sp; “No.” His hands covered mine, pulling the leather back into place. “I want you to wear it. You’ll turn into a popsicle otherwise.” While I stared up at him like a dummy, he slipped his hand in the pocket of his coat as if he were searching for something.
After a moment, he shook his head. “Been snooping, huh?”
“What?” I frowned, remembering the penny. “I didn’t think it was a big deal if I kept it.”
“Is that so?”
I nudged him back and drew my wallet out of my purse. I fished out a penny and slapped it in his palm. “There you go. Didn’t realize you were that strapped.”
He stared at the penny. “What the hell’s this?”
Jeez, how much had he had to drink? Good thing he wasn’t driving.
“I took the one I found in your pocket.” I scanned his eyes. He certainly looked fine. Too fine. “You okay?”
“Of course I’m okay.” He slid the penny in his pocket. “So, ah, you found a penny in my pocket? By itself?”
I’d seen a lot of drunks in my day, but I’d never witnessed one who could talk so lucidly while acting completely bizarre. “Yes. Just one penny.” I paused between each word to give him time to keep up. “I’m not a thief,” I snapped, belatedly realizing that maybe he intended to try to bust me for stealing his cash.
Though I had taken unlawful possession of his jacket…
“No, I didn’t mean that. I know you aren’t—” He blew out a breath and gestured ahead of him. “Can we walk?”
“Why don’t I just give you back your coat? I don’t need the cops showing up at my door in the middle of the night.” I started to shrug it off again.
“Wear it,” he commanded, his tone low and lethal.
My fingers went lax around the sleeve. I might’ve even drooled a little. In a second, icicles would be forming on my chin.
“I know you didn’t steal. I’m just looking for something. I thought I might’ve left it in my pocket, but obviously not.”
He didn’t sound convinced. That made two of us. “If you refuse to take back your jacket now, why am I even going to your place? I’ll have to be without a coat sometime. Even if I go home in a cab after, I’m still only wearing this.” I tugged on my shirt, not catching where the conversation was going until the bus had sped right past the building. AKA my brain.
Oh. He wants to fuck me.
Harmless half-assed flirting and a touch of jealousy were one thing, sex another. Strangely, the idea wasn’t as abhorrent as I would’ve thought.
I wasn’t sure what he saw in me. Even with his slightly crooked nose and the various pale scars that marred his golden skin, he was still closer to male model material than I’d ever seen in reality. A definite…spark existed between us, though that might’ve been a false positive. Most of the fighters I’d met seemed too selfish to care about getting anyone off but themselves. But I had a good feeling about Fox. I might’ve considered going through with it if I’d been sexually active. Big if. Since I hadn’t had sex in forever, he’d ask me questions I didn’t want to answer. Maybe he’d even think I was a virgin.
I shook myself. What was wrong with me? Forget him thinking I was a virgin. I wanted to fight the man, not screw him. Evidently I needed sleep.
I needed to get the hell away from him.
He stepped closer. “You think I’m like those other guys, huh? That I only want you for what you can give me?”
My breath clogged painfully in my chest. His eyes took my measure. Studying. Scrutinizing. Butterflies under glass couldn’t have felt any more pinned down than I did right then.
“Or maybe what I can pay you for?”
His silky voice lulled me, making me take longer than usual to get his meaning. Twice now I’d let him make insinuations, and he was still standing. “How fucking dare you.”
“It slipped out before. Even with your reaction in there, I still didn’t want to believe it.” He cocked his head. “Guess I’m naive.”
Before I could hiss out a reply, one of his massive hands came up to cradle my already stinging cheek. I could practically feel my eyelashes clinging together for warmth.
“Don’t you know there isn’t enough money in the world to justify selling off pieces of your soul?”
He had no idea how close he’d come to the truth of my life, in more ways than one.