Wild Thing

4. Four

Four

DYLAN

We ordered another round.

By this point, our conversation was free-flowing, flirtatious and familiar. It had gotten dark outside. It must have been nearing dusk, but it was hard to tell with the rain pelting on the windows.

The butterflies pooled in my stomach as I admitted to myself how deeply attracted I was to him. Even after all those years. That feverish energy between us was very much alive and well.

Brax kept looking at my tits.

His gaze would drop down to my cleavage, which was impressive in my black bodysuit. The fullness of my breasts were clearly visible with my gold all seeing eye necklace hanging down low, right in the line of my cleavage.

“That’s a nice necklace,” Brax remarked when I caught him staring at my tits. "Looks good on you."

We both knew he wasn't referring to my necklace.

I fingered the jewellery and coyly thanked him with my eyes, dragging my finger across my chest. He was purposefully making me feel desired, and I was allowing him to. I hadn't felt that feeling in a long time and I was fucking loving it.

But the blissful, buzzed bubble I had been in popped when I spied Steven, the arrogant asshole from my team, walk into the bar and head straight towards me. I'd already given Brax an overview on Steven earlier when I went into detail about what it was like to work at Gellar and Summers.

"This is that asshole I was telling you about," I warned Brax. I'd lifted my wine glass to my lips so Steven couldn’t see or hear the disdain in my voice.

“Hey!” Steven exclaimed, squeezing in between us. He draped one of his arms across the back of my bar stool. “How’s it going? How great is this hotel?”

This was the kind of small talk that made me want to die.

Dryly, I agreed. “Yeah, it's really nice.”

Steven gestured to Brax with a nod of his head. “And who’s this?”

“This is Braxton. An old… friend.”

“Hey,” Brax offered his tattooed hand, which Steven shook. "Nice to meet you."

“Nice to meet you too. You from here?”

God, Steven. Fuck off.

“No, here for work.”

"What do you do? Murder for hire?" Steven laughed loudly at his tragic joke and slapped Brax on the back.

Brax cleared his throat, while I screwed up my nose.

“Kidding," Steven said, totally unfazed at his pitiful attempt at humor. "I’m an architect. I work with the lovely Dylan," Steven winked at me. "But not for too much longer. I'm leaving after one last project. I've made so much fucking money and haven't had a chance to spend it, so it's an early retirement for me.”

Steven grinned and waited for a reaction from either of us. He got nothing except a dead-eyed look from me and a cold as ice glare from Brax.

I gave Brax a sly smile. I loved that he literally didn’t give a shit what Steven did for a living. Steven was used to people swooning over the fact that he was an architect and walked around like he was God’s gift to everyone and everything, so I relished in Brax give him a much needed slice of humble-go-fuck-yourself-pie.

Steven turned his attention back to me.

“Hey Dyl, a few of us are going to head to a steakhouse down the road for dinner tonight if you want to join? Few drinks, good company. Could be fun?”

“Tempting,” Not. I’d rather eat glass. “But I’m busy. I’m meeting a friend for dinner.”

“You sure? Agency is paying…” Steven said in his stupid sing-song voice that made him sound even more like a dick.

He looked me up and down. He didn’t even try to hide his perversion. Steven had always been a creep towards me and I'd always rejected his advances. He was in his late 40s, unhappily married. I guess to some women he might have been attractive if ego and loud booming voices were their thing.

Dismissing him again, I reinforced my answer. “I’m sure. Thanks for the invite.”

“Okay. See you on Monday then,” Steven said, visibly disappointed. “Have a good night.”

Brax offered a slight smile and a chin nod, looking a bit… jealous?

A few moments passed in silence.

“He’s on the stalk,” Brax deadpanned.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Stalk. As in, he is definitely interested in you. Like a stalker.”

Rolling my eyes, I downplayed Steven’s cringe-worthy behavior. “He is always like that.”

“Dyl, he was staring at your tits.”

“Maybe he liked my necklace.” I giggled as I took a sip of my wine.

Brax grinned. His dark hair fell into his eyes. I wanted to reach over and run my fingers through the loose strands.

