“Why are we even here?” Jack asked, looking past the hostess stand and into the posh Japanese restaurant. “This doesn’t look like someplace you’d like, Liam.”

“Because we’ve had a long, hard week, and we’re branching out to try something new, eh?” Liam said, clapping his friend on the shoulder. “I got a recommendation from a friend, all right? Plus, they have sake. Nectar of the gods, I promise you.”

They stepped up to the hostess stand. Liam looked over his shoulder, then back to the hostess. “That’ll be seven of us, sweetheart.”

The pretty brunette hostess blushed, gathering menus and peering through the doorway. “One moment… all right, follow me please.”

She led them into the restaurant proper, which was dominated by a huge dark wood bar in the middle, done up to look like a pagoda. The restaurant’s walls were all dark wood, the floors bamboo mats, and the tables were built low and squat so that they were the right height for kneeling.

Jack was completely right, it wasn’t Liam’s kind of place. He preferred a pub with great fish and chips. Failing that, he’d go for a steak.

Sushi was definitely low on his list of favorite foods, but that wasn’t why he was here.

“Hey,” Jack said, nudging Liam. “Look, it’s Audrey and her girlfriends.”

“What do you know?” Liam asked, pretending surprise.

Of course, he wasn’t surprised. He’d planned this, knowing exactly how it would go. Knowing that if he brought Jack and a few other players, Audrey’s girlfriends would pressure her into inviting them over to share a table.

“Damn, that girl Britta’s here, too. We should go say hi.”

“Don’t want to seem rude,” Liam agreed.

“Is that the soccer guy?” he heard someone say as he and Jack walked over to the private area where Audrey and her friends were laughing and sipping sake.

Audrey glanced over. Her eyes went wide when she caught sight of him, followed by an immediate glare.

Yeah, that seems about right, Liam thought. Audrey had iced him out for the past three days, barely speaking to him past the bare necessities.

Like it was his fault that she’d kissed him back on the balcony, his fault that she’d been every bit as turned on as he was. If it weren’t for an ill-timed interruption, Liam was pretty sure he would have found some way to get her out of that jaw-dropping dress.

And Audrey would have loved every second of it, if he had. Even now, the sparks she was throwing, it was just more of her wildness coming out.

She simply didn’t know it yet.

Liam couldn’t fucking wait to show her, though. She was going to be bloody spectacular in bed, no doubt of it.

“Audrey! Hey!” Jack jumped in, clearing Liam’s path for him. “This is a nice surprise, huh?”

Audrey rose and came around to hug her brother, glaring at Liam over Jack’s shoulder. “Yeah, imagine that. How fortuitous.”

“Uhhh… okay,” Jack said, picking up on her sarcasm but not grasping the meaning of it. “Look, I’m here with a bunch of the guys. Is it cool if we get this big table next to y’alls?”

Audrey’s lips thinned, but then her friends started to stand up and chime in.

“Yeah, Aud, let them come hang with us!”

“Guys, let’s pull the tables together!”

“Someone get a server, we’re going to need more drinks!”

Two of Audrey’s friends came right over to Liam, introducing themselves and chatting with him. “Sit with us!”

Audrey looked like she was about to die of spite, which in turn made Liam grin at her. When she huffed and went back to her seat, Liam was careful to get himself a place right next to her.

Everyone settled in, chatting happily. Liam had intentionally picked five of the best-looking single guys on the team to accompany him and Jack to dinner, just to make sure he’d have plenty of time to chat with Audrey.

He couldn’t help but laugh. Audrey’s friends kept shooting her wide-eyed glances, disbelieving at their luck. And Jack already had his arm around the pretty little blonde, the one he’d called Britta.

Which was good, since Jack had dumped the girl from the other night. On the way over to the restaurant, Jack told Liam he was thinking of asking Audrey to move back in…

And that simply would not do. Now that she’d started settling into his house, Liam didn’t want her to leave.

Who would keep fresh juice in his fridge? Who would he catch standing in her pajamas at midnight, drinking wine out of the bottle in the kitchen?

