Katia

 

The look on Dante’s face was priceless when he glanced in the mirror and saw himself in the wig. All the blood drained from his cheeks, and he gasped, pressing his face with both of his hands.

 

“Bloody hell,” Dante muttered in a bad, fake British accent. “I’m a woman!”

 

The girls all exploded with laughter at the sight of Dante in a long black wig. I couldn’t even keep from laughing as he glared at me. Somehow, it was even more adorable than usual. The girls had outfitted Dante in blue eyeshadow and coral lipstick. He looked like a drag queen, albeit one who hadn’t shaved in a few weeks.

 

“You look perfect,” I said with satisfaction. “Doesn’t Dante look pretty, girls?”

 

“Yes!” they all chorused together.

 

“You should bring Dante back next week,” Anna said. She leaped onto Dante’s lap and threw her arms around his neck. “Is he gonna read to us?”

 

I smirked. “That depends,” I said softly. “Have you asked him nicely?”

 

Half an hour later, Dante and I were saying our goodbyes. I always hated this part of the trip, especially with some of the girls, like Bella, who were even sicker than usual. I’d been coming to the hospital every week for months, and it was long enough to know who would probably survive and who wouldn’t.

 

Bella had been in remission for a little over a year before her cancer had come back, and I knew from the nurses that, this time, it was the most serious it had ever been. Saying goodbye to the girls broke my heart. It always did. I had to make peace with the fact that there might come a time when a bed or two would be empty.

 

Just thinking about it was enough to make me want to cry.

 

Dante said goodbye to all the girls. I could tell they’d really liked him. They were throwing their arms around him and hugging tightly.

 

“You were a hit,” I said to Dante as we checked out of the hospital at the nurses’ station. “Those girls loved you.”

 

Dante grinned. It was a heart-melting smile—crooked, and showing his perfect white teeth. I couldn’t believe that a biker like him would have such a great smile, but he did.

 

“That was fun,” Dante said. I grinned. The way he was looking at me was different, like he was actually trying to see inside of me, instead of right through me. “Those kids are sweet. How do you know them?”

 

I didn’t answer. Instead, I reached down and twined my fingers through his.

 

“What’re you doing?” Dante asked.

 

I didn’t reply as I tugged him off to the side. Glancing around me to make sure we were alone, I wrapped my arms around Dante’s neck and pulled him close. My breasts rubbed up against his muscular chest, and I sighed softly as I leaned in for a kiss. When our lips met, I could have sworn I felt a spark fly between our bodies.

 

Dante groaned. He slid his arms around my waist, down, until he was squeezing my ass. The sensation through the material of my jeans was incredible, and I moaned into his mouth as his tongue slipped between my lips. Even though he hadn’t had a drink since the night before, I could have sworn that he tasted like whiskey and cigarette smoke. It was delicious, addictive. I felt my hormones surge as our tongues danced together, playing and teasing inside of my mouth.

 

“God.” Dante groaned. He pulled me closer and squeezed my ass harder than ever. I shivered at his touch and pressed my body against his, wrapping one of my legs around his muscular thigh.

 

Dante shoved his leg forward until his thigh was pressed against my crotch. I could feel my pussy thumping with arousal, and I wanted nothing more than to feel his erotic touch closer to my skin. We’re in a hospital, I had to remind myself as Dante rubbed his leg against me.

 

Finally, I summoned every ounce of willpower left in my body and pushed Dante away. He was staring at me with a wild look of lust in his blue eyes. I desperately wanted to kiss him again, to pull him close and feel his warm muscular strength against my body. But I knew that I couldn’t. At least, not right now.

 

“We should go,” I said between heavy breaths, trying to keep my voice as casual as possible. “I don’t want to get kicked out of here. It would break my heart if I couldn’t come visit every week.”

 

Dante nodded. He slipped his fingers through mine and squeezed. I stared up at him.

 

“What?” Dante laughed. “Do I have something on my face?”

 

I shook my head. “It’s not that,” I said softly. “I just—Well, I didn’t exactly peg you for a hand-holding kind of guy.”

 

Dante snorted. “Don’t worry. It’s just sex.”

 

For some reason, that bothered me. A lot.

 

# # #

 

On the car ride home, I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said. I knew that Dante was right. It was just sex. After all, he was a hired man, and as soon as the problems with my stalker were over, he’d go back to his life. I’d go back to mine, too; my life of dating metrosexuals and scolding Anya for buying the wrong kind of coffee. But I didn’t want to think about that just yet.

 

Dante slowed the car to a stop at a light. I was surprised because he actually had a pretty nice machine. It was a Camaro, and although it wasn’t a new model, it drove well and was gorgeous. He drove smoothly down the freeway with skill and precision. I could tell Dante had obviously put a lot of money and effort into his car.

 

I reached over and let my hand rest on his thigh.

 

Dante looked at me with surprise. “What’re you doing?”

 

I licked my lips as I began to knead the muscles under my fingers. Dante had an incredible body. I knew that the moment we touched again, I wouldn’t be able to pull myself away. As I slid my hand up his leg and fondled him through his jeans, Dante groaned.

