I felt naked.

Not just in that fresh-out-of-the-shower way, either. Nope. As his penetrating gaze raked over me, I felt raw and exposed, like someone had pulled my skirt down in a crowd of people and I couldn’t do anything to fix it. The weirdest part was, I didn’t hate it.

Heat was rushing to my cheeks, and for a moment, I considered tucking tail and running from the bar, but something inside me kept me moving and making my way toward the man who hadn’t stopped staring at me since I’d walked in. Maybe it was the fact that, for the first time since I got to New York, I felt energized. Excited. Full of anticipation.

There was no doubt in my mind this was the guy I was going for. After all, he was exactly Hailey’s type. His dark hair was a little shaggy but well kept, and his dark eyes were soulful and hot, assessing me and, based on the slight smile on his chiseled lips, liking what he saw.

Which only made my blush deepen.

He was too handsome and intimidating to be the kind of guy I normally would have gone for. Based on his perfectly tailored dark-blue suit, I had to guess he’d come straight from work, but even now, in the bar, he hadn’t bothered to loosen his tie or take off his jacket.

No, he looked like he was ready to make a fresh acquisition.

And based on the hungry look in his eye? I knew exactly what kind of merger he had in mind.

You can do this.

Clearing my throat as I reached him, I forced a friendly smile and stuck out my hand.

“Hi there. I’m Piper.”

“Nice to meet you.” His warm palm swallowed my hand, and he gave me one confident pump before releasing me and motioning to the chair beside him. “Jackson. What’s your drink?”

“Pear vodka and cranberry,” I said automatically.

“Interesting combo,” he said with a half smile.

“When you taste it, it makes perfect sense. Sweet and tart and delicious. Heaven in a glass.” I slid onto the little stool, and Jackson summoned the bartender with a wave of his hand. When the other man approached, he ordered my drink and then watched as the bartender set to work.

Following his lead, I watched too and was overcome with a swell of gratitude when I saw exactly how much vodka the guy poured for me. Something about tonight made me feel like I was going to need every last drop.

“So, I, uh, feel like I should tell you that I don’t usually do this.” I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and tucked an errant strand of hair behind my ear.

“It’s easy,” Jackson said. “You’ll get the hang of it.”

I nodded. “I guess just being in a new city always has its learning curves.”

“I’m sure.”

“Have you ever moved someplace new without knowing anybody?” I asked.

He considered me for a long moment and then shook his head. “I travel a lot, but I’ve always lived in the city.”

“I see. So…you travel.”

He took a sip of his drink, surveying me over the rim. God, what I wouldn’t do to get him to stop looking at me like that. Like I was the next, most delicious course on the menu. It made me hot in all the right places, but it also made it hard to focus on anything he was saying.

“I do,” he said simply.

“For work? What sort of job do you have?”

He shook his head. “For work, yeah, but I don’t want to talk about work. I want to talk about you.”

“Me?” I raised my eyebrows and then gave the bartender a grateful nod as he set my drink in front of me.

“You. There’s nobody else in the room more interesting.” He offered me another smile, and I glanced away, my heart beating harder in my chest.

“I don’t know about that.” I took a swig of my drink.

“You don’t have to. I already know. Now tell me about yourself.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “Not much to tell. My sister actually set up my profile.”

“Really?”

I nodded. “Younger. You know how they can be.”

“I don’t. Only child.” He shrugged.

“Oh, well, you’d think that the older sibling is the one who thinks they know everything, but when it comes to Hailey—my sister—it’s totally different. My parents let her get away with murder, so she basically thinks a person can do anything they want.”

“And why can’t they?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Well…” I swallowed hard. “You know, responsibilities and stuff.”

“So what do you want to do right now that you feel like you can’t? What would your sister do?”

Rip your clothes off and tell you to have your way with me…

No, wait. Where did that even come from?

I swallowed hard and shook my head. “Nothing comes to mind.”

“Well, you tell me when something does.”

I nodded, sucking in my cheeks as I looked away for what felt like the millionth time. The intensity of his gaze was beginning to get to me, and already I wanted to fan myself, despite the comfortable temperature of the room.

“Tell me something else,” he said, and his fingers brushed against mine.

I glanced down, all too aware of the electric tingle coursing through my body at his touch.

“I don’t know,” I spluttered. “But I’m starting to wonder what my sister wrote about me on my profile.”

“You haven’t seen it?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Nope. Like I said, she does what she wants.”

“But you’re still here. Why?” he asked, cocking his head and eyeing me speculatively.

“Because…I was curious,” I admitted.

“And is your curiosity satisfied now?” He sipped his drink.

I opened my mouth to answer and then closed it. Why did it feel like everything out of this guy’s mouth was just some method to get me to admit that I wanted him, rough and ready, from the second I’d laid eyes on him?

