Annoying little thing that she is, she’s used to flaunting her assets to get her way, no doubt. I stare at her breasts, and she folds her arms around her waist.
"Not that either, as I clarified earlier."
Her cheeks flush. Hmm, interesting color. She’s a natural redhead obviously, given how the color on her face highlights every single freckle on her beautiful skin. I stiffen. Why is my mind headed that way? I am used to controlling it, ensuring that my will is obedient to me. Every time I see her, though, my brain seems to drop to my groin. My dick twitches. I widen my stance and her gaze drops down to my crotch.
"You could have me fooled. From where I am, it seems you’d very much like 'that.' ” She makes inverted commas with her fingers.
I stiffen. Sod this. I will not be insulted by the likes of her. "So that’s your game, huh?"
"Now, what has that asshole mind of yours conjured up?"
"You don’t want to know." I flex my fingers and she pales.
"Try me." Her chin wobbles.
"You wouldn’t be able to stand it, Sweetheart."
"Stop calling me that."
"Oh?" I take a step forward and she blinks, scans the small enclosed space.
You’re trapped, little Bird. Can’t get away from the big bad bully now.
Her breath hitches; she retreats against the wall. "St… stop."
I take a step forward. "No one tells me what to do." I glare down at her.
"You think waaaay too much of yourself." She juts out her chin.
"You don’t think enough about yourself, clearly." Which is why she turned up for the meeting today without checking for any ulterior motives. Anger ladders up my spine. I don’t get it. Why am I concerned about her well-being? She's here, in my space, exactly where I want her to be.
She’s here insinuating herself into my life. Doesn’t she understand how bad this can turn out for her?
Doesn’t she care that I could do things to her that she’d never recover from?
My groin hardens. One part of me, at least, relishes the hunt. Adrenaline laces my blood. This could turn out to be interesting. Imagine that? Something to work toward. Someone who challenges me, who doesn’t grovel before me.
She dares go toe to toe with me? Interesting. I glare at her and she gulps. Fear radiates off of her.
"You uncomfortable, little girl?"
She shakes her head.
"Such a pretty little liar."
She jerks her chin. A bead of sweat runs down her temple.
I swipe out an arm and she flinches. I scoop up the drop of perspiration, then bring it to my lips and suck on my digit.
She makes a strangled sound deep in her throat. Watches me with unabashed curiosity… Or is that anticipation?
"I could take you right here and you couldn’t stop me."
She freezes. Her pupils dilate. Her chest rises and falls; the jacket stretches further. The button squeezes out of the eyehole. Bloody hell. I reach for her and she opens her mouth; her features contort.
"Don’t," she whispers.
She pauses. Eyes wide, mouth opened in an 'O.’ Pink lips parted, lip gloss gleaming. My mouth waters. My balls pulse. Is she trying to taunt me? I reach for her lapels and every muscle in her body snaps to attention.
I drag her up to her tip toes, drop my chin, until my face is directly above hers. Her eyelids flutter shut, her thick eyelashes fringing those soulful eyes. Eyes that consume me with their vulnerability. That hint at the innocence beneath the surface. An awed hopefulness through which she surveys the world. With bated breath. Waiting for her future to unfurl. An optimism that I want to tear apart with my bare hands.
Rip into her and teach her never to trust anyone.
Not so easy. My breath raises the hair on her forehead and her lips tremble. Her chin wobbles and she tips her head back, showing me the curve of that gorgeous neck. Too fucking vulnerable. I am going to have to teach her a lesson.
"Little Bird?"
"Summer." She swallows, "My name is Summer."
"Are you a virgin, Summer?"
5
Summer
"Seriously?" I snap my eyes open.
This man has the ability to reduce me to surprised silence and that’s not complimentary, though it does take a lot to rob me of my ability to speak, honestly. It’s more a testament to his sheer audacity. "You didn’t ask me that."
"Why not?"
"Because… it’s incredibly rude, for one."
"Is it?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"I never 'kid.’ " He says the last word as if it’s a bad smell.
"Figures." I can’t stop the chuckle that spills from my lips. "If you could stop long enough to actually notice your surroundings, you'd see that we don’t live in the dark ages anymore. Perhaps you’d see how everything is wrong about this picture."
"You actually believe there is free will in this world, hmm?"
His voice tugs at my nerve endings; goosebumps dot my skin.
It’s being enclosed in this tiny space that’s making me faint. I am not claustrophobic, but being stuck in an elevator with a larger-than-life male who has a completely warped sense of his own importance is… is enough to sap the will of any strong-willed woman... and I am… but one desperate to get to her meeting, and wrap up this account. "I am going to be late."
"It can wait."
Anger flares low in my belly, "There you go again, presuming to know what I can and can’t do."
"Why should I pretend?"
"Because…" I fidget, "Because… it’s polite?"
"Which I am not. We’ve established that already. So why don’t you cooperate?"
"That’ll be the day." I huff out a breath.
"The faster you answer my question, the sooner we can both be on our way."
"So, if I tell you if I am a… a…"
"Virgin." His lips curl.
Bastard’s having so much fun at my expense. I can’t wait to wipe that look of satisfaction from his face. Honestly, I really, truly, want to see him on his knees and groveling. For mercy. And I’d never show him an iota of it, I won’t.
"Yeah." I square my shoulders, "That. If I tell you… which by the way, I am not going to because, newsflash, this isn’t the dark ages anymore. Women are allowed to live as they want, date whom they desire, sleep with..."
His eyes glitter.
"—not you." I gulp, "I definitely don’t want that with you."
He glares at me, "So you’re thinking about it, huh?"
Nope.
"Admit it."
Never.
"Since you saw me, you’ve wanted to find out how it would be to have sex with me?" He drops his nose to the hollow of my throat and nuzzles me there.
I shiver.
"Give me what I want."
I will not.
"Say it." His voice drops to a hush.
A thrill of anticipation heats my blood. Would he be as demanding in bed? Position me as he wants, push me until I give him what he needs, allow him to possess me, dominate me… The elevator lurches. His body bumps mine. Chest to hip to thigh. All of my senses focus in on him. My nerve endings pop. "Yes."