 

“You gotta stop,” he panted out. “I’m gonna fuckin’ crash the car.”

 

“So do it,” I said with a grin. “I’ll buy you a new one.”

 

Dante growled. He let me continue rubbing him for another moment, then shoved my hand away. “No,” he said firmly. “Not right now.”

 

I pouted. I really wanted to sleep with him. Even though I had to act like a prude around a lot of people who knew me, deep down I was about as far from a prude as a woman could get. I prided myself on being good in bed, and I knew that I’d always made my boyfriends happy before. But it was tough for a woman of status like me. If I became too obvious about it, no guys would want a relationship with me.

 

Dante glanced at me. “I want you, Katia.” He growled as he shifted the car into a higher gear. We sped forward. “But not right now. Not in my car.”

 

Satisfied, I pulled my hand back into my lap. A grin spread across my face. I’m going to get my way with you, and when it happens, you won’t even know what hit you I thought as Dante drove us back towards my condo.

 

As we slowed down for another light, I was surprised to feel Dante’s grip on my hand. He grabbed my fingers and pulled them towards his lap, pressing my hand against his crotch. When I felt his hard cock through his jeans, I gasped and pulled my hand away.

 

I turned in my seat until I was facing him. Pouting, I stared at his profile. “I thought you didn’t want me touching you?”

 

“I don’t want you touching me in traffic,” Dante said. He winked at me. I felt my cheeks flush bright red. “But we’re stopped right now.”

 

I slid my hand up his thigh, making sure to avoid his cock as much as possible. He was so big, I couldn’t believe it. When I thought about how his cock would feel pushing inside of me for the first time, I shivered.

 

“Feeling okay?” Dante raised his eyebrows. “You look a little flushed, Katia.”

 

I pulled my hand back into my lap and pouted again. I didn’t understand this guy. One minute, he was acting like someone who wanted me. I’d never be able to forget that look in his eyes I’d seen at the hospital. It had been incredible. The kind of look I always wanted to see but rarely did. It was more than lust. It was as if he wanted more than just my body; he wanted to possess all of me.

 

But then, two minutes later, he was back to being teasing and mocking. I frowned as I stared at his profile through my Gucci sunglasses.

 

“Dante,” I said carefully, “do you really think I’m spoiled?”

 

Dante burst out laughing. I glared at him as the sound of his raucous excitement filled the Camaro.

 

“I’m not kidding,” I whined. “Do you really think I’m useless?”

 

Dante shook his head. He was still chuckling, and his cheeks were bright pink. “No,” he said after a moment. He shifted the car into a lower gear as we turned off the freeway. “I don’t think you’re that spoiled.”

 

I licked my lips. “So, you still think I’m at least a little spoiled, then,” I countered.

 

I crossed my arms over my chest. Somehow, I hadn’t been expecting him to admit that. I knew it was stupid, but part of me had been hoping the little trip to the hospital would’ve changed that. I mean, obviously, I hadn’t just wanted to go so Dante wouldn’t think I was a rotten person after all. Still though.

 

“Well…” He looked towards me, but with his mirrored sunglasses I had no idea whether or not he was actually looking at me. “I mean, Katia, does this even matter? It’s not like we’re gonna be in touch for too much longer. As soon as this stalker shit dies down, I’m off.”

 

My stomach twisted into a knot and I frowned again. What’s going on? Why the hell is this even bothering me so much?

 

“That’s true,” I said slowly. “But do you think I’m a bad person?”

 

Dante laughed again.

 

“It’s not funny,” I said in a sharp voice. “Do you think I’m a bad person?”

 

Dante sighed. He ran a hand through the sexy tangles of his unruly dark hair. “Katia, I don’t even know what that means,” he said. He sounded tired, worn-out all of a sudden, like the day had been too much for him. “Does it matter?”

 

“Of course it matters,” I argued. I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back into the leather seat. “I don’t want you to think I’m horrible!”

 

“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Dante said.

 

Up ahead, I saw my condo looming on the right-hand side. Dante expertly slowed the Camaro and pulled into my driveway. As he turned the key in the ignition, I couldn’t ignore the lump that was forming in my throat.

 

“Yes, it does,” I said stubbornly.

 

“It really doesn’t. You’re gonna go on with your life, no matter what I think. And after this is over,” he said, using air quotes for the last few words. “You’re probably gonna forget all about me and start going out with Mr. Big, or whoever you girls dream about.”

 

I glared at him. “That’s not true,” I said. I shifted in the leather seat, feeling uncomfortable in my own skin.

 

“And furthermore,” Dante continued. “You think I’m a criminal.” He lowered his aviator shades and looked at me. His eyes were completely serious, no hint of laughter or joking behind them. “You told me as much yourself, so what the fuck does it matter if I think you’re a spoiled princess?”

 

I bit my lip at his stinging words. But when I thought back to our earlier interactions, even the one that had led to our passionate kiss in my living room, I knew that he was right. I’d called him a criminal. I’d acted like I was better than him, just because I was famous and had money.

 

“Never mind,” I mumbled. “It doesn’t matter.”