feared him enough to keep him at bay. Maybe I’d be wise to do the same.
“Trace, I’m old enough to know bad boys are exciting, but will shred you to pieces when you least expect it.”
“And that’s why you shouldn’t go,” Claire announced from the doorway. Her disapproval of the situation was clear from the first night at Devlin’s club. She’d spent the whole trip home lecturing me on how stupid it was to get involved with men like Devlin. I wished I had the kind of wall around me that Claire did. Then I wouldn’t be so susceptible to Devlin in spite of the things I saw coming.
Maybe, instead of drawing this out and trying to leave a mark on him, I should just sleep with him and get it over with. At this point, I was pretty sure the mark he’d leave on me would be akin to him branding me, and it would be deeper than any memory I’d leave him with.
“I know, Claire.” I picked up my purse, slipped into a pair of red sneakers, and hoped Devlin wasn’t overdressed for what I had planned.
“But you’re going anyway?”
I glanced at her, and that look was enough to make her shake her head in disapproval as I scooted past her. I made my way down the hallway and came to a stuttering stop when I was in full view of Devlin.
Yup, overdressed, but breathtaking.
Devlin
I’m an asshole.
I knew that, but was still going through with this. Getting involved with Juliana was really fucked up on my part. It was sick and twisted, even for me.
The closer I got to her, the more uncomfortable she made me. Everything she did and said was completely unexpected. She pushed me out of my comfort zone every time we were together, and giving her control of the evening’s activities was also a mistake. I liked to be in control and plan ahead. Her trying to surprise me was not appealing.