I’m a cocky bastard, but I didn’t want to be that way with her.
I watched as Violet fell asleep, saw the change in her breathing, the way she relaxed even further.
I must have fallen asleep because banging on the door woke me.
“I’m heading out, Violet,” Rowdy said on the other side of the closed door.
“Okay,” she said and looked at me.
After several seconds, and only when the sound of the front door opening and closing came through, did I see her visibly relax.
“It’s safe for you to leave now.” She went to get up, but I pulled her down and close to my body. She gasped, but I could tell it was pleasure-filled.
“I meant it when I said I wanted more.” I rose above her and looked down at her mouth. “I’m going to pick you up at seven tonight, and we’re going to do this the right way.”
Violet stared at me, her eyes wide, but finally she nodded. “Okay,” she said and smiled.
I smirked. “I want something more with you, baby. We might have done things a little backward, but I’m going to do right by you.” Then I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Wear something sexy tonight. I want all the motherfuckers that think they could have you to know you’re mine, and what they are missing.”
9
Violet
It’s just dinner,” I whispered to my reflection. I smoothed my hands down my shirt and went lower to pick a piece of lint off my leggings. He said to dress sexy, but I only went as far as actually wearing a push-up bra and showing off some major cleavage.
The sound of someone knocking on the front door had my heart stilling. Rowdy wouldn’t be home until late, maybe not even at all seeing as it was a weekend and he might pick some chick up. But that was okay, because I was so aroused just thinking about Malachi that I didn’t even know if I could get through dinner without mauling him.
I can do this.
I hoped I could, at least. I was scared, my emotions pretty strong for Malachi. Playing off what I felt could only go so far.
I went to the front door, grabbed the handle, and breathed out slowly. When I finally opened it again, my pulse jumped at seeing him. He wore loose jeans, but ones that still encased his raw power and showed me exactly how strong he was. The dark shirt didn’t hide the fact he had muscles upon muscles—or the intricate tattoos that covered his flesh. I thought about how he looked naked, how he felt on top of me.
My entire body heated.
I sure as hell hope I can do this and not make a fool out of myself.
Malachi
The restaurant I took Violet to was intimate. I wanted it that way, because I didn’t want a crowd, didn’t want anything deviating from my time with her.
We were sitting in the corner booth and just finished eating. The conversation had been “safe,” but I had a feeling she’d wanted it that way. I kept my focus on her, wanting to just reach across the table and kiss her senseless, but I held back, waited for signals from her.
The silence stretched between us now, and I knew it was because she was nervous. I hated that I brought that out in her, or maybe her feelings for me were a hell of a lot stronger than she let on?
It was a nice thought, but I wasn’t holding my breath. She knew my past, my reputation. She may want nothing to do with me after this.
“Violet,” I said, staring at her face. I was trying not to check out her rocking cleavage, because although I’d done that plenty tonight, I didn’t want to come off as some fucking sex-crazed fiend.
Even if she brought that out in me.
“I like you, a hell of a lot. It’s not just about sex. I mean that.”
Before I could finish saying anything, Violet surprised the hell out of me by rising up and leaning over the table to kiss me.
That shut me the hell up. A low sound of need left me when she ran her tongue over my bottom lip. I liked that she took control. It made me hard as fucking steel. I cupped the back of her head, tangled my fingers in her hair, and tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss. Our tongues moved together, and I heard her moan.
I didn’t give a fuck if the whole fucking room was watching us.
But she pulled back before I wanted it to end. Staring at her, just inches apart now, I saw the way she looked so damn needy. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her.
“Why’d you stop?” I asked in a low voice and looked down at her lips.