“I bet you say that to all the ladies.”
“Nope. Just you.”
Before her brain could formulate a response, his name was called and they were led to a corner booth covered in red vinyl. Old records decorated the walls and there was what looked to be a vintage, working jukebox in the corner. All in all, the place was charming in an unexpected way, not unlike the man who’d brought her here.
Sliding in first, she looked up in surprise when he nudged her further into the circular booth rather than taking the spot across from her. And when he settled in beside her, with his arm draped around her shoulder as if it simply belonged there, her skin felt like she’d been lit on fire.
“Delicious,” he murmured, and she was certain she would spontaneously combust right there at the table.
“What?”
“The menu.” Amusement dancing in his eyes, he held up the single laminated sheet they’d been given. “Everything looks delicious.”
Right. And she was the queen of fucking England. Narrowing her eyes, she studied his seemingly open, honest face. This obviously wasn’t a prank, or if it was, it was an incredibly elaborate one. For the life of her, though, she just couldn’t figure out his angle.
Well, no better way to find out than to ask, right?
“What exactly are you angling for here, Mr. Barrick?”
That dark promise she’d heard in his voice earlier flashed in his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve looked at this from every possible angle and I can’t figure out what a baseball star could possibly want with a—with me,” she corrected herself hastily when he tensed, “when he could have his pick of women.”
“Why wouldn’t I be interested in you?”
“You’re being deliberately obtuse, Mr. Barrick.”
His lips tilted up in what she could only describe as a predatory smile. “All right. You want to know what I’m angling for, kitten?”
“Yes?” She’d meant to sound confident, assured, but the word sounded like a question even to her own ears.
Leaning in, he dropped his voice to a low, sexy purr. “Then let me show you.”
Chapter 4
Katherine
Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.
Those two words raced through her mind over and over. “Show me what?”
Pulling back a bit, he studied her, his intense gaze making it hard to not squirm in her seat. “Exactly what I want from you.”
“Couldn’t you just tell me?”
“I could, but this is more fun. What do you say, kitten?”
It wasn’t smart to agree to anything without knowing the terms first. But a part of her she barely recognized was urging her to throw caution to the wind and follow him wherever he wanted to lead. “Um, okay. I guess.”
“If you want to stop, just say so. We’re just having some fun.”
Oh, God. What the hell was she getting herself into here? “Okay.”
“Good girl.” His voice lowered again, and she swore she could feel the rumble of those words on her clit. “Go to the bathroom and take off your pantyhose and panties, then come back to the table.”
“What?” she squeaked in return, glancing around to ensure nobody had overheard his outrageous request.
“Do you not understand what I asked you to do?”