“We’re going on a date?”
Raide is standing before me, dressed in a tuxedo that makes my mouth water. He’s got his arms crossed and he’s trying to explain to me that we’re going on a date, because we’ve never had the chance to do it properly.
“You’re taking me on a date?” I say again.
“Jesus, lady,” he mutters. “Yeah, I’m takin’ you on a date.”
“You,” I repeat, “Raide Knox, are taking me on a date?”
He huffs and stares up at the ceiling for calm. “Go, put a dress on, and stop askin’ questions.”
“Are you ill?”
He growls and steps toward me. He reaches out and takes a lock of my hair, tugging it softly. “Dressed. Now.”
I smile and turn, skipping off down the hall. I dress quickly, slipping into one of my favorite black dresses. It’s low-cut at the back, showing a good deal of spine. The front has a goodly amount of cleavage, but nothing too … adventurous. I leave my hair down and run my straightener through it. Then I touch up my makeup and hurry back out. Raide is standing against the counter when I come out. He’s still got his arms crossed impatiently.
He goes to open his mouth, no doubt to ask what the hell I’ve been doing, but he quickly shuts it when he sees me. Instead, his eyes grow dark and he stalks toward me. I swallow and lift my hands, placing them on his chest to halt him when he’s close enough. He looks like an animal about to pounce. His eyes travel the length of me, then he murmurs gruffly, “Turn around.”
“Pardon?” I say, my eyes getting big.
“Turn around, put your hands on the counter.”
“Raide,” I breathe. “What are you doing.”
“Turn around,” he orders, and I do as I’m told.
I turn and put my hands on the counter. He comes up behind me, pressing his chest into my back. He leans down and murmurs into my ear. “Don’t move your hands. If you scream, I’ll spank you.”
Oh. Boy.
“Raide—”
“Hush.”
He lifts my dress, revealing my thong. I tremble as he hooks his fingers into it and moves it to the side. Then he presses against me, all while running his finger down past my ass and into my sex. He curls it up and slowly pushes inside me. I cry out and his other hand slaps my ass, hard. My cry becomes a whimper and I bite my lip to stop from screaming in pleasure. He rubs his hand over the stinging mark while his other hand tortures me.
He thrusts his finger in and out slowly, driving me over the edge. I can feel his cock pressing against my ass cheek and it’s hard as all hell. I want it. I want him to fuck me right here, just like this. “Raide,” I plead. “Fuck me.”
He slaps my ass again. Holy shit. Yes. “Don’t talk,” he growls. “I’m making the decisions here, lady.”
He’s torturing me with his finger, he’s not working it fast enough, yet at this slow pace it feels so damned good. I bite my bottom lip so hard, I’m sure blood is about to pop up to the surface. In and out, in and out, God dammit, he’s killing me. I close my eyes and concentrate on my orgasm. I’m building higher and higher, nearly there … Oh yes, nearly there—
Raide pulls his fingers out.
I gasp at the sudden emptiness. My orgasm scurries away and it takes everything inside me not to protest. I hear his zipper and his belt, and then he curls one hand around so he’s gripping my chin. He turns my face to the side and growls, “Don’t move.”
Then he fucks me.
Right there against the counter.
Hard and fast.
Primal. Raw. Gritty.
Bliss.
* * *
“Wine, ma’am?”
I stare up at the waiter and smile. “Yes, please.”
He pours the red wine into my glass and then hands us a menu. “Call me when you’d like to order.”
I nod and turn back to Raide, who is staring at me. His eyes are roaming over my face, and he’s got a lazy smile on his face. “What?” I ask, blushing.
“You look great just fucked.”
“Raide!” I scoff.
“You do.”
“This is a nice place,” I say, changing the subject.
“Yeah, Benny told me it was the place to be.”
I chuckle softly. “Benny knows all the moves.”
“You sayin’ I don’t?”
I grin and my cheeks heat once more. “Oh, you’ve got the moves.”
His lips tip up and he leans forward. “What are you going to eat?”
“I don’t know,” I say, barely having glanced at the menu. Raide is far too distracting. “You?”
“Seafood pasta.”
“Oh, yum!”
“It’s awesome.”
I raise my brows. “You’ve been here?”
“Yeah, I came here with Kelly before she died.”
My features soften. “Did you do that a lot?”
He smiles. “Yeah, as much as we could before she met Dean.”
“It sounds like you two were close.”
He nods. “We were.”
“Where was she buried?”
He jerks slightly. “Southside.”
“Can we visit her sometime?”
Something warm washes over his features. “Why would you wanna do that?”
I stare at him, confused. “Why wouldn’t I? She’s your sister, Raide. She’s the only thing you had left and she was taken from you. We should visit her grave.”
He studies me and after a long moment, he says, “What the fuck did I do to deserve you?”
I grin. “You skipped bail.”
He chuckles low and throaty. “I won’t be doing that again. If they’ve got crazy stalkers like you as bounty hunters.”
I gape. “I was not stalking you, Raide Knox!”
His eyes are twinkling with humor. “That’s not how I remember it.”
“You remember it wrong,” I scoff.
“Do you dirty dance with all your cases?”
I cross my arms. “Maybe.”
His eyes grow dark. “Better not happen anymore.”
“Are you going to follow me for every case I get?”
He crosses his arms and leans back. “Maybe.”
“Raide…” He’s teasing, I can see it in his eyes. Jerk. Time to change the subject. “What about you? What are you going to do now.”
“Got a job as a construction worker.”
I blink. “Pardon?”
“A construction worker. I was doing that before I was arrested. Got friends, made a call, got a job.”
“You … build things for a living?”
“Yeah, lady.”
“And you got a job?”
He smirks at me. “Is that so shocking?”
“You just got out of prison.”
He shrugs and takes a long swig of his beer. “I have friends.”
“Apparently.”
“Got a place, too.”
I blink some more. “A place?”
“Are you going to ask a question to everything I say?”
I pout. “Who got you a place?”
“Mandy.”
My chest tightens. “Mandy?”
He grins, because he knows that makes me a little … jealous. “Yeah, Mandy. She has friends. Benny told her I was getting out and needed a place. She secured one before I was even out.”
Oh. Right. “Is there anything you can’t do, superman?”
He winks at me. “Nope.”
I roll my eyes. “And this place? Is it close to mine?”
His eyes twinkle and he leans forward, putting his elbows on the table. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?” I whisper.
“Maybe. You’ll have to wait and see.”
My lips twitch. “You’re proving to be very secretive, Mr. Knox.”
He reaches out, cupping my cheek. “I swear, you’ll know everything there is about me in no time at all.”
“Is that a promise?”
He grins. “Yeah, lady, it’s a promise.”
I think we’re going to be just fine.