“Hm?” I asked through a delicious bite of steak.
“At work, and anywhere you go, be careful.” The intensity in his gaze surprised me, as if for the first time I got a peek beneath his carefully cultivated exterior.
“I’ll be careful.” I promised, breaking the intense eye contact and returning to my food. We didn’t speak for a while, eating and enjoying each other’s company. The silence between us was comfortable, companionable, like two people who knew each other well enough not to need to fill every moment with inane chatter. Images of what he might do to me filled my mind and the space between us.
“What are you thinking about, Claire?” His words interrupted my fantasy and fueled it.
“The truth?” My teeth sank into my bottom lip.
“Always.” The intensity of that single word was too much to bear.
“I was thinking about your hands on my body and your lips...” I trailed off, unable to finish.
“Your pretty cheeks are so red. Is it that embarrassing to want me?” The false innocence in his tone made me smile.
“It’s only embarrassing because of how desperate it makes me, Mason.” His fist tightened on the tablecloth and his eyes closed for the briefest moment. I’d bet my next paycheck his pants were unbearably tight. I took a bite of my steak, toying with my fork against my lips. That tiny reaction made me feel like a goddess.
We spent the rest of our dinner talking about nothing particularly important, but in a way that felt like we were cracking the secrets of the universe. He told me so little about himself, though I could figure a few things out for myself. For one, he had a dry sense of humor that tickled me. He came from money, and he had a white-collar career.
He wouldn’t talk about his work, but I was sure that he was in charge there too. Although I wanted him to tell me more about himself, the fact he didn’t left me feeling like he was a ball of yarn I needed to unravel. If I was a twisted, knotted mess, he was a carefully tightened reel of secrets and control.
I told him about my job at City Hall and the way it built me up and crushed me back down. He laughed often but assured me it wasn’t at me. “You just have a way of saying things; you make not particularly funny things sound hilarious.” He explained between chortles.
“I know you’re full of crap.” I quipped back.
We shared a molten lava cake for dessert. Consuming the hot and sweet confection with him felt like something sinful passed between us. He stared into my eyes as I fiddled with my tongue and the spoon. It left my insides as liquid as the cake.
He paid the check and led me out of the restaurant with his hand on the small of my back. “Would you like a ride home?” His voice coming from behind me made my pussy clench. I stopped mid-step. He bumped into me and his cock pressed against my ass. Without thinking, I ground myself into him, enjoying the erection already forming.
“Let’s go.” His harshly spoken words only made me softer for him. He walked me straight to a sleek black BMW and opened the door. I gave him my address, and he pulled out smoothly into traffic. He didn’t turn the radio on, but the silence was far more interesting.
“You don’t like music?”
He kept his eyes on the road but flashed me a smile. “It’s distracting.” Controlled—the word didn’t do him justice. We pulled up outside my place moments later. If you had a car, it wasn’t far. He walked around to my side, opening the door, and taking my hand to pull me out. I knew that perfect gentleman thing had to be an act. Something dark and dangerous hid beneath that suit and mannered upbringing.
My feet landed on the sidewalk, but somehow, I didn’t quite have my footing. I drank more wine than I realized and lightheadedness swam behind my eyes. I leaned against his shiny car and stared up at him. My bottom lip popped out in a little pout, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
A sexy sound ripped from his throat as he tangled his fists in my hair and pulled my mouth to his. He stepped off the sidewalk, pushing me back harder against his car, and pinned me with his hips. His erection pressed into my soft stomach as his tongue slid between my lips, tasting me briefly before conquering my mouth. Lightning shot through me and I moaned into his mouth. He used the leverage on my hair to tip my head back and invade me deeper.
He calmed as he kissed me. The violence fell out of his movements. His hands drifted from my hair, down my body, over the swells of my hips, and skated against my hard nipples. I whimpered as his kiss went soft and gentle, but still deep and possessive. He lost control for a moment, but he took it back quickly enough. His hands gripped my ass, appreciating the feel. “Harder.” I whimpered. He obliged me, and his lips fell to my neck, kissing and sucking the sensitive skin. “Please.”
“Please, what?” he asked against my skin.
“Fuck me.” I whispered.
His teeth pressed into my soft flesh, and I gasped. “Not tonight, baby.” His voice left no room for argument. The look on my face must have been something because he laughed outright. “Don’t be upset, sexy. What can I say? The idea of you squirming and desperate for me is too deliciousto pass up.” His lips found my ear, his teeth grazed the lobe. “I want you crazy, wishing I was fucking you.” He pressed his lips softly to mine, once, twice, a third time.
He walked me to my door. I twisted the key in the lock, but before I could open it, he spun me around and pressed me against the door. His hands fisted in my hair so tightly I couldn’t move. He was inescapable and I was more than happy to be trapped. “Next time I see you, I’ll make you forget everyone who’s touched you before me.” He kissed me roughly, his tongue sweeping every thought out of my head. “I want to see you soon. I’ll text you.”
He released me and walked down the hall. “Thanks, Mason, I had a wonderful time.” I called after him. I stayed in the hallway for a few minutes trying to figure out how to operate my body after he performed a factory reset on it. The haze cleared and my skin itched and pricked nervously, like someone was watching me. I looked around, not finding anyone.
I double checked that Mason shut the front door. He did. I let myself into my apartment, locking the knob, the deadbolt, and the chain.You’re being silly.I went to my bed and climbed in, quickly forgetting the feeling of watching eyes touching my skin.