She’d even unpacked all his things into the new furniture that kept arriving. She was as efficient as she was alluring, though she didn’t seem aware of either. Her prim attitude seemed to clash with her sexy body, which kept him on his toes, kept him curious to see what she’d do next.

She was a riddle wrapped in pretty paper, on top of the fact that she was managing his affairs quite well.

Over his dead body would Liam let this assistant go.

“What are you doing here?” Audrey asked, leaning over to whisper in his ear.

“Careful, sweetheart, or people are going to think we’re flirting,” Liam said with a big grin.

She looked at him like he’d suggested that he should shoot her in the foot.

“They will not,” she said, picking up her sake cup and knocking back the contents with a wince.

Liam shifted, moving over a couple of inches so that he knelt closer to her. The table came up to their waists, hiding their knees and laps underneath a pristine white tablecloth.

“Almost definitely. Just you wait,” he said, picking up the carafe of wine and pouring some for them both.

Audrey pulled a sour face, but didn’t comment further. Across the table, Jack started telling some ridiculous fib about a goal he scored some years past. Audrey focused on him and sipped her wine, which was perfect.

Liam leaned back and glanced under the table. Audrey was wearing this short blue dress, exposing her bare legs. He reached over and ran a fingertip along the crease formed where she knelt, teasing her upper thigh.

She jumped, her head snapping around so she could give him her steeliest stare.

Stop it, she mouthed.

No, he returned.

Her face went perfectly smooth. She turned back to Jack’s story, and food began to arrive at the table. Seaweed salad, gyoza, tempura vegetables.

As everyone chatted and sipped their sake, Liam moved closer to Audrey. He slid his palm against the top of her thigh, grinning when she didn’t budge.

Her determination not to react made the game that much more fun for him. He slid his hand up her leg and squeezed, feeling the tiny muscles at her inner thigh begin to flutter.

She sipped her sake and smiled wanly at the brunette beside her, nodding at the story the girl was telling. Liam sipped his sake with his free hand, pretending interest in Jack’s story.

In truth, he was more captivated by the silky feel of the delicate skin of Audrey’s inner thigh. He could see her start to breathe faster, her chest rising and falling in a way that encouraged him.

Audrey reached down under the table and grabbed his hand, sliding her gaze over to him. They stared at each other for several long beats, and Liam couldn’t miss the twin blooms of pink in her cheeks.

Audrey bit her lip and glanced away, but she didn’t push his hand away. She simply removed her own hand, bringing back up to the top of the table, and went back to nodding and smiling at her friend’s story.

That was all Liam needed. Starting at her knee, he swept his fingertips up, up, up… Until he touched soft, wet heat.

Bloody fucking hell.

Audrey was excited… and she wasn’t wearing any panties.

Liam must have the luck of the angels on his side, because he couldn’t imagine a scenario better for what he wanted. He couldn’t quite touch her like he wanted, but he could tease her well enough.

He was hard as a fucking rock already, and he wanted Audrey to be every bit as hot and heavy and hard up for it as he was.

He eased a fingertip up and down her slit, brushing her clit, then withdrew. He casually brought his hand up above the table. Audrey’s gaze narrowed in on his fingers as he slowly brought them up to his lips.

Her mouth opened a bit, her cheeks went flaming red as she watched Liam pop both fingers into his mouth and give them a quick suck. Making eye contact with her all the while, of course.

Her nostrils flared, her chest heaved, and she turned away from him entirely.

It was hard to tell, but he got the idea that he was getting somewhere. He just needed the right bit of leverage…

Like jealousy, perhaps?

Liam’s lips curled upward. He looked at his mate Carson, who sat across the table next to Jack.

“Trade spots with me, will you?” Liam asked.

He could feel Audrey go frigid, and it was hard to keep from grinning as he jumped up and jogged around the table. Liam sat down next to a stunning blonde named Chelsea, who turned out to be a very smart investigative reporter.

Liam chatted and flirted with Chelsea, touching her inner wrist, laughing at her slightly dry jokes. Chelsea seemed to size him up right away and take him for just what he was: a terrible flirt with no deeper intentions.

