You know what? I had no reason to be embarrassed. I wasn't the one who was slobbering all over some guy with my tits practically falling out of my shirt for the whole place to see. I had more class than that. I was a respectable girl, and I was going to act like it.
There was no way in hell I was going to let some miscreants scare me, nor was I going to care about what they thought. So, I stood tall and strutted my way back to the front of the building, ignoring all the eyes that followed me as I went. The door was in my sight, and I focused on it. I pushed the chain of my bag more securely onto my arm and continued on.
The place smelled of cheap booze and whores. I needed a shower to rid myself of the filth I was currently surrounded with. The further away I got from Cash, the more disgusted I was becoming. I picked up pace, and was feet from the door, when a guy stepped in front of me.
"Whoa there, beautiful. Where are you off to in such a hurry?" His hand landed on my shoulder, and I shook it off. He had a jagged scar across his cheek that added to his frightening character.
"I shouldn't be here," I said, but didn't feel the need to explain myself further. I doubt he even cared anyway. The desire to leave only grew as I feared Cash would come walking out with those girls on his arms, laughing at me. There was a lot I could handle, like holding my head high and leaving with my dignity, but, seeing Cash with those girls, that I couldn't deal with.
The guy took a comb out of his back pocket and ran it through his hair. I wanted to tell him that 1955 had called and they wanted their signature move back, but the last thing I wanted to do was piss this guy off.
"I'm guessing you were the distraction," he said as he put his comb back in his pocket.
"I beg your pardon?" I quipped.
"Why don't you let me get you a drink?"
"Unless you have something that doesn't come out of a can, no thank you," I spat finally finding my voice. "Now if you'll excuse me." I stepped around the man and as soon as I did, I heard him. My body froze at the deep silky voice.
Despite myself, I turned. Cash walked toward us, pulling up the zipper of his jeans, and then swiping a hand across the side of his mouth.
Repulsed, I took a step back. He could have at least had the decency to clean up before coming after me.
"Thanks for keeping an eye on my girl," Cash said, and went to put his arm around me, but I ducked out of it.
"He didn't, and I am most definitely not your girl. You made that abundantly clear back there." I pointed toward the back room, and the two girls stepped out into the hall. Unable to even look in their direction, I turned on my kitten heel, pushed past Comb Boy, and took off toward the door.
Cash's strong hand gripped my arm, and yanked me to him. My hands splayed across his hard chest, and I shoved off. "Don't!" I screamed, and swatted at his hand on my wrist. "Don't touch me after you touched them!" I glanced over his shoulder to see the two girls, leaning against the wall and snickering.
"Come on, baby, you're overreacting. I didn't even know you were coming."
"Somebody was coming alright," someone said with a snicker, which only fueled my raging anger.
"Shut the fuck up," Cash said and, when he turned toward the person, I ran out the door into the parking lot.
Now that the shock had worn off, I was appalled at the whole situation. Pissed at myself for thinking I actually had a chance with someone like Cash. Angry that he couldn't even wait a full week before he stuck his manhood into someone else. Embarrassed that I thought we actually had some sort of connection. I was a fool. A fool who thought a one-night stand meant more than what it was. This was exactly why I didn't casually hook up. I didn't know how to navigate the situation. I didn't know how to let it go. Let him go …
"Sunshine!" Cash shouted after me, but I didn't look back. He was behind me, where he belonged. It was time for me to move forward, and forget about the hot biker who turned my world upside down for a night.
I got to my Audi, and put my hand on the handle, when a familiar tattooed hand clasped mine. I ignored the current rushing through my body and reminding me of the last time he touched me. How a single touch from him changed me, and made me want things I never knew I wanted.
"Where you going, Sunshine? You just got here."
I swallowed down the rising emotion of anger and disappointment. "I never should have come."
He pressed his warm, hard body against my back, and lowered his mouth to my ear. Twinges of need shot down my neck as his hot breath skittered across my skin. Memories of our night together smashed into me. Every touch, every breath, and every single sensation that coursed through my body when we came together, stood out brightly in my mind.
He reached up, his hand brushing my hair behind my ear, before turning me to face him. His beautiful green eyes reminded me of the waterfalls of Hawaii where they spilled over moss covered rocks, and looking into them calmed me just the same.
"But you did come here. Why?"
"I wanted to see you." I snapped my eyes away from his. "But, now I know that was a mistake."
"Mistakes are only what you make them to be."
I glanced back up, cursing myself as soon as our gazes met. I fought through the raging desires streaming through my body, and reminded myself of what I had just stumbled upon only moments ago. "What does that even mean?" I questioned, not in the mood for riddles.
"Nothing has to be a mistake. It only becomes a mistake if you look at it that way."
"Don't try that psychological bull on me. It's not going to work. I have a bachelor's degree in psychology." I pushed away from him, needing to give myself a comfortable distance to keep my head straight.
"Is that supposed to make you better than me?" he questioned.
"No!" I exclaimed, shocked he thought that was a dig because it was not what I intended. "That's not what I meant."
"Really? Then, what did you mean?"
Despite myself, I closed the gap between us that I created and looked back into his eyes. "I only meant that you couldn't manipulate me."
"What makes you think I was?"
I laughed. "You were just in there." I waved my hand toward the building. "Doing … doing whatever you were doing, and then you thought you could come out here and pretend like you weren't."
The side of his mouth curled and, dammit, if it wasn't the sexiest smirk I'd ever seen. "I'm not pretending. That's one thing about me, Sunshine. I don't pretend to be someone I'm not."
He didn't say it outright, but the insinuation in his tone pissed me off. "I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not."
"Aren't you?" His finger ran down the side of my pale yellow button up, stroking the roundness of my breast. "You wear these clothes and act all innocent, yet you weren't so innocent the other night."
"Haven't you ever heard of the saying, ‘don't judge a book by its cover'?"
"Oh, I have, but I know you're just as sweet on the inside as you are on the outside." He licked his lips, and I forced my attention to the ground.
"I have to go," I said, turning back to the car and opening the door.
He pushed the door shut, leaving his hand on the frame, and trapping me. "But you just got here. At least have a drink with me."
"I can't," I whispered.
"Can't or won't?"
Anger surged through me and I spun, pointing my finger at his chest. "Honestly, I can't because you literally just had sex with two other girls." I dropped my voice, not wanting to shout what I had to say next. I looked around to make sure no one was around. "Their fluids are still on you, and, I'm sorry, that's disgusting. I am not going to stand here and act like that's okay. I'm not going to go in there and have a drink with you when the entire place knows what I walked in on. So, please. Just let me go."
"Come for a ride with me," he said as if my moment of honesty meant nothing to him. That, somehow, he could still manipulate the situation to get what he wanted.
"You always get what you want, don't you? You just have to give that smoldering, sexy look with your eyes and girls fawn all over you. You're not used to someone telling you no."
He smirked. "You think I'm sexy?"
"No. I mean yes. Maybe. That's not the point." I straightened, trying to get my rattled nerves to calm. "Out of everything I just said, that's what you picked out?"