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Hailey sat across from Gage feeling more nervous than she had in years. She’d changed her outfit six times before settling on a light blue floral sundress, one that covered her respectably while still making her feel feminine. To her surprise and delight, Gage stood when she met him at the table, waiting for the waiter to seat her. He wore a short-sleeved red polo and tan slacks, his muscled forearms and biceps doing strange things to her pulse.

In the dim light of the restaurant, he seemed a virtual Adonis. She’d never dated a man this good looking before, and despite not liking to attract attention herself, she felt a moment’s pride to be with someone so handsome. The moment she thought it, she wanted to kick herself. Geez, that’s what she hated about the men who came on to her. They only wanted her for her looks and were disappointed when sex wasn’t on the menu. She needed to see past Gage’s face and body into the heart of him. If her freaking lust would let her.

He cleared his throat. “You look nice.”

“Thank you. So do you.”

He nodded, then stared at the menu. Great conversation, Hailey. Just stimulating.

“It was a nice idea to come here, to Kincaid’s. I mean.” She flushed, suddenly recalling just how she’d been coerced into attending.

He grinned, his lips inviting. “I’m a clever guy. Don’t let the looks fool you.”

She chuckled, surprised by his humor. The waiter arrived and took their drink orders. After much thought, and her discussion with Sydney, she’d decided to enjoy herself tonight. Gage wasn’t a regular date, and he’d been in her fantasies for longer than any man ever had. What could be the harm in a pleasant dinner, anyway?

She ordered a glass of wine and noted he ordered a beer. Good, no hang ups about alcohol. Her nerves jittered, and she admonished herself to calm down. Relax, have fun, dammit. Then he leaned closer and she inhaled a whiff of his cologne, and her vision seemed to swim as arousal pooled between her thighs.

“So, Hailey,” he said in that deep, gravelly voice that made her tingle. “What prompted the Friday night get-togethers?” He chuckled. “I just have to know.”

She flushed a bright red, and hoped she didn’t look as foolish as she felt. But hell, she owed him the truth. “It started innocently enough. The five of us are single and get together to laugh and have a good time. Faith, my best friend Sydney, and a few girls from work. TV or movies and some good food. Then one night I looked out the window and accidentally saw you nak—ah, readying for a shower.”

The waiter brought their drinks and waited while they ordered. When he left, Gage took a long drink of beer and smiled. “So I had you hooked on my naked body, eh?”

She frowned. “I didn’t mean to see you undressed. It was an accident, at first. But I made the mistake of telling the others, and then we started looking for you on Fridays, which you always seemed to show up for.” She paused, fighting her blush. “This is really embarrassing, you know.”

“Think about how I must feel,” he said, though he sounded less than sincere with laughter bubbling in his throat. “Like a piece of meat.”

“Oh, please,” she muttered, grinning slightly when he laughed. A small silence descended over them while he stared at her over the rim of his glass.

“So, tell me, Hailey. What do you do for a living?”

She sipped her wine, calming a bit at the mundane question. “I work for a logistics company, where I run the transportation department.”

“Do you like it?”

She paused in her answer, aware no one had ever asked her that before.

“I guess I do. I like feeling needed, and I’m very good at my job.”

He pursed his lips. “You probably know I work construction.” She nodded. “Does that bother you to be out with a blue collar kind of guy?” His words were light, but the intensity behind his gaze made her wonder.

“Why would it? Of course, I was blackmailed into this date,” she teased, “so I’m not sure my answer qualifies.”

“Good one.”

“However, I respect anyone who holds down a steady job.” She stared into his eyes, delivering the truth. “Contrary to what it seems, I’m not into appearances. I’d rather go out with a trash picker who’s caring and kind than a millionaire who’s nothing more than a womanizing jerk.”

“Ouch. Okay, I get it. I promise not to stare at the hostess’ ass while I’m with you.”

She chuckled, feeling oddly at ease with the gruff man. “Considering she’s old enough to be your grandmother, I’m sure your attention would only encourage a heart attack.”

“Or a stroke. And I’m no good with hospitals. When my dad died, it was all I could do stomach the pine-scented hallways.”

“Yeah,” she nodded, remembering her mother’s last year. “I felt the same way when my mom passed.”

After a moment, he shrugged. “Sorry I brought death up at dinner. I’m not really a conversationalist. Or so my brothers tell me.”

Death at dinner. He sounded as socially inept as she felt. The thought made her smile. “Tell me about your family.”

“Uh, wouldn’t you rather tell me about yours?”

“My mom died four years ago, my father left when I was seven, and I have no other family. Now, how about yours?”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. You asked for it. My dad’s gone. My mother and older brother Dylan are psychiatrists, and spend too much time analyzing the rest of us. Derrick, my other older brother—and did I mention he and Dylan are twins—and I work together in construction.”

“That’s nice to be so near your family. I used to wish for a twin sister, but then I thought we’d fight over each other’s clothes.”

“And boyfriends?”

She smiled and shook her head. “I’m not a very social person, Gage. I don’t date much.”

“Why not?” He looked puzzled, and as his stare slowly traveled over her face and breasts, she felt the temperature in the room rise. “I have a hard time believing you lack for men.”

“Oh?” She couldn’t help sounding frosty.

He sighed. “What, I offended you for hinting at your beauty? Sue me. Remember, I’m the one who felt like meat.”

“A walking, prancing hamburger,” she muttered and tucked into the food the waiter brought.

Gage laughed loudly. “Come on, Hailey. Admit it. You wanted me doused in ketchup, with you being the bun. Or maybe the pickle?”

“Shut up,” she said, trying not to smile at his joke.

“Or maybe mustard? You’re blonde, and you seem more spicy than sweet. Yeah, mustard. I like mustard.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?”

He frowned and looked like he wanted to say more, when suddenly he lifted his fork and began eating. Silently, stoically.

Taken aback, she paused. “I was just kidding. I like mustard too,” she said softly.

He glanced up, studying her for a moment, then smiled, his grin putting her at ease. “Good. Because I changed my mind. One dinner’s not going to cover my feeling like a walking hamburger. I want desert too, at my place. Nothing more,” he said quickly, forestalling a possible rejection. “Your friend’s across the quad, and if you like, we can eat it in full view of her place.”

Hailey thought about Faith looking in on her private, intimate time with Gage and quickly quashed the notion. “No, that’s okay. I suppose I should trust you, considering you could have turned me in before now.”

He grinned, the sensual twist on his lips making her shift in her chair. Had to be his cologne or something. Around Gage, she felt in perpetual heat—and that was so not like her. “Come on, Hailey. Do you really think a guy would admit to a bunch of cops, let alone his cousin, that a bunch of women were watching him walk around his place half-naked?”

“Um, I guess not.” She wanted to correct him, to remind him that he’d walked around completely naked, waving that impressive dick like a magic wand, and casting a spell over her. Instead she forced a grin and continued to talk with him about a variety of subjects throughout the dinner, constantly amazed at how easily the conversation flowed.

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Arriving at his home, each having driven their own cars, they walked together, close but not holding hands, up the stairs. Whereas before, their evening had been filled with wry laughter and interesting conversation, