New Game in Town(26)
Stopping short a few feet away from him, Gina caught Connor’s penetrating gaze.
Impervious to the rain slapping at him, Connor stood with arms crossed over his impressive chest, leaning beside the open passenger door of his parked car, waiting for her. Taking it for granted that she would pick up the gauntlet he had thrown down and meet him outside.
His taunt rang in her head—I dare you.
She swallowed tightly when he stood up straight and raised an arched brow. Watching her through narrowed eyes, he waited for her to take the final steps separating them.
I dare you.
Was it indecision that had her rooted to the spot or was it fear that tightened like a fist in the pit of her belly because she knew she was going to get into his car?
Instinctively, she knew that Connor wasn’t going to make the next move. Trepidation warring with anticipation, Gina erased the final steps between them. Standing in front of his imposing body, she craned her neck up to meet his infuriated gaze. It was hard to miss the tick jumping in his cheek. All she could say was, “You’re getting wet.”
A sardonic twist of an eyebrow, then he answered, “It’s raining.” With that said, he closed the remaining inches between them, took her arm in a firm grip and ushered her into his car. Gina winced when he shut the passenger door of his sleek sports car with barely controlled anger.
Connor got behind the wheel, but before he started the ignition, his cell rang. Glancing at it in annoyance, he answered with a clipped, “Yes.” He listened to the caller with a frown.
“I’m outside, Alex, getting ready to leave.” A pause, then he asked into the phone, “Which camera?” Nodding, he held out his phone and pressed on a few buttons, bringing up a view of the inside of the club.
Ah, that’s how he knew she was at the bar with Matt. Judging by the image on his screen, he had had a clear view of her through one of the security cameras.
“You’re right, man, take care of it for tonight and we’ll talk tomorrow. Thanks, Alex.”
Without looking in her direction, he ended the call, started the car and pulled out into the busy downtown traffic.
Unsure of what to say, Gina remained quiet, staring out at the raindrops being wiped back and forth across the windshield. It didn’t appear that Connor was in a hurry to interrupt the strained silence either.
It was only when the din of traffic dissipated that she noticed that he’d turned off onto the causeway leading into Stanley Park. The thousands of majestic cedar and fir trees lining the practically empty road created a dark canopy over them, cocooning them in the wet night.
Only the wipers moving over the windshield offered any relief to the growing silence until Connor bit off, “I asked you to wait in the lobby the other night. Imagine my surprise when I came down and found you gone.”
Glancing at him from under hooded lashes, Gina noted the hard clench of his jaw.
Okay, so they were going to talk about that night.
“Asked? Really? It sounded more like a command to me.”
Connor pulled onto a small paved peninsula overlooking the shimmering waters of the Pacific Ocean. The dark, cold night kept others away, leaving them in complete privacy. The sound of the powerful waves crashing against the rocks below them echoed between them.
“Why the games, Gina?” Turning now, he faced her.
Incredulous, Gina turned directly toward him. “Me? You’re accusing me of playing games?”
A humorless laugh escaped his chest. “Yeah, baby, you. One second you’re coming all over my mouth and squeezing my dick dry, then the next you’re taking off without a word.”
Shame at just how accurate his words were caused heat to seep into her face. What could she say to that? From the moment she had met him, she had been attracted to him on an elemental level. All he had to do was look at her and she burned with desire. She hadn’t been able to hide her attraction from either of them.
“I’ve always wondered about that email you sent. The wrong attachment, was that on purpose? Because, baby, if you were looking to get my attention, that was definitely original.”
Dumbfounded by the accusation, Gina could only stare at him in open-mouthed shock.
“Some women have pulled some crazy stunts to get a professional athlete to notice them, but that email—well I gotta say, Gina, that was hot. Tell me, if I hadn’t signed up to make your little wish list come true, who would have been the next punk to accidently receive that email from you?”
Not giving her a chance to respond, he asked mockingly, “Was one man enough to satisfy all of your needs, Gina?”
He continued without pause, “Is that why Matt was getting your special brand of attention tonight, hmm?” His hard look made him look enraged. “Getting ready to introduce him to your little games?”