Chapter Two #2
He laughs and I feel his body shake. “Then it’s a good thing I not only like a challenge, but I’m damn good at getting what I want.”
“Whatever you say, big man.” And he is. To my five-foot-four, he towers over me at over six feet. But wrapped in his arms, I feel protected.
Watch it, Raven. Remember this isn’t meant to get serious.
He splays his large hand across my bare back and it’s all I can do not to moan at the warm, arousing touch.
Telling myself it’s just a dance, not a commitment, I place my head on his shoulder and allow myself time to just be.
I breathe in deep, taking in his familiar sandalwood and musk scent. Whenever I pass by him at work, I inhale on purpose, just to get a sniff, he smells so good. If I had my way, I’d spray it on my pillow and breathe it in all night. No doubt I’d have erotic dreams of him if I did.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen! Time to take your seats and start dinner,” the band leader says.
The rest of the evening passes quickly with good food, good friends, and a healthy dose of arousal with Remy by my side. He’s a total gentleman, talking to the people at our table, but his focus is on me.
After dessert, when I think I’m home free, he rises from his seat and extends a hand. “One last dance,” he says. Again, not a question but an assumption I’ll say yes.
And I do, standing, accepting his hand and letting him lead me back to the dance floor. This time, we come together naturally, moving in sync and silence. He holds me close, and my body tingles with awareness and my panties are done for.
The band leader announces the last song and they begin to play a final fun dance number. Instead of leading me to my seat where my purse is, Remy pulls me to a corner of the room far from the speakers, instruments, and noise.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing. Tonight, everything has been right.” He places a hand beneath my chin and tilts my head so I meet his gaze. “Do you agree?”
I swallow hard. Looking into his whiskey-colored eyes, I find it impossible to argue. “I do.”
He lowers his head slowly, giving me every opportunity to stop the inevitable, but we’ve been building toward this all evening and I want this.
So much. And then his mouth is on mine, warm, soft, and gentler than I imagined he’d be.
He moves his lips back and forth, as if savoring our first kiss.
Completely on board, I kiss him back, wrapping my arms around his neck and hanging on while he parts my lips and his tongue meets mine.
A low groan rumbles through him and I rise onto my toes to take more. I’m not sure how long we stand in the corner, wrapped in each other, unaware of anyone or anything else until finally, he braces his hands on my hips and lifts his head.
Oxygen returns to my brain and suddenly I realize what we’ve done. A quick glance around tells me nobody is watching and I blow out a relieved breath. But even if we’d been caught making out like teenagers, I wouldn’t regret the stolen moment.
“That was better than I imagined it would be,” he says, a hazy fog of desire in his gaze.
“And have you imagined us kissing?” I want desperately to hear his answer.
“Every night of the week.”
Surprise ripples through me at his reply. I look at him, expecting his patented, sexy grin. Instead, his expression is serious as he holds out his hand. “Come upstairs with me?”
This time he asks, and if anything will break through the walls I try to keep high, that kiss and giving me a choice has done it. After what I’ve been through in the past, telling me we’ll dance is one thing. Informing me we’ll be going upstairs to his room, quite another.
Remy has proven he’s smart enough to read my needs and show he respects my choices. I find that, along with his alpha-like tendencies, hot as hell.
Finally, his question registers. “You booked a room?” I’m surprised considering he has an apartment farther downtown.
He shakes his head. “But I do have connections.” He winks at me and dammit, I’m charmed by him. “And, if you say yes, I sure as hell don’t want to take the time to get my car and drive us to my place.” He reaches out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
The brush of his fingertips against my cheek has me trembling and my nipples harden beneath my flimsy halter dress. The one that doesn’t allow me to wear a bra.
“We’d be so good together, Raven.”
Yes. Yes, we would be, I think, and sway toward him as he speaks, his deep voice beckoning to my baser instincts.
I’ve been fighting my attraction to him for so long, too afraid to get close to him. To anyone, really. But tonight he’s demolished my walls and I’ve allowed myself to want something that in the long run, I can’t have.
But don’t I deserve this one night of pleasure?
I can’t imagine him wanting more, either.
He’s not the type of man to flaunt his affairs.
In the time since he bought into the bar, I’ve never seen him with a woman or heard him mention a serious girlfriend.
I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s probably a one-night stand kind of guy, which works in my favor.
“Raven.”
His gruff voice breaks into my thoughts. “Is the decision that difficult?” he asks.
It really isn’t. I shake my head in reply.
“Is that a yes?” he asks and I nod.
“One night. And we don’t allow things to get awkward at work.”
Before I can process my decision, he grabs my hand and walks us back to the table so I can retrieve my bag. Although I want to say good night to the happy couple, they’re surrounded by family with no way for us to get close.
We agree to make our apologies later and soon he’s led me to the lobby, booked a room, and we’ve taken a crowded elevator to the sixteenth floor.
When he asked me to come upstairs, I told myself it was one night. One I deserve, since I haven’t been with any man in way too long and I know sex with Remy will be incredible.
But as he slides the key card into the door and I hear the click, I’m forced to admit there’s more going on between us than just sex.
He’s kept one hand on me since I agreed to join him tonight, maintaining the connection I began to feel on the dance floor and that he solidified with a kiss I felt down to my toes.
Remy makes me feel wanted and that’s something sorely lacking in my life. But as much as I like the warm, gooey feelings sliding around in my body and my mind, I warn myself that all I can have is this one night. So I intend to make the most of it.