Still, Liam felt Audrey’s gaze on him time and again. Carson, the poor chap, seemed to be having a terrible time trying to chat Audrey up. She kept giving Carson quick, disinterested smiles until he lost interest and turned away.

Once Carson abandoned her, Liam began to feel a little guilty. Audrey looked stranded in the middle of the table, everyone coupled off and deep in conversation. This was her dinner, after all. Liam had eavesdropped on her conversation as she planned it.

A girls’ night out, she’d called it.

Now she was left out, because Liam had distracted all her friends with a bunch of handsome professional athletes. It was a little unfair, though she could have played along and chatted with Carson if she’d so chosen.

But Audrey was stubborn. She heaved a sigh, shot Liam a glare across the table, and nimbly got to her feet. She vanished toward the back of the restaurant, and she was gone a good couple minutes before Liam stood and followed her.

He went around the pagoda bar to the hallway where the restrooms and coat closet lay. No sign of Audrey. He checked the closet, then knocked on both restroom doors. Silence.

He headed toward the end of the hallway, and was ready to turn around and head back to the table when he saw a strange wood-and-glass door. A vintage phone booth, built seamlessly into the wall.

When he moved to examine it, he found Audrey standing inside, sticking out her lower lip and scrolling listlessly through her phone. He pulled the door open, startling her.

“Ugh, go away,” she sighed. When he stepped into the booth, pressing right up against her as he closed the doors, she actually growled at him. “What are you doing, Liam?”

“Apologizing for crashing your dinner party,” he said, sliding a hand around to her lower back to pull her against his body.

“I don’t want your apologies,” she snapped. She looked him right in the eye. “I don’t want you, Liam.”

“No?” he asked, bringing his lips down to her ear. He nipped her earlobe, then kissed her neck. Already he could feel her melting against his chest. “I think you do, Ginger.”

“Don’t call me that,” she said, her voice dropping to a throaty purr.

Liam cupped Audrey’s chin, marveling at how petite and delicate she was in his hands. He dragged his thumb over her lips and they parted for him. The look in her eyes, the hunger and conflict he saw there…

He lowered his lips to hers, taking her mouth in a deep, possessive kiss. She sighed into the kiss, her arms snaking around his neck, fingers burying in the hair at his nape. Her nails gently scraped his scalp, his neck, his shoulders.

Their teeth clashed, tongues meeting and dancing, breath fleeing as they kissed long and hard.

Remembering how she’d responded before, he found her nipple and gave it a hard pinch. Audrey’s lips parted from his and she moaned, this irrepressible sound that made Liam want to be inside her, right that bloody minute.

There was no doubt about it, buttoned-up little Audrey was going to be an absolute fucking wildcat between the sheets.

Liam dragged one shoulder of her dress down, taking her bra with it, shoving at the fabric until he freed one full, lush breast. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, pinning her against the wall so that he could pull her pert pink nipple into his mouth.

On the first long, hard pull of his lips, the first scrape of his teeth, Audrey pressed her hand to her mouth to smother a loud, passionate cry. He sucked and nipped hard, drawing on her nipple again and again, until her hips were rocking against him, until her eyes were closed and she was moaning over and over.

Fuck, she was incredible. Now to make his mark, really show her that he could please her. That for once in their short but oh so sweet acquaintance, he could give without taking.

Give her what she clearly needed.

When he dropped to his knees, her eyes went wide even as her fingers knotted in his hair.

“What are you doing?” she whispered. “Anyone could see!”

Liam didn’t reply. He was too busy shoving her dress up, parting her thighs and getting her knees over his shoulders.

“Liam— ohhhhh,” she moaned when his tongue traced her damp slit, lips finding her clit for a soft, teasing kiss. “Oh god…”

Her fingers gripped his hair hard as he flicked the tip of his tongue against her most sensitive spot, making her hips jerk against this lips, seeking more. He made a long mmmmm sound, purring against her as his tongue worked her in slow, rhythmic circles.

Already she was panting, cramming her fingers against her lips. Liam could feel her holding back, feel her trying to keep herself in check. Always desperate to stay in control.

