‘I don’t need another, thank you.’
He scans the bar, smoothing his hand over his hair. He looks nervous now. I like him nervous. It creates a shift in power that I can work with.
‘Why are you here, Ash?’
His blue gaze returns to me, all soft and alluring. And, God help me, my clit pulses—instant, acute. I exhale over it, crossing my legs beneath the table and clamping my thighs tightly together. Behave. He doesn’t need to know the effect he has on me.
‘Cat got your tongue?’ I raise my brow, arrogant and assured.
No, I’m not going to turn into a hot, gooey mass inside. I’m not.
He runs his teeth over his bottom lip—definitely nervous—and I definitely like it.
‘I came to see you...to apologise for earlier and to...’ he opens his palms out to me ‘...talk.’
I take a small, steadying breath as I smile over my glass. ‘Talk?’
His gaze falls to my mouth as I take a sip and I purposely sweep away the remnants with my tongue. If I’m going down, I’m taking him with me.
‘Just...talk?’
‘To begin with, yeah...’
I’m rewarded with a flash of perfect white teeth and a gr
in that makes my belly flip, upping the low, incessant ache inside me.
‘What can I say? I’m an old-fashioned guy.’
The door to the club opens and his grin stills, his eyes flicking in its direction.
‘Waiting for someone?’ I ask, turning to see a couple walk in.
‘No.’ He’s looking at me when I turn back, but then his eyes flit to the bar, where I can see Jackson talking to his staff.
‘You been here all evening?’ he asks me, but his eyes don’t leave the bar.
‘Since leaving your place?’ He nods and I frown. This feels like some strange interrogation all of sudden. ‘Yeah, is that okay, Mother?’
His eyes come back to me, sharp at first, but they soften as he smiles. ‘Sorry, I was momentarily distracted.’
He leans forward on his elbows, giving me his full attention now—a fact my hyped-up body positively purrs over and is more than willing to forgive the little interruption for.
‘How about we take this conversation back to my place?’
I laugh, surprised, delighted, confused. ‘Is that your best chat-up line?’
He laughs too, the sound deep and husky and so fucking erotic he might as well have strummed his fingers over my clit.
‘You answer my question and then I’ll tell you whether it is or not.’
My laugh is real and easy now, and my fingers run through my bob as my body loosens up. I don’t understand his power over me, this dizzying attraction coupled with his ability to put me at ease so readily, but I’m happy to go with it if he gives me a little truth first.
‘What’s changed?’ I ask.
‘Since earlier?’
Like he needs to ask... ‘Yes.’