“Superheros inspire people. I was in the crowd last night, remember? I know nothing of fighting, but I know people. That crowd was packed in there to see you. I think you’re easily dismissing the effect you have over people.”
“What effect do I have over you?”
The change in conversation and tone sent shivers down her arms. It was hard to describe and yet easy. “You inspire me...” she said, picking up a fish fillet in her fingers, “to shove this in your mouth if you don’t tell me what’s so scary about meaning something to people?”
“You really wanna know?”
“Yes.”
Gasnier got comfortable, easing back and raising his knee so it bent. Tegan gazed over the tight jeans that wrapped around his toned legs and the impressive bulge that puffed from his new position. She dragged away her eyes, eventually, to give his answer the attention it deserved.
“It means so much that fans come up to me. Sure, I wish some days I could just go for dinner without getting approached, but it’s a small price to pay. The thing is though, with my mindset and lifestyle, I can’t afford to believe any of the hype. Believing it is the first step to failure. To defeat. I would lose focus. This actually brings me to something about us. I struggled before I picked you up as to whether to even bring this up. This, here,” he said, gesturing to her and then back to him. “I find you really attractive, for many reasons. But, the fact is, I’m leaving in a few days. I don’t know the next time I’ll be here. I was supposed to be gone already. But I don’t want you to think I’m stringing you along or not taking you seriously.”
“I knew you wouldn’t be here for long. I appreciate the consideration, but I’m a big girl and can usually spot things well in advance.”
“Does that mean you knew I was going to kiss you today?”
Lie.“Totally. I could see it coming a mile aw—” She was stopped in mid-sentence as his lips pressed against hers.
“Could you see that?” he asked softly.
She slowly gripped the collar of his shirt tighter. “Shut up...” she said just before bringing him in. She teased his tongue with hers, and they stayed there like that for what could’ve been an hour. Her fingers scraped the same bulge she found as he moved down to the side of her neck, working her skin over briefly with his wet lips.
And then he cupped her face and asked, “Do you want me to stop?”
She still had her eyes closed, trying to control her breathing, but she shook her head.
He hesitated. Moving his thumbs across her cheeks, she could feel him struggle with what he wanted to say next. “My place?”
She moved her fingers along the back of his head, caressing his hair, letting his scent fill her senses. This was so sudden, but that didn’t make it wrong, did it? She told Fiona she wouldn’t, but here, now, she couldn’t think as to why she’d said it. There were no illusions here. He had been so open, so sweet to her. He was only in town a few days. For whatever reason, they were attracted to each other. He wanted her. Why couldn’t she have some fun with him? It was only sex in the end, and if they were both on the same page, no one would get hurt.
“Let’s go,” she whispered.
4
He tookher hand again and led her past his car, keeping to the side streets so as not to be noticed by anyone. She didn’t ask why they weren’t driving. She thought she knew, and her belief was confirmed when they rounded the corner of an alleyway to find Kingsman Apartments, the most recent construct of the Harbour line.
So, this was where he was staying. They crossed the lobby, moving past the manned desk. The concierge type behind it waved to them. Well, not really both of them.
“Evening, Mr Gasnier!”
“Remember what we talked about, Phil?” he replied as they came up to the elevator.
“Oh yes. Evening, Gaz!”
“That’s better,” he replied, flashing that cheeky grin as the elevator dinged its arrival. He ventured in after her, the doors closed, and they stood in silence for several seconds.
“You like the name Gaz?”
“Less formal,” he replied.
Tegan hummed at that, looking around the lush elevator and drumming her fingers on the gold coloured railing. “Have I ever told you moving elevators turn me on, Gaz?”
He faced her, deliberately coming closer, so she had to press her back against the cold wall. “Really...” he said, running his thumb along her lips and bringing the fingers of that hand down her chest. Slowly. Just brushing her outfit. Down, in between her breasts, to her stomach.
Tegan held her breath, looking straight at him as the carriage jiggled with its ascent. His hand went past her belly and she let out a quick breath. A shocked sigh. He had grazed her groin with the flat of his palm and curled his fingers under the hem of her skirt. She kept eye contact as he made a tighter fist holding it, not daring to blink as the skirt crawled its way up her thighs.
She clenched the railing harder as the tightness around her upper thighs increased. She bit her lip and leant her head back. His fingers were centimetres away from her underwear. But his grip was deliberately tightening her skirt around her legs as it rose. Teasing her.