I’m nervous.

Can’t remember the last time I’ve been so nervous over meeting a chick for dinner.

Can’t remember the last time I met a chick for dinner, period. My life has been reduced to work, stressing over my brother not returning my calls and quick, dirty fucks with nameless women.

Why am I here, taking a chance on Hailey?

I pull off my gloves and look up at her building, at the lit-up window of her apartment and my memory replays the way she tasted, the way she moaned in my mouth.

The way she came on my fingers.

Fuck. I have to reach down and adjust myself inside my jeans. There’s my answer, I guess. I want her too damn much to keep away. Her tight body, her dark eyes, her funny, sexy bob and wide smile…

And I’m wandering into dangerous territory, because I also can’t remember the last time I was so drawn to a girl. If she doesn’t want me, that’s okay. But if she freaks out, if she breaks my trust, well… I may just lose it.

My faith in myself. In what I need. May just start believing I’m a freak and ask to be put behind bars, or go live in the desert.

Shaking my head at myself, I buzz her apartment and the door clicks open. I take the stairs two at a time, needing to use up some of the adrenaline pulsing in my veins, the bunch of flowers I bought her in my hand, and then I’m standing outside her door, my stomach knotting.

I unzip my jacket, straighten my white shirt, tuck an errant strand of hair behind my ear. The flowers sag a little, withered from the ride on my motorbike. Is it too much?

Nah. Chicks like flowers, right? And I want her to like them.

To like me.

To stop my mind from wandering deeper into the quicksand, I ring the bell and suck in a deep breath.

Then let it out in a rush when she pulls the door open, barefoot, dressed in a long black dress, her hair slicked back.

I’m staring and I can’t fucking help it.

“Whoa,” I say. “Oh man.”

She smiles at my loss of communication skills, a delighted, pretty smile. “Come on in.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” I step inside, the flowers still clutched in my hand.

She looks up at me. “Are they for me?”

Shit. I thrust the bunch into her hands. “Yeah.”

A snicker escapes her. “Thank you!”

Yeah, that was really smooth. Way to go, Kaden. Bet you won the girl’s heart already.

As if I care about winning her heart.

Dammit, why did she invite me over? What does she want with me?

She is new in town. She could have chosen anyone else to spend her time with rather than a guy who’s accused of sexual deviations.

Chances are she’ll file charges against me the moment I let my guard drop and touch her, take her to bed. Maybe she won’t even wait to hear what I like, what scared Eva away. That’s the power of rumors. Of expectations.

She expects me to be a sort of monster when it comes to sex, so what am I doing here?

She takes my hand, drags me further inside and closes the door with a nudge of her hip. It’s just dinner, I remind myself. The night before she’d been drunk. Don’t expect any more kissing, or touching or sex, for that matter.

That’s why she invited you. Because she doesn’t know anyone else in town.

Right?

The table by the window is set for two with stylish black table mats and white plates. A candle in a silver holder is already lit, its flame reflecting on the glass. There’s a small Christmas tree in the corner, with twinkling lights and crystal balls.

“Wine?” she asks, and I nod, although I’m more of a beer or Scotch kinda guy. “White okay?”

“Sure.”

Shrugging off my jacket, I drape it over a chair and smooth my hands over my shirt, feeling slightly out of place. She’s a classy girl, the other night notwithstanding, and I feel like a hick, with my cheap clothes, my biker boots, my tattoos and the dirt under my fingernails that just won’t go away no matter how hard I scrub.

I’m a mechanic, and she’s an urban goddess, sleek and sophisticated, damn statuesque as she crosses the room toward the kitchen, the satiny dress hugging her curves like second skin, her hair glinting like gold.

She returns with two fluted glasses and I grip mine with awkward fingers. “I can almost hear you thinking from where I’m standing.”

“Almost? Then you’re not close enough,” I growl and reach for her. Gripping her wrist I haul her closer, and she laughs.

God, I love her laughter. So light and bright and free of fear and pretense.

“Why did you come here?” I want to kiss her so damn bad. Tonight will be a struggle. “Why were you in that seedy bar the other night, looking for a man to go home with?”

She pulls slightly away, her laughter fading. “How do you know I was looking for a man?”

“I’m a mechanic, not an idiot.”

“Never said you were.” She sips from her wine. “It’s a long story.”

“I’ll clear my schedule for you.” I wink at her, and her laughter returns, breathless. She sips again from her wine, and what the fuck.

I gulp mine down, place my glass with exaggerated care on the coffee table and walk up to her. Taking the glass from her hand, I walk her backward until her back hits the wall.

This is where I made her come the other night, against this wall, and from the flush rising in her cheeks I bet she’s remembering that, too.

“We should eat,” she whispers.

I nuzzle her neck, and fuck she smells better every time. I kiss her smooth skin. “Yeah.”

Her fingers trail up my arms. Her cleavage draws my gaze, the dark valley between her breasts. “Kaden…”

“Fuck dinner. I want you.” And yeah, there goes my resolution not to touch her, thrown right out the fucking window.

Her eyes widen, and fuck, I shouldn’t have said that, shouldn’t have cornered her and—

She kisses me, her hands curling in my shirt, pulling me closer. I fall into the kiss, starving for her taste, for her body against mine. Our teeth clash, our tongues tangle, and I groan into the kiss, pressing my hard-on into her.