And, more importantly, why did I like that about him?

What was happening to me? Where was homebody, keep-to-herself Piper?

“You’re not the usual kind of guy I see,” I confessed, hoping he wouldn’t notice my sudden change of subject.

“No?” he asked. “How is that?”

“You’re just different.”

“I got that.” The slight smile returned, and I took another sip of my drink to steady myself.

“Do you always dress like this?” I pointed to his suit.

“Duty calls. I work a lot.”

“Yeah, I was getting that vibe,” I said.

“And what other vibe are you getting?”

That you want me to slide off my panties and give them to you as a trophy?

“That you’re used to getting what you want,” I said, compromising. That was true too and a little safer.

“I am.” This time the smile was a full-on grin, like a wolf who’d just spotted a tasty-looking sheep.

My heart thudded a little faster in my chest, and I gripped my drink, swirling it nervously.

It was safe to say this was the most intense—and somehow terrifying—conversation I’d ever had with a man, but I still couldn’t work up the courage to get up and go.

And more than that?

I didn’t want to. Not even a little bit. My blood was singing as my brain tried to imagine what would happen from here.

Something about this guy—whether it was his dark stare or the way he smiled like he hadn’t had much practice at it—intrigued me. Attracted me. Just looking at his rugged square jaw made me need to squeeze my thighs together to quell the ache rising there.

He was the most handsome man I’d ever set eyes on, and there was no doubt what he wanted from me…and what I wanted to give him in return.

Swallowing hard, I forced myself to press on, if only to avoid being swallowed up by his gaze.

“Actually, uh”—I cleared my throat—“I didn’t see your profile. My sister just sort of picked you for me.”

“And you’re starting to wonder what it says about me? Since I’m so different than the guys you normally hook up with and all?” He raised his eyebrows, his lips tilting into a slight smirk.

“Sort of.” If he only knew.

“I can tell you in a nutshell.” He took a sip of his drink. “The picture of me is from a magazine article I was in a few years back.”

“Magazine?”

He nodded. “I don’t actually like the picture, but it was handy.”

“Apparently it was enough to impress my sister,” I said.

“And is she less discerning than you? Is that why I’m so different from your usual dates?”

I smiled, starting to relax into our banter for a brief second. “That’s not what I said.”

“But is it what you meant?”

I glanced away and swirled my drink, thinking hard. “I’m just…a low-key kind of girl. I’m betting that magazine was, what…forty under forty successful bachelors?”

“Close. Thirty under thirty. It was a few years ago.” He tipped his glass toward me in silent cheers for the guess.

“See? Yeah, I’ve never been out with a guy like you.”

“Until now.”

“Until now,” I agreed.

“And what do you think so far?” he asked, his gaze appraising me.

That I’m in way over my head…

That you’re out of my league…

“That…” I weighed a few more answers but couldn’t escape the truth. “That I have no idea what I’m doing with someone like you.”

“Do you want to know a secret?” he asked, momentarily catching me off guard.

“Sure.”

“I’m just like every other man you’ve ever met. When I look at you, I see a beautiful woman who I’d very much like to take back to my place and undress, one piece of clothing at a time.”

“That wouldn’t be very hard since I’m only wearing a dress.” I let out a nervous laugh and ignored the urge to slap my forehead and curse my own stupidity.

“Don’t think that hasn’t occurred to me.” His voice was low and husky, and followed by a predator’s grin.

I swallowed hard. “I’m betting you’re not the kind of guy who wants to chat over breakfast tomorrow morning.”

“You’d be a winner if you made that bet. I think you like that about me.” He snubbed a hand over his jaw and then moved closer, tucking an errant strand of hair behind my ear as he leaned in closer.

“I can tell you what I want from you down to the very last detail, but it can’t be here,” he whispered, his warm breath sending an involuntary shudder through me.

“Why not?” I breathed, captivated.

My heart thrummed in my chest, in my ears, in my lips, and I closed my eyes, savoring the sweet smell of his aftershave as he inched still closer to me—so close that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“Because when I tell you what I need from you, we’re going to be in private. And I’m guessing you’ll give me everything I ask for.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a demand. There would be no courtship here. No shy undressing and awkward first time. No giggling as he fumbled with the hook of my bra and pressed chaste kisses along the column of my throat.

Whatever happened between us, it was going to be rough and needy and passionate. But more than that, it was going to be exactly the way he wanted it.

And my curiosity about what that entailed was getting the better of me.

“So where do you suggest we go, then?” I asked.

He smiled wide, flashing a dimple I hadn’t yet seen. “I have just the place.”

I took one last sip of my drink, knowing I’d need a little liquid courage, and offered him my hand.

Jackson set some money on the bar and whisked me out onto the street.