“I will. As soon as you tell me one thing,” he says, his lips brushing the skin of my cheek. “Why are you here?” His tone is back to normal.
“I came to see Jaxon.” My words are sharp and clipped. And not the entire truth. Somehow, I feel he already knows that.
“You’re lying.”
Not completely.
I turn my head at his accusation, hoping to find the strength to tear into him, to do what else I came here to do. But holy hell. Our mouths are so close now, when he breathes out, I breathe in. So close I can taste the remnants of fresh mint and honey on my tongue every time he exhales.
“Let me go,” I tell him again, this time with less aggression as my body gives in to the sweet temptation of him. The irony of the moment is that this is the exact spot where I first saw him the night Reid came home from boot camp.
I couldn’t get away from him fast enough then, and I can’t get away from him fast enough now. Only this time my reasons are completely different.
“You’ve been here a dozen times to see Jaxon, and not once have you ever showed up dressed like this. Well… with the exception of…” he smirks at the memory of the last time I was here.
How does he know that? How does he know how many times I’ve been here—or what I wear?
Because somehow this man knows everything, even things he shouldn’t.
“Does that make you angry? Or jealous?” I ask, a sarcastic bite to my tone as I repeat the words that he said to me Saturday night.
A picture-perfect smile spreads across his face, stealing my breath the moment I see it.
I swallow hard and try not to let him see how he affects me. “I’m not one of those women that waits hopelessly at the bar for ten minutes in your father’s office. I’m not a toy. You can’t play games with me.”
The smile fades, and he stares at me, his bright blue eyes a dark, bottomless ocean now. His mouth is so close to mine. If I wet my lips, my tongue will touch his. His length, hard and thick, presses into my stomach. All I want to do is reach between us and touch it.
“I’m not playing games. And you’re right. You’re not one of those women.”
I look for signs he’s full of shit, but his deep, black irises are void of clues, giving no hint as to his thoughts. Although I’m pretty sure he isn’t a full-of-shit kind of guy. His free hand crawls up my thigh, bringing my dress with it as it goes. It’s so hard to convince myself this is wrong when he’s touching me like this, saying these things.
He moves his mouth to my ear. “Back to my question. You aren’t wearing a bra. And I can almost guarantee when I slide my hand up four more inches, I’ll find a very tempting pair of lace panties, if I find any at all. Tell me you did that for Jaxon, and I’ll leave you alone.” I open my mouth to respond, but he stops me. “I’m very good at reading people, Makenna. So, don’t lie to me.”
Something tells me he isn’t kidding, so I don’t even try. “I have to go. And you have company.” Another conquest.
He lets go of my arms but keeps me pinned to the side of the building with his body. “That’s what you really want? To leave?”
This is it. All in or cash out.
My brain tells me Cal Suppato does not chase after women. My eyes tell me he doesn’t have to. My body tells me I want him to. And my heart tells me to be careful.
It’s my heart that I end up listening to. After all, it’s my heart I have to protect from him, not my body.
“Yes,” I answer, my voice barely above a whisper. It’s a lie, but it’s one I have to tell.
He doesn’t reply. Then again, I didn’t expect him to. Instead, he backs off and watches in silence as I get in my car and drive away.