He shook his head. “Nope. Not going to call you.” He eyes were set in a determined line.
I licked my lips. “Not even going to try to tell me you want to see me when you’re in town again?”
“Can’t do that.” He leaned toward me. “It’s not possible.”
My heart beat faster. This was unreal.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m either completely offended or completely flattered.” I think both described the emotions I was feeling.
He wrapped an arm around my chair. “Be flattered, darlin’.” His hand made a trail against my neck and down my arm until his fingers twined between mine. “It doesn’t get any more honest than this. I’m willing to break a rule of mine for this.”
“A rule?” I started to panic. “Are you married? Is there a girlfriend? Because regardless of how long you’re here, I’m not a home wrecker.”
“Whoa. Whoa.” He put up his hands. “There is no girlfriend, and definitely no wife.” He leaned toward my ear. “Tonight, there is you. Let’s go.”
“I didn’t say yes,” I whispered. But I was thinking it. Every part of me wanted to get tangled up with him for one night. This had to be the boldest offer I’d ever received. The guy was confident.
No one would know. He wouldn’t come back. He wouldn’t hassle me into another night or break my heart because I expected something. He was fucking gorgeous and all he wanted was me.
“But you want to,” he teased. “Don’t think, come with me.”
What was there to think about? He was offering the perfect one-night stand scenario. The excitement mixed with the anticipation and muddled my thoughts. Logic had lost and my hormones took over.
I nodded. “Okay.”
“Then come on.” He pulled me from my seat and led me out of the bar.
The warm night hit me in the face, but it didn’t knock any sense into me. I fell into step next to him, realizing just how tall he was.
For once, I felt petite next to a man. It was hard being the tallest ballerina in the troupe. I was lucky to find a dance partner who met me eye-to-eye. But Sam wasn’t like those men.
We walked for a block before he stopped.
“What is it?” I asked, wondering if he had decided this was crazy.
Without warning, he pulled me behind another bar. This one had a sign for open mic night. I could hear a guitar through the open door.
“Wh-what…”
But Sam’s lips were on mine and I threw my arms around his neck. His hands snaked under my shirt and I felt the roughness of his palms skim along my back. I moaned as he dipped his tongue inside my mouth. I could taste the sweetness of the bourbon on his tongue.
It wasn’t the kiss I was expecting. A kiss between strangers should be awkward and out of sync, but this wasn’t. His mouth moved over mine as I sucked and toyed with his tongue. Our bodies matched a perfect rhythm, pressing together. This man I had known for less than an hour didn’t feel like a stranger. He felt like my everything.
My back was against the wall and Sam filled my vision. My senses. My need for something more.
He broke away and I saw the lust fire in his eyes. He could probably see it in mine.
“I needed to kiss you,” he explained.
I was speechless, either from the kiss or the fact that he was reading my mind. I had no idea how much farther we had to walk, but I hoped it wasn’t that far.
5
Sam
She tasted like something from a tropical paradise. The sweet lime on her lips was like nectar. I inhaled her, drinking her in. I almost lost control in that side alley when I heard her make that sexy little purring noise.
I tugged her hand in mine and walked quickly to the hotel. If tonight was going to happen, I wanted it to happen now. No more kisses in dark alleys. No more trying to grope her under her clothes. This wasn’t high school. I wanted to see the look on her face when I buried myself inside her.