“You work out here?”
He smiled that brilliant smile that melted my panties right off. How in the hell was I going to be able to survive this little trip with him when all I dreamt about was him on top of me. Or me on top of him. Oh, from behind I bet would be nice.
I shook my head to clear my wayward thoughts.
“Today is the first day I’ve tried out this new gym. Gus told me about it.”
He looked over my shoulder and frowned when he saw Ann.
My chest felt like a heavy weight was on it as I quickly figured out whom Ann was talking about. Shutting my eyes, I cursed.
Damn it. I knew he was too good to be true. He was a player. Hooking up with women at clubs and then having sex. I should have known.
“You probably don’t remember who I am, do you?” Ann said with sarcasm dripping off every single word.
Thano gave her a smile, not the kind he gave me though. “I do. Your name is Ann.”
“Wow, I’m impressed you took the time to remember.”
Clearing his throat, Thano looked back at me and pinched his brows together. “I need to take care of something really quickly here. I’ll still pick you up at ten, right?”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. He was excusing me to talk to his little fuck buddy and making plans to pick me up.
Oh. Hell. No.
“Seriously? Why are all guys such dicks? Maybe you need to find someone else to decorate your fuck pad.”
Pushing past him, I headed toward the exit.
“Kilyn!” Thano called out as I picked up my pace. I would have run if I thought it wouldn’t make me look like an insane person.
If he thought I was going to be his next one-night stand, he had another think coming. And to think I let his stupid charming smile and sexy Greek words sneak in on me.
I was almost to my car when I breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t come after me.
Unlocking my car door, I opened it only to have it slammed shut again.
“Wait. Kilyn.”
Looking up at Thano, I placed my hands on my hips and shot him the dirtiest look I could muster up.
“Let me go, Thano.”
Shaking his head, he said, “No. Not until you let me explain something.”
“There’s nothing to explain. Ann managed to tell me about the dick who screwed her and left when he got what he wanted.”
His eyes narrowed and a look of anger washed over his face. “Is that so? Well, then maybe you should at least give me the same chance to tell my side of the story.”
I laughed. “Your side? You fucked her and left her the next morning. What else is there to say? I’m not that type of girl, so you’re wasting your goddamn time.”
Going to open my door, he blocked me. “Nice mouth, Kilyn. And I have plenty to say and you’re going to listen to me.”
My entire body began to shake. “I don’t do well with being told what to do, Thano.”
He pushed his hand through his still sweat-soaked hair. I hated that it made my insides pull with desire. And what I hated even more was how the authority in his voice turned me on. I vowed I’d never let another man have any sort of control over me, but something about when Thano did it was different.
“Kilyn, please let me tell you something, and if you’re still pissed at me, I’ll let you go and I’ll find someone else to decorate the cabin, I swear. But please give me a chance. I don’t want you to leave angry.”
The sadness in his eyes caused me to take a step away from my car. Crossing my arms over my chest, I let out a huff. “Fine. You have two minutes and then I’m out of here.”
He shook his head as if trying to figure out how to talk himself out of this.
“I lost someone very close to me, and for a long time I was fucked up. I hooked up with a few girls and had sex with them and it was all in fun. I always told them I wasn’t looking for anything but one night. It was the only way I could erase the pain for a bit. That and alcohol. I only did that with a few girls because the guilt drove me insane for weeks afterwards.”
My heart felt as if it were breaking, and I wasn’t sure if it was because I knew Thano loved someone so much it would break him, or if it was from knowing he had meaningless one-night stands with other women. Deep down I knew it was a little of both.
“I met Ann months ago at a club I went to with my brothers and Gus. Ann and a few of her friends ended up joining us at our table, and my brothers made sure I got pretty fucked up and kept pushing her on me. We danced a few times and I’m sure I said something that led her on. Ann offered to take me home. I was so fucked up I couldn’t even tell her my address. I had no intentions of sleeping with her; I promised myself I wasn’t going to get drunk and have sex with someone again. She ended up taking me back to her place and she said we slept together. I barely remembered it and I’m pretty sure I was so trashed I wouldn’t have been able to even have sex.”