He would strip it from her, make her thank him and beg for more. All in good time…

This is only the first step, he reminded himself. Next time, I’ll have her in my bed. I’ll have her wild, desperate to ride my cock.

He took her right to the edge, his skilled tongue working faster, harder until her thighs shook, until she was gasping for breath, begging him.

“Liam, please,” she whispered.

That simple plea did strange things to him, made his stomach flutter oddly. He’d never heard her ask for something before, not like that.

Damn, he would kill to hear that from her lips again.

In the next moment Audrey tensed, then shattered with a loud cry, her head slamming back against the booth as she thrust against his lips and tongue. She shuddered, soaking his lips and chin, her legs trembling so hard that Liam was the only thing keeping them both from collapsing to the floor.

“Ahhh…” she sighed, her eyes closed.

Liam gently lifted her and moved back, setting her on her feet once more. To his gratification, she wobbled a little, leaning into him for support. Her eyes opened, that ice blue gaze searing him, burning him up inside.

If they were almost anywhere else, he’d lift her up and take her right here, fuck her up against the wall until she screamed his name.

But she was giving him this funny look, sort of soft and… well, vulnerable. Another first. She was always a bit of a battle-axe, forcing life to bend to her will. Seeing her like this was unexpected.

His stomach did that funny thing again. He leaned down and cupped her jaw, then gave her a long, deep kiss. The sweet tang of her was still on his lips, and sharing it with her was surprisingly exciting to him.

After a long moment, he stepped back.

He’d promised himself he’d give, without taking. Another minute in this booth, and that promise would be utterly lost.

“See you back at the table,” he said with a quick grin. “You might want to visit the loo first. You smell like sex.”

Ignoring her sound of protest, he wedged the door open and stepped out into the hallway. After taking a quick moment to adjust himself, making sure his raging hard-on wasn’t evident, he strode back into the restaurant.

At the last second, he pulled his phone from his pocket and held it up, pretending aggravation as he reclaimed his seat.

“Bloody agent, always calling at the worst time,” Liam bluffed, rolling his eyes.

“Sounds tough,” Chelsea said, rolling her eyes. She clearly didn’t believe him for a hot second, but as long as she didn’t make waves, Liam didn’t particularly care.

“Hey, where’s Aud?” Jack asked, standing up and offering a hand up to Britta. “We’re about to get out of here.”

“Beats me,” Liam said with a shrug. “Maybe she went home.”

Audrey presented herself a few minutes later, as the check was being split up. Liam and a couple of the guys took care of the bill, and most everyone left in good company.

“Want a ride home?” Liam asked Audrey when they stepped outside into the suddenly chilly night air.

Audrey glanced at him, then shook her head. “No thanks.”

She stepped out and flagged a taxi, without so much as a backward glance. Liam was left standing on the curb, waiting for the valet. He stared after the cab, perplexed.

She’d acted as if there was nothing between them, as if he hadn’t just kissed her lips, sucked her nipples, made her come so hard she shook for minutes afterward.

If he’d merited her for keeping him on his toes, well… this was a new level of complexity, and Liam felt hopelessly mired in trying to sort it through.

Did Audrey even like him as a person, or did she merely fall prey to lust from time to time?

She was only human, after all…

Lost in thought, Liam took the scenic drive home. When he arrived, Audrey’s bedroom door was shut tight, all the lights in the house off.

No answers to be had tonight, then. If he were honest, he wasn’t even sure why he cared so much. He wasn’t much for trying to get into females’ heads, trying to understand the logic of them.

He liked arses, he liked tits. He liked easy smiles at his jokes, tequila shots off of girls’ bodies.

This… this wasn’t like him, not at all. He shouldn’t be so wrapped up in Audrey. They were from two different worlds, both in childhood and current day.

Plus, if Jack found out about any of this, he’d blow his fucking stack.

Best leave her alone, he told himself. She’s not for you, and you bloody well know it.

Tomorrow, he’d start fresh. This obsession with Audrey and her fit little body would fade, piece of cake.

Right?