But I didn't.

“So, are you really meeting up with a friend tonight? Or was that just bullshit to get Steven off your back?”

“It's the truth. I’m meeting a girlfriend for dinner.”

"Damn," Brax ran a tattooed hand through his hair and sighed in disappointment. “I was going to ask you for dinner.”

Huh, what, how, huh?!

My heart thumped. The possibility of seeing Brax again felt exhilarating to me.

“Maybe another time.”

“How about tomorrow?”

I curled the ends of my long hair in between my fingers and pretended to think about it. I prayed my attempt to be totally cool, totally unbothered and totally unfazed was working. “Well, that depends on what you were thinking of eating?”

“I know a great seafood restaurant.”

“Are my dislikes that forgettable?”

A shy smile formed across his face, before he dropped the weight of his stare onto me. “Nothing about you is forgettable.”

Brax leaned over and put his hand on my thigh.

His touch made me take a sharp breath. It was like being brought back to life with a defibrillator. I eye-fucked him then and there, and then broke the gaze.

“I do know a place,” he said, removing his hand from my leg. “Italian, not far from here.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay. That sounds great.”

What’s dinner with an old friend? Harmless.

“Meet me here tomorrow. Six-thirty?”

“Sure.”

Checking my watch, I realized Taylor wouldn’t be far away. “I really should go and get ready. My friend will be here soon.”

“I should head up to my room too actually, considering I’m still wearing drenched clothing.”

My eyebrows raised in total shock. “You’re staying here?”

“Of course I’m staying here. Why would I have come to this bar otherwise?”

"I don't know," I replied. My stomach twisted. Here?! This just got ten times more complicated. "I just thought you were escaping the rain.”

Brax smiled wide. “Looks like we’ll be running into each other all week, Miss Forrester.”

Oh boy.

Brax slid off his stool and waited for me to sign off the tab. Sliding my bag over my shoulder, I could feel him watching what I was doing. By the way he swallowed, I wondered if he was struggling to keep his hands to himself.

I know I was.

I placed my hand on my hip. “What?”

“Nothing. I just can’t believe you’re standing here in front of me.”

I couldn't believe it either. I held his stare for a few seconds before I let a little smile shimmy across my lips.

We left the bar together and walked through the grand foyer. Even in silence, it felt comfortable. There was a small crowd of people waiting as we arrived at the elevators.

“What floor are you?” Brax asked.

“Fourteen. You?”

“Twenty-two.”

Okay, phew. There was several floors separating us. I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

The doors pinged open, and after the flurry of people made their way out, we entered. It was a packed elevator, forcing our bodies to squish up on each other.

I pressed my back into Brax’s front. I’d be damned if I was going to push up against a stranger. It was then I noticed his distinctly spicy scent; sandalwood and leather. Like the forest after a rainstorm in the summertime.

Brax slid one arm around my waist to steady me, hooking his thumb into the loophole of my jeans. His arm around my waist felt so… intimate. And so fucking good.

We rode the elevator in silence, and I swore everyone could hear my thunderous heartbeat. A few stops on the lower levels, and pretty soon, it was just Brax and I.

His body continued to press against mine, even with no one else left. We glared at each other in the reflection of the elevator doors as it traveled towards my floor. I could feel Brax's breath on my neck as his muscular, tattooed arm remained tightly wrapped around my waist.

Neither of us moved.

It was at that moment that I knew we were definitely going to have sex. It wasn't a matter of if, but when.

Arriving at the fourteenth floor, Brax slid his arm away but ever so slightly grazed my ass. A purposeful accident, I was sure.

“See you tomorrow, Wild Thing.”

I turned my head, giving him a slight smile as I exited the elevator towards my suite. I could feel his eyes burning into my ass as I heard the elevator doors close.

I didn’t look back as I strode towards my door because I was fucking cool and not desperate for my ex's attention.

I needed a cold shower. I felt hot and lightheaded.

Must have been the wine.

It surely had nothing to do with my hot as hell ex-boyfriend showing up unexpectedly.

Yep, definitely just the wine.