Not just yet.
She wanted to enjoy the fantasy he offered, even if it was just for a night. Tomorrow would come soon enough, with its endless cycles of servitude and heartache. Tonight her world looked a little less bleak with Cass smiling at her with such warmth it made heat spread across her skin.
“Are you always so persuasive, Mr. Morgan?”
His eyes gleamed with promise. “When I see something I want, I’m relentless.”
She blinked, her heart skipping a beat. Did he wanther? Someone with his looks and obvious wealth could have anyone. But the way he was gazing at her, caramel-colored eyes smoldering, spoke volumes.
If he wanted just a short fling, what would she say? Her body very clearly screamed its answer, from her thundering pulse to the roaring in her ears. But her mind infiltrated the haze of want, reminding her that she didn’t just feel physical attraction for this man. No, he had sparked something else, emotions that, even though she had never gone to bed with anyone, she was fairly certain she would struggle to keep out of any encounter with Cass.
“All right.” She slowly withdrew her hand from his and focused on the safer topic. “Chairs on top of tables would be helpful. And trash goes in the dumpsters out back.”
Judging by the quirk of his lips, her authoritative tone didn’t mask the effect he had on her.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Between the two of them, they made quick work of cleaning to the backdrop of jazz playing on the radio. Within thirty minutes, the bar was sparkling. She surveyed the freshly mopped floors and gleaming glasses with satisfaction.
“I can’t believe how quickly we got that done.”
“We make a good team.”
She ducked her head to hide her blush. “Probably not what you were expecting to do on your trip.”
Before he could respond, the soft strains of classical instruments filtered through the speakers. Briony smiled.
“I love this song.”
Cass arched a brow. “Classical music?”
A moment later a woman’s husky voice filled the bar, the lyrics spinning a seductive tale of spells and love.
Cass’s eyes gleamed. He stepped toward her once more, his movements slow but intentional. She should run, before she did something stupid like let him touch her and drive the need that had seized her to a fever pitch she may not be able to pull away from him. Was the fantasy worth risking her heart when it was already so fragile?
But she didn’t run. No, she let him slide an arm around her waist once more as her body leaned into him, molding to his muscular physique as if they’d been made for each other. He captured her hand in his, tan fingers threading through hers. The intimacy of his touch robbed the air from her lungs.
They started to sway, his other hand settling at the base of her back, his fingertips burning through the fabric of her shirt. When he leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers, the world shifted. His fingers slid up her spine, a gentle caress; it still made her arch deeper into his embrace. A thrill shot through her at his shaky intake of breath. Knowing she affected him emboldened her to slide her hand from his shoulder to the strong column of his neck. Heat radiated off his skin as his muscles tensed beneath her touch.
The singer’s voice washed over them both, declaring her lover to be hers and hers alone. Cass’s hands tightened on her as the words wrapped around them. The remaining thoughts at the edge of her conscience, to-dos and worries about the future, drifted away as she basked in the knowledge that after so long, someone wanted her again.
Her eyes drifted shut as her desire shifted, became clearer as her fear dropped away. She had never pictured her first lover as someone she’d known for such a short period of time, let alone someone she had no future with. She’d dreamed of that first joining being with a man she loved and who loved her just as deeply. While she certainly had strong feelings for Cass, she hadn’t known him nearly long enough to be in love.
If Cass asked her to be with him tonight, what would she say? Was it worth turning him down to cling to her dream?
She opened her eyes as the last of the song faded, the only sound left their mingled breathing and the pounding of her heart. With his body pressed against hers, his heat seeping through her clothes, her dream barely held a candle to the sensual possibilities she glimpsed in his eyes.
Please kiss me.
Their gazes connected. Heat crackled between them. His eyes gleamed as a small smile tilted up the corner of his full lips.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
She laughed. “The bar’s closed, sir.”
He released her and walked back to her corner, circling around the counter as he grabbed one of her towels and tossed it over his shoulder. Normally she loathed anyone being in her space. But as she watched him survey the bottles on her shelf, she felt only a languid warmth. Being with him, letting down her guard and sharing herself with him, felt right.
Curiosity drew her closer.