He got that. He’d been there once too. Surviving watching Katherine die, and hating every second of not being able to save her. “When did ‘just surviving’ end up being good enough?” Oddly protective of her and determined to help her heart weather this storm, he added, “Last night, I took your virginity. You gave that to me willingly, and I appreciate the hell out of it, believe me. Now I’m asking for you to give me…more. Can you offer me that, too?”
“But why?”
For her. For him. For this connection between them that he couldn’t quite figure out but couldn’t let go of, either. “Ah, that’s where you’ll have to trust me. Think about it.” He took a business card out of his wallet and offered it to her. “That’s my personal cell number. Text me if you want what I’m offering.”
She examined the card then lifted her heated gaze. “Which is what exactly?”
He lowered his mouth to hers until they were nearly touching. “To find that out, you’ll have to say yes.”
And just as she reached for the kiss, he strode away. “Better get going. We don’t want you to be too late.”
Her soft curses had him grinning like a fool for the rest of the walk.
One-night stands were supposed to be emotionless and distant, but nothing about Rhys was cold. In fact, he’d been attentive and thoughtful last night when he took her virginity. He listened to every word she said on their walk like it mattered to him. Even as she strode next to him after their talk, his imposing height and muscular form, matched with his social status and wealth, should unnerve her, and yet, she felt more comfortable with him than almost anyone. Especially since the assault. But that little voice in her head that told her men were dangerous stopped her from immediately accepting his proposal, no matter how intriguing. She needed her friends to weigh in.
When Rhys stopped at the Devil’s Café, a cocktail bar in the heart of Manhattan, Zoey spotted Elise and Hazel already sipping their fancy drinks, with Zoey’s unopened bottle of wine waiting in front of the empty seat. A little pang hit her heart. Those martinis looked delicious, but she wouldn’t dare drink anything not opened in front of her. Not anymore, probably never again.
“This is goodnight, then.”
Rhys’ warm, velvety voice lifted goosebumps across her arms. She met his eyes and felt an unexpected heat rush through her. Rhys was deliciously…intense. She’d never experienced the draw of a man. Against all her judgment and trust issues, she wanted to move closer. “It is goodnight. Thank you for walking me.”
“I was very happy to,” he nearly purred, closing the distance between them. He stood over her, this powerful presence of a man, looking at her with a smoldering gaze. “Goodbye, Zoey.” Then his hand was cupping her cheek and his lips met hers, promptly taking Zoey somewhere other than the streets of Manhattan. God, the man knew how to kiss.
When he finally pulled back a long while later, she slid back into her body and reached for more. His throaty chuckle hit her like he’d stripped all her clothes off and entered her as he did last night. She snapped her eyes open to find a devilish grin on his face. “There is no expiration date on my offer,” he told her before walking away.
She remembered how to breathe and gasped for air. Sudden loud voices and cars honking hit her. She blinked, following Rhys’ long, steady gait until he faded off into the shadows.
Reminding herself how to walk again, she entered the cocktail bar and was greeted by the pop music and her two best friends gawking at her.
“What in the actual fuck?” Elise asked by way of greeting when Zoey reached the table.
Zoey slid onto the wooden chair. “I wish I could explain, but I don’t even understand what’s happening.” She opened the wine bottle with the opener left for her and poured herself a gigantic glass.
Hazel’s eyeballs were bulging out of her head. “That was Rhys Harrington.”
Zoey took the largest sip she ever had, cringing against the dryness. “He was the guy,” she said after she swallowed.
“The guy, guy?” Elise asked. “The one who took your virginity?”
Zoey nodded. “Yes, that guy.”
“Jesus,” Hazel breathed.
Zoey nodded again…and again… “If you think that’s crazy, then wait ‘til you hear this.” She recapped what had happened since Archer picked her up at work until they just saw her kissing Rhys-fucking-Harrington. They both knew exactly who he was through the research they’d done on Phoenix.
When Zoey finished, Hazel gave her head a few shakes. “Yup, yup, that is crazy.” She planted her hands flat on the table. “Okay, first, are you going to go to the cops with the evidence?”
She didn’t even need to think about it. “A part of me knows I should come forward. Maybe they’ve done this before. Maybe they’ll do it again. But the other part of me is terrified. I know what it feels like to have my whole world exposed and twisted. If I speak up, my life will be ripped apart. Again. And I would probably get blamed. I just don’t feel strong enough for that right now. I want to focus on moving on.”
Elise reached across the table. “You deserve to move on and be happy.”
“Yes, you do.” Hazel nodded firmly, taking Zoey’s other hand.
“Thanks.” Warmth flooded Zoey’s chest as she squeezed their hands back. She never expected the friendship she had with Hazel and Elise. Leaving them would not be easy, and that stupid lump rose in her throat again.
Zoey washed it away with a long sip of her wine as Hazel asked, “Okay, so now, let’s circle back to Rhys Harrington taking your virginity. Did you know it was him last night?”
“That’s a gigantic no,” Zoey responded, but then she hesitated, reassessed. “I mean, I guess I should have because of his eyes. He’s got these incredibly smoky eyes, so powerful and intense. I’ve really never seen anything like them. But I didn’t think about that until I saw him earlier.”
“Yeah, yeah,” said Elise, waving Zoey on.
“Hey, ladies.” All eyes went to the cute thirty-something guy grinning at them. “Can I get you all a drink?”
“No,” Elise said firmly, leaving no room to argue. She pointed back to the bar where his smiling friends were watching this show. “Go.”
The guy’s brows shot up. “Go?”
Elise dismissed him by looking away and focused back on Zoey intently. The guy stood, confused for a moment, but then slowly turned and walked away, facing his friends in defeat.
Zoey chuckled. Obviously, her story had Elise enthralled. She’d never seen her friend react so briskly.
Elise didn’t miss a beat. “How about you tell us why Gorgeous Eyes just gave you the kiss of a lifetime outside?”
Because he’s sweet? Because he feels obligated to help me now? “I think maybe it was to tempt me,” Zoey admitted.
Hazel’s eyes went wide as she nibbled on the end of her straw. “To tempt you to do what?”
“To want more of him.”
The music blared through the speakers, the loud, excited voices spreading out in the room as Zoey glanced between her friends. A long moment passed then they all burst out laughing.