He’d told her she was better than he was. They had shared a moment, shared a connection. She’d felt it in her body, and had wanted so badly to kiss him that night. But he had been with Marilyn, and it was wrong.
All of it had been wrong. So, she’d run, run from the temptation to be with a guy that she shouldn’t, and forgot about everything that had to do with him.
She’d ignored him after that, kept her distance, and after a while things had gone back to the way they’d been. Things were better if she didn’t try to get with the town bad boy. But when she’d allowed herself to look at him, watch him, she’d seen this anger rise up inside of him.
He’d seemed more violent on the field, more rage-filled.
She pushed the thoughts of the past away. He looked the same as he did in high school, although there was something a little more dangerous about him now. His black hair was still short, brushing slightly over his forehead. And God, his body was a work of damn art. All hard muscles barely restrained under his t-shirt.
He was bigger now, so much bigger. And his tattoos … give her some sanity, but God, did he look good with the full sleeves of tattoos on his arms.
She knew he worked out a lot given the fact he was in construction, but his biceps had images of him restraining her to his bed, forcing her to do what he said by sheer strength alone. And he could do what he wanted to her, any damn thing in fact.
And as if she had shouted that across the room he lifted his head, and looked right at her. His blue eyes, even from this distance, were clear and bright.
She got scared for some reason, nervous over the fact he was looking right at her. Surely he hated her after she’d all but snubbed him, ignored him when he’d tried to talk to her at school after the party had gone down, and she’d run away.
Her heart started pounding fast and hard, and sweat covered the valley between her breasts. It was an instant reaction, one she had always gotten when he glanced her way, or she thought he might be staring at her.
Glancing away quickly, she stared at Tabitha, who watched her curiously.
“What?” Shoshanna asked, and started picking at her napkin.
“You were totally checking out Toby Mason.”
Shoshanna felt her face heat with embarrassment, and she shrugged. “Every female checks out Toby Mason.”
Tabitha smirked and glanced at the man in question. “Yeah, true.”
Shoshanna stared at the woman she worked with, one that was more of a work acquaintance than a friend. But as it was Shoshanna didn’t have very many friends, and she sure as hell wasn’t about to go to the bar alone to drink. But the thing with Tabitha was that she made these catty little comments that she covered up with a smile.
She was a huge bitch, but played it off as though she were just doing her friendly duty and calling it like it was.
“But I don’t think you or me will be getting with that anytime soon.” Tabitha glanced at Shoshanna again. “I mean I’d never stoop to the level of those blondes that are hanging around him, just throwing themselves all over him because he probably has this huge dick and can fuck like a machine.”
Shoshanna wasn’t about to point out that Tabitha had said she was going home with the bartender anyway, one she had just met.
“And you’re way too good for him. He’d eat you alive you’re so sweet,” Tabitha said with this false saccharine tone in her voice. Shoshanna knew what the other woman was saying without really speaking the words. She was overweight by most people’s standards, and a guy like Toby would never go for her.
Yeah, she had been living that life, had heard her parents tell her all the time she was sweet and kind, and needed a nice guy that would see the beauty on the inside.
“I need another drink,” Tabitha said, and this time Shoshanna was the one that stood and went to the bar to get it.
Once she had a mixed drink in her hand, a rather strong one, too, she turned and was about to head back to the table when a massive body stopped her from advancing. Her vision was right in the center of a hard chest.
The dark t-shirt was stretched over the firm muscles. And as she slowly trailed her gaze up his body, already knowing who stood in front of her, everything inside of Shoshanna froze. The scent of Toby’s cologne was powerful, arousing. But it wasn’t just that masculine aroma that pulled at the erogenous zones in her body, but the faint smell of motor oil and freshly cut wood, too.