I didn’t understand his cryptic answer, yet the intrigue soared. “Is your name really Prince?”
“Yes.”
Okay. I wasn’t expecting that. Who names their child Prince? His honesty, however, favored a second question with a straight face. I wasn’t sure why I thought to ask that and found myself dreading the answer. “Have you done this before? Paid for sex, I mean?”
“No.”
Whether or not I imagined his hesitation, I couldn’t say. Was he lying? His expression, however, hinted otherwise. Then again, I didn’t know him, so maybe he excelled at the perfect poker face. “Do you want to sleep with me because you feel sorry for me?”
“No,” came the quick reply.
Unsure why. His answer filled me with an inexplicable thrill. Maybe because I wasn’t an easy pick-up? I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I’d just let the man touch me. Technically, he felt my panty, but in public. Could that not be labeled easy? My phone rang, drawing my attention. “Excuse me for a second.” He nodded as I answered, “Ru?”
“I’m at your car, Sianna. You’re not here,” my cousin said, his tone filled with worry.
“I’m safe.” I slanted a sideward gaze at Prince. His smile told me he’d heard me. “Give me a couple of minutes.” When the call disconnected, I turned to my handsome companion. “That’s my ride. I have to go.” Knowing I sounded wistful, I didn’t care.
He eyed me with a slow smile. For just a beat, I wondered if I’d imagined his optimistic countenance. “Do you have more questions for me?”
“I thought I was only allowed three.”
“I’m willing to forgo my limitations for you.” The emphasis on the last two words created a swirl of warmth in the pit of my stomach. I smiled.
“Can I save them?” I colored at his raised brow. “You know. If I say yes.” Even his boyish chuckle was sexy, making my skin tingle.
“It’s been a pleasure, Princess.”
“About the pro—”
He held up a hand. “I’ll give you the next two days to think about it. On both days, I’ll be here at six.” He ran a finger lightly up my thigh, leaving goosebumps in its wake. “Can I walk you out?” I nodded. When I fished my wallet out of my jacket, his hand closed over mine. “Allow me.” I shook my head. “I insist.”
The look he gave me warned me not to mess with his gentlemanly duty, and I laughed with a nod. Smiling, he stood and settled our tabs while I said goodbye to the bartender. With a hand at my lower back, he walked me to the exit. The brisk cold chilled my skin. I hesitated on the top stair. The abrupt tightening of his arm around my waist before he turned us and pressed me against a wall, wrenched a gasp from my ‘o’ shaped lips. He lifted me slightly, pinning me between his large, warm body and the cold wall. One hand supported the curve of my ass while the other tangled with the curls at the base of my neck.
“What are—”
His mouth was on mine, cutting off my words in a contrasting kiss of equal parts firmness and placidity. I moaned when his tongue swept into my mouth, delved deeper, clashing, exploring, soothing. My hands sank into his thick hair and tugged him closer, tighter. Suddenly, I no longer wanted to leave. Every part of me desperate to feel his skin under my fingers, his hard cock between my thighs, his body flush against mine as he drove into me. When he moved from my mouth to my neck, nipping at the tender skin there, I whimpered.
“Just in case you need a reminder.” His lips brushed my jaw before he leaned back, his eyes on mine. “Say yes, Princess.”
“Sia,” I whispered. At his blank look, I smiled. “My name.”
“Princess Sia. Beautiful. Just like you.” His fingers trailed a slow path up my waist, over my breast to cup my chin. “I am hopeful that when I walk in here tomorrow, it will be to see you,” he said softly in a way that conveyed a wealth of intimacy for a man I didn’t know. “Where’s your car?” He glanced behind him to the road.
“Um,” I hesitated. There was no way I wanted him to see that car. “It’s okay. It’s just up the road, and my cousin’s waiting.”
As though he sensed my reluctance, he smiled. “Bye, Sia. Sweet dreams.” After another soft kiss to my lips, he re-entered the bar.
I stood there a while longer, my heated body at war with the logical part of my brain. To walk away or stay. Several seconds of deliberation found my feet in a hurried stroll back toward the house.
“Jesus, Sianna, give a man a heart attack, why don’t you?”
Engrossed in the mind-boggling remnants of Prince’s kiss, I startled then let out a low laugh. “With that magnificent look, I’d say you’re far from likening yourself to a man, Ru.” Having probably arrived here directly after a stage performance without changing, my cousin was an utterly stunning version of Cher, and I had no doubt he could sing just as well.
“Well, I’m freezing my balls off,” he moaned before his frown smoothed into a smile. “I’ll forgive your tardiness, hoping a gorgeous man was the cause of you making me worry.”
“You have no idea.” I grinned.
His fake brows jumped to his hairline. “Oh. Do tell.”
“Let’s drive, and I’ll fill you in.” I opened my car door. After we managed to squeeze ourselves between bags and boxes sticking out of the back seat, I started the engine. All through the ride, I filled him in on my meeting with Prince.
When I pulled up next to his building and switched off the engine, he turned to me, his eyes wide. “Please tell me you said yes?”
I gawked. “Really? Without giving it some thought.”
Ruvash tilted his head, giving me his best what-the-fuck face. “What’s there to think about? Hell, girl, the man offered you two hundred thousand dollars to sleep with him. It’s just sex.”
“Just sex?” I frowned.
“Think about what you can do with the money?” He pointed out, his tone matter of fact. “Anyway, judging by the way you described the man’s touch and kisses, I’d say he’s pretty hot in bed.”
I couldn’t stop the small smile playing around my lips. “Yeah, but—”
“No buts, Sianna.” He gripped my hand between his with a heavy sigh. “Sweetie, you’re single, beautiful, and have a gorgeous man wanting to take you to bed. What in God’s name is wrong with this picture. Absofuckinglutely nothing.”
“What if he’s married,” I blurted out.
Ruvash didn’t see anything wrong with that. “So? A man will cheat on his wife if he wants to, your moral ethics aside.”
“I don’t want to be paid for sex.”
“So, don’t.” He cocked a flawlessly penciled brow at me. “Stop overthinking this and just go fuck the man. If nothing else, it would probably make for a good comparison.”
“I’ll think about it.” I grinned at his petulant look. “We’ve got a car to offload, and you can’t help me in that dress.”
He rolled his eyes at my change of subject. “Come on.”
Sianna