Danger (The Driven World)

What my mind is settled on is the way Monterey looks tonight. Like innocence and candy on a killer set of long legs.

She’s so fucking hot.

I can’t keep my eyes off her, and the fucking slit hiking up her skirt.

I swear I want to rip the dress off her from the seams. Would she let me?

I can tell with each hitch of her breath when I touch her she just might. Don’t know though. A part of me wants to find out. A big part of me, like the kind of big that was straining my zipper earlier. But the other part of me says I need to walk the straight and arrow and play the part in a way that doesn’t have me touching her. Doesn’t have me yearning for her.

Everyone’s clapping, and I follow suit, even though I have no idea what’s going on.

And who cares. This is just the part where all the important people kiss each other’s asses and make themselves feel more important.

Seriously, I’m not sure why I even have to come to these dinners. It really is more for the managers and team owners than anyone else. They like to look at the ‘talent’ or so they call us. Like we’re a horse ready for a prize.

Monterey turns to me, her moss-green eyes slicing straight through me like she knows what I’m thinking and she offers me up a small smile. “I can’t wait for this to be over,” she says to me, leaning over to whisper in my ear.

“Oh yeah?” Now it’s my turn to whisper in her ear. “You ready to leave already?”

She shrugs and I spot Thad fuming from across the room. So, I do something I normally never do.

I lean closer, nipping the bottom of her ear with my teeth and say, “Looking to live a little dangerously tonight?”

She doesn’t say anything, and I glance back at Thad.

She follows my line of sight and then cups my cheek with one hand. “I’m always looking for danger.”

Fuck. Right answer. If we weren’t sitting here with a ton of people watching, I’d kiss the fuck out of her.

Instead I smile, ‘cause I know this girl’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.

I give a cocky smile over at Thad too, because well, fuck him. He doesn’t look happy.

And that thought lights a fire deep in my veins. A spark of pride, traveling through my system. This man didn’t deserve Monterey. Hell, neither do I, but at least I’m man enough to know I don’t. I’d never ask her to be mine and then fuck her over like he did.

Fucking idiot.

I don’t for one second pretend I know anything that happened between the two of them. All I know are the basics. The same shit the media knows. The same shit that everyone in this industry knows.

He cheated on her.

But, was she really devastated by it? Because after knowing Thad for like five minutes, I’d guess she probably felt relieved.

I don’t know.

All I do know is her father is staring at me. So I smile, and tip my head in his direction.

He raises a glass. “A toast to my only daughter, Monterey and her boyfriend, Danger. They’re recently engaged.”

And then the cameras, who come out of nowhere, flash on us and we smile as we give a little wave. Monterey is blushing as she thanks her dad.

And all I can think in this moment is I better not fuck it up.

Thad stares at me from across the room, many questions on the tip of his tongue. I’m sure he’s wondering how on earth I landed a woman quite like Monterey. Because well, let’s face it, she’s way outta my league.

But fuck him.

She’s way outta his league, too.

I haven’t even proposed yet, and already everyone’s asking me how I did it. They want to see the ring she’s not wearing, and I just smile and don’t say a word for fear of saying the wrong thing. Monterey yields their questions like a champ, talking about ring sizing and candlelight dinner last night where I got down on one knee.

I just keep smiling, pretending this is all real.

And a small part of me wishes it kind of was. Only problem is I wish I could have really fake proposed to her last night.

The dinner ended hours ago, and I’ve got Monterey tucked into my side, one arm slung over her shoulders as we walk toward the bar of our hotel.

“You shouldn’t have let me drink as much as I did,” she slurs.

I deposit her onto a bar stool. “Two waters.” I signal the bartender. “Everyone wanted to celebrate with you over the engagement,” I say to her. “And I couldn’t say no to free drinks.”

She laughs. “Well you should have cut me off hours ago. Because now I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself.” She slams a hand down onto my thigh.