The Banker (Banker 1)

I couldn’t stop the smile from entering my lips. “So you can follow me around, but I can’t do the same to you?”

“I followed you in public spaces. I never encroached on your love life or showed up on your property.”

“Because you would have been shot if you did so.”

“Whatever,” she said. “If you want me, you need to respect me. That’s the only way this works.”

I had all the power, but she was calling the shots. It was cute. No one else would have the balls to make a request like that. “Alright.” I grabbed my glass of wine along with hers and carried them to the sink. Her date’s glass sat at the bottom, drops of wine dripping down the drain. Just the thought of her getting naked with some other guy made me livid, so I walked back to the table and stared down at her.

She held my gaze, unafraid. Sitting there with her head held high, she was a queen without a throne or a crown, but she possessed such dignity and grace it was impossible not to respect her. I could be out with any other woman, but I was standing in her kitchen, her cheap wine still flavorful on my lips.

Maybe her coldness burned me. Maybe her indifference thrilled me. Maybe the only reason I was there was because I wasn’t bored, because this relationship had unfolded much differently from all the others. “I could leave now. I could bring another woman to my bed—preferably two. Or I could stay here—with you. What will it be?” I slid my hands into my pockets and stood near her dining table. My hand ached to grab her by the back of the neck and bend her over the table. Or better yet, throw her on top of it and ram my dick deep and hard. The last thing I wanted was to go out and find pussy elsewhere. It was uninteresting and boring, the same thing over and over. The only remotely interesting woman I’d ever had was sitting right in front of me, defiant and beautiful. Since she didn’t want anything I could offer her, there was no reason for her to be impressed with me. It only made me want to prove her wrong.

“If I asked you to leave, would you actually do it?”

I didn’t do anything anyone asked me to do. “Not sure. I’ve never actually listened to someone before. But we both know you don’t want me to leave, so let’s stop pretending.” Arrogant as it made me seem, I didn’t stop the words from coming out of my mouth.

She stared at me for several heartbeats, her poker face impenetrable. Maybe she didn’t like me as a person, but she certainly liked the way I made her feel. She’d been coming around my dick all night, so enthused it was like she’d never had such good sex in her life. She needed me for a good time, needed me to make up for all the boys who wasted her time.

She rose to her feet then slowly sauntered toward me, her presence drawing the air right out of the room. With eyes glued to mine, she approached me until her hands touched my muscular arms. Her fingers felt the corded veins and bulging muscles. Then she slowly slid up to my shoulders while she eyed my lips. “I want you gone before I wake up in the morning.”

She pushed me away before we even began. It was the same attitude I took with my lovers, but coming from her, it still surprised me. I was disposable, worthless. It only made me want her more, made me want to conquer this cold woman and turn her red-hot. “We’ll see.” My hands helped themselves underneath her blouse, and I felt the soft skin of her tummy. My thumbs caressed her abs through her skin as I pressed my face closer to hers. The longer I held her stare, the more I felt her strength wane. She was a spitfire when she was in control, but the second my hands were on her, she was easily defeated. My mouth teased hers, coming close to her lips but never kissing her. I backed her up to the table then pulled my shirt over my head.

Her eyes immediately worshiped my body, her desire burning hot. Her palms planted against my pecs, and she slowly dragged her fingertips down, feeling the grooves of muscle in the valleys of my stomach. That fiery attitude was long gone, and all that remained was a woman full of ache. Just like the last time we were together, she quickly slipped into a different person, like there was no other man in the world she would rather be with. Maybe her attitude fooled other people, but it certainly didn’t fool me.