But also quite exciting.
“How tall are you then, Mr. Big Man?”
“Guess,” he challenges me.
I size him up from head to toe. “Six-four?”
He grins. “Good guess,” he replies, coming around the desk to me. He’s so big, and sitting makes him look even bigger. A slight tremor runs through me as he reaches out and takes my right hand and pulls me to my feet. “And now it’s my turn to ask. Billie, will you go on a date with me?”
The crossroads between my legs is scorching, and my body is buzzing with excitement. I know my face is as red as a tomato right now too, but I’m done trying to hide the fact that he makes me blush.
“A date?” My voice is trembling. “I-I’ve never been on a date before. What time—?”
“Now, Billie,” he says without a second’s hesitation. “Right now.”
“Now? But I-I’m working now.” I look around at the empty gallery, realizing how stupid my protests sound. Gage’s lips curl into a smile, and he slides his hand up to my wrist and pulls me to him.
Our bodies meet, like two lovers dancing.
“Come on, sweet thing. No one’s here. It won’t be the end of the world if you lock up for an hour or two, will it?”
I feel it again like I felt it last night—the thickness of his male anatomy pressing against the bottom of my tummy. “Well…maybe not, I guess. But—”
“Then don’t make me wait, Billie.” Gage’s eyes are so focused and so strong I feel as though I’m being held in place by them. “Waiting through the night was almost more than I could bear.”
Why do you even want me?
That’s what I want to ask him, but my mouth seems to be bound by some kind of invisible superglue, or as dry as if I just tried to swallow a cup of flour. There is so much about this man that scares me, yet all of that just draws me in more and more. And now it seems as though he really likes me too. How can I say no to him?
I shift from side to side awkwardly. I’m not just hot down there, I’m damp too.
I swallow hard. “Does it have to be right now? I’m not really dressed for a date.”
“Billie, you could be leaving the gym after a workout and still look better than any woman alive.”
My head fogs with something light, fluffy, and golden, and my whole body begins to bubble and glow. I’m two seconds away from falling into his arms, and I certainly will if he says anything like that again.
“I…”
Gage looks at the watch on his wrist then back at me. “Please, Billie. Don’t say no to me. I even made us reservations.”
Is that impatience in his voice? Or am I just hearing things?
“Okay.” I smile. “I guess I can lock up for a while.”
I grab the front door key off its hook and follow Gage outside. As I lock up, he stands alert, his eyes on the immediate area and not on me for the first time since we’ve been in each other’s presence. Once the door is locked, he leads me quickly to a black sedan which is parked close by, not in the gallery lot, but on the street.
He opens my door for me, and I smile as I get in. “What a gentleman.”
His eyes smile back as he closes the door and goes around to his side and gets in. I’m so excited I have goosebumps all over me, but of course as I glance back at the gallery as we’re pulling away, I see two men in charcoal black suits walking toward the front door.
“Oh no,” I whine, pointing. “Gage, I have to go back!”
Gage glances out the passenger side, sees the men, and shakes his head. “Absolutely not.”
“But, the sign says it’s open, and if they—”
“I said no, Billie!” Gage’s voice explodes with a volume that shakes the entire car. His grip on my leg grows tighter as he whips the car around a hard right turn, leaving the gallery in our rear view.
“Ow!” I squeal, tugging at his hand. But his grip is like a vise. I can’t move it an inch no matter how hard I struggle. “Gage, you’re hurting me!”
Instantly, he releases his hold on me. Eyes glazed with anger, he balls his hand into a fist and drives it straight into his own leg, as if to punish himself. “Goddamn it, Billie. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you. I didn’t mean to.”
My whole body is quivering. My heart shaking. My hands are shaking like leaves.
“I-I think you should drive me back to the gallery,” I tell him. Suddenly that fear that was so attractive to me has taken a turn. Suddenly I’m simply afraid.
“That is not going to happen.”