Fearless Hero

“Oh yeah? What kind of business?”

The playful grin slipped off her face and she finished the rest of her drink.

“I’m sorry. Forget I asked. I’m here to escape work stress myself, so I know what that’s like.”

She glanced my way. “Oh yeah? What kind of stress?”

I shrugged. “Just business,” I said, not wanting to bother with details. “So how do you like Turkey so far?”

She gave a dazzling smile. “I love it. I’m having a great time, especially now that I’m next to a gorgeous guy like you.”

Nice. This evening was getting better and better. I let my hand roam over hers, watching the goosebumps on her skin that fol

lowed my touch. “Well, you’re not the first to say that,” I whispered in her ear. “I can have that effect on women.” I winked and threw on my panty-dropping smile. “You’re pretty hot yourself. I couldn’t take my eyes off you from the moment I saw you.”

Her breathing quickened, which made my blood boil in returned. She smelled so sweet, I couldn’t resist the urge to move her hair aside, while imagining kissing her neck.

“Brady,” she murmured, as if sensing my thoughts. She sounded so sexy.

Seeing that she was still gripping her empty glass, I took it from her, making sure our hands brushed against each other’s in the process. “Let’s dance,” I said.

She gave me a sly grin and I slid my hand down her arm until our hands met. Then led her to the dance floor.

From the corner of my eye, I saw that her friend had managed to sneak back onto the dance floor unnoticed, likely at some point when we’d been talking at the bar. She winked in our direction.

When we’d found a spot to occupy, Autumn smiled, released my hand, and began swaying her hips to the beat. For a moment, all I could do was watch, memorized. That’s when it dawned on me that her shyness had just been an act; she was an absolute tease and knew exactly what she was doing.

I was a fucking winner.

She turned around, pressing her back against me. I gripped her hips, loving the way they felt moving to the music. The more she pressed against me, the more difficult it became to contain myself and I knew that at any moment, she would feel it. Beside myself, I took a chance and kissed her neck, wondering how she would react to it. When she didn’t snap at me like she’d done to that other guy, I knew that she was all right with it. I kissed her neck again. She was so delicious.

Just when I couldn’t take it anymore, she spun around to face me and wrapped her arms around my neck as best as she could due to our height difference. I slinked my arms around her waist as we continued dancing, falling into an easy sway as the next song started.

The playful grin returning to her face, she began to shimmy her shoulders and then leaned backwards, tightening her grip around me as she dipped. I wrapped my arms more securely around her and leaned over, unable to resist pressing my face into her neck and smelling her sweet perfume. A giggle rose from her throat and she lifted one leg, hitching it at my hip. I removed one hand from her waist and gripped the back of her knee, feeling the soft skin there as our hips moved in unison to the beat.

When we returned upright, her face was flushed and there was an unmistakable hunger in her eyes that rivaled what I felt.

“What are you doing after you leave here, Autumn?” I asked.

She smiled. “I don’t know. Why? Do you have any plans for me?”

“Oh, I’m sure I can think of something…”

She stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips to my ear. “Why don’t you show me what you’re thinking then?”

I groaned as she nipped my earlobe. I wanted her so badly, but was well aware that she’d had several drinks…

I pulled back, wanting to get a good look at her face. “I can’t tell you how much I’d love that, but how do I know this is really you talking and not the alcohol?”

She laughed. “I may be small, but I can hold my liquor.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice then,” I said. “Let’s get out of here.”

* * *

Autumn alerted her friend that she was leaving with me. By the time we’d reached my apartment, my body practically quaked in anticipation, unable to believe my luck.

Autumn laughed behind me as I pulled my keys from my pocket to open the door.