I wanna sink into her. Even just that. I won’t ask for anything more, just to feel her tighten around my dick, feel her arms around my back, her nails leaving marks.

“Bed?” she whispers, and squeals when I swing her up in my arms and grin down at her.

“Bed it is.Just show me the way.”

* * *

“Kaden…”

“I want you. Fuck, you’re like a Christmas present.” I peel off her dress slowly, revealing black lace underwear and I kiss a trail between her breasts down to her belly and lower, hooking my thumbs in her panties and dragging them down her shapely legs. I spread her legs, opening her up. “You’re beautiful.”

Her hand tugs on my hair that’s coming loose from the hairband, falling in my face. “I thought… I want you, too.”

I grin wolfishly at her. “Good. This is just the appetizer.” I blow a breath between her legs and she gasps, her grip on my hair tightening.

“Oh God…”

I kiss her inner thigh, rub a thumb over her exposed pussy, and lean in to taste her, trailing my tongue over her small clit to her opening. She tastes sweet. I return to her clit, lashing at it with my tongue, pushing a finger inside her.

Her hand falls from my hair to clench in the covers, her legs trembling. “Kaden…”

Does she know how much I love doing this? How it turns me on? As I lap at her, as I finger her, feeling her clench around my finger, it’s all I can do not to come in my pants.

I add a second finger, stretching her, preparing her for me, gently closing my teeth over her clit, and she shatters under my mouth, my hand, crying out my name.

As she comes down, I crawl up her body, letting her feel how hard I am for her, kissing her to let her taste herself on my lips.

“God…” she whispers when I draw back to breathe. Her eyes are wide. “That was so good.”

“Ready for the main course?” I sit back, between her spread legs and reach for her tits. I cup them, knead them through the lacy bra. They’re not big but they’re round and fit nicely in my palms. I thumb her hard nipples. “Ready for me?”

“Do I get to taste you, too?” Her eyes glitter.

My breath catches. “Do you want to?”

“Oh yes.” Her eagerness makes my chest tighten with anticipation. She licks her lips, and I groan.

Damn. I practically tear the buttons off my shirt as I fumble with them, in a hurry to get it off me. Then her hands are on my zipper and I groan again.

“Shit, I’m…” I have to stop and take a deep breath, control myself. “I’m so close,” I finish and am glad when she resumes unzipping my pants, pushing them down.

I need this. Need her. She’s damn sexy and if I manage not to scare her off…

“God, you’re sexy,” she whispers, and her voice is like a fuse behind my balls. I grab my dick and squeeze, panting.

“So are you.”

“You kinda look like Thor in the movie. All you’re missing is a massive hammer and… Oh wait. I think I found your hammer.”

Her hand taps the head of my cock, and I moan, so fucking close.

Then I throw a hand back to brace myself when she bends over and takes my dick in her mouth.

She doesn’t do any of the tricks previous lovers of mine have tried. She doesn’t seem to have much practice with blowjobs, but her mouth is eager, her eyes bright with enjoyment, and it’s as if everything about her pulls me closer, pulls my body tight until I’m riding a fine edge, not sure I can hold back any longer.

I fist my hands, driving my nails into my palms and bite the inside of my cheek, wanting to prolong this pleasure, the sensation of her tongue swirling under my dick, her hot mouth sucking me deep.

But then her hand wanders down to my sack, cupping my balls and squeezing, and holy fuck, how did she know? She really likes to try things out, and God, I love her, and oh fuck, I’m gonna come.

Can’t stop it.

It’s over embarrassingly quickly after that. I can only moan and shake as my dick spasms and my balls empty themselves, pleasure rocking me to the bone.

She draws back. “Kaden?”

I moan, unable to form words just yet. Worse yet, she blows on my half-hard dick, and although I feel like I’ve been turned inside out, it twitches, rearing for more.

Jesus.

“I want to try,” she whispers. “Those things you like. Tell me what turns you on.”

“Hailey…” Fuck, I don’t know. I opened up to Eva, and then she ran away screaming. “We don’t need to do any of that now.”

“Tell me,” she insists and runs a hand over my jaw, rubs a finger over my lips. There’s excitement in her eyes and her nipples are hard where I’m still touching them. “I want you.”

Fuck, this girl… She’ll be the death of me, I swear. I scrub a hand through my hair that’s falling over my face. “You sure you wanna know?”

She nods.

“Fine. I like watching you get yourself off. I like some role play. You know, to have you dress up.”

Holy shit, she’s staring at me. This isn’t going well, and damn good thing I haven’t undressed yet because I’ll probably have to show myself out.

And still I forge on, because once you get started… “I like playing with your ass. With your asshole.” I look away, grinding my jaw. “I like spanking your ass, penetrating it. I like rubbing my cock over your tits and coming on them.”

She says nothing, and I decide I’ve had enough of this shit, so I make as if to get up.

She grabs my hand, tugs on it, and leans in. Shocked, I let her kiss me.

Not what I expected.

“I’m intrigued,” she whispers. “I haven’t really lived in years and I want to try what I missed out on. And if you promise not to hurt me…”

“Goddammit, of course I won’t hurt you. I’m not a douchebag.”

“No, you’re not. You’re like a spark.”

She doesn’t explain what she means, but she kisses me again, and as for me, I have nothing else to say. She’s still here, I’m still here, and she gives me hope.