Indulgent Pleasures

Even angry and with Stephanie looking like a drowned rat, she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

“Well yeah, I wanted to meet you and I don’t normally drive my car into the city. I always park it at the Bart station close to my house and ride in every morning.”

“I would’ve come and got you at your work.”

Her eyes widened the slightest bit and she shook her head, the wet strands of her hair slapping her in the face. “Oh no, it’s okay. I’m here now, right?”

“You should’ve called.” His voice sounded tight, he knew she noticed but damn it, it pissed him off, what she did. And it worried him, too.

She pulled out her cell phone and showed it to him. “It’s dead. I forgot to charge it last night I think. It’s either that or the cell battery has decided to fail me permanently.”

“You should get a new phone. It’s not safe to not have one, especially for you, a single, beautiful woman in the city.”

She smiled and touched his forearm, her fingers burning his skin. “Always my protector, aren’t you?”

“You fucking need it,” he practically growled.

Stephanie reared back, a slight frown curling her mouth downward. She wore no lipstick, just those natural, peachy puckered lips in all of their bare glory and the urge to kiss her was so strong he clenched his hands into fists.

“Are you mad at me?” Her voice was quiet, her gaze meeting his and he shook his head, forced himself to let it go.

But he couldn’t let it go. Couldn’t let any of it go. She’d been driving him crazy from the day he’d met her and he couldn’t take it anymore.

He needed to either purge her from his system or bring her into his life and never let her go.

She sat on the barstool next to his, resting her clutched hands on the edge of the counter and watched him expectantly.

“Want something to drink?”

“No, thank you.” She shook her head.

Ah hell, why had she wanted to meet at the bar then? It had been her idea to come here and she’d left him waiting for nearly an hour when he could’ve solved everyone’s problems by picking her up and taking her back to his place.

“Want to get out of here?” He pushed himself away from the counter and stood, towering over her and she looked especially fragil

e, damp and clad all in white.

His cock actually surged to life and disgust filled him. So predictable. One look at her and he was ready to jump her bones. He had no control when it came to this woman and sometimes, like right about now, he didn’t like it.

At all.

“Where do you want to go?”

“My place—remember?” His snide tone wasn’t earning him any points.

She studied him, pressing her lips together and then she slid off the barstool. “You’re in a bad mood.”

He shrugged, started walking through the small crowd of people and toward the door. He knew she was right behind him, he could feel her, could smell her delicious floral scent. “I’m fine.”

“No you’re not.” They walked out into the gray early evening and the rain had turned into a drizzle. Just enough to get him wet and Stephanie even wetter. “I think you’re angry at me for making you wait. I’m sorry. Everything worked against me tonight. I’m surprised I even made it here. Maybe considering your mood I should just go home and we can do this another time.”

She turned to walk away but he grasped her by the upper arm, hauling her back against him. She rested her hands against his chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt and she stared up at him. She was breathing hard, her breasts rubbed against his chest with her every quick inhale and exhale and he wanted to cup them. Tear off her clothing and suck a pretty pink nipple into his mouth.

“You’re coming home with me,” he said just before he kissed her, his mouth hard and punishing, his tongue thrusting between her lips.

He thought she would wrench away, tell him to fuck off and hell, he wouldn’t blame her if she did. They were in front of the bar right on the sidewalk and he figured she’d be humiliated, being mauled in such a fashion in front of anyone who happened to walk by.

But she didn’t walk away and she definitely didn’t tell him to fuck off. No, she wrapped her arms around him, her hands clutching the back of his head, her fingers tunneling in his damp hair. Her mouth moved against his, slowing him down, gentling the kiss and he was helpless, could only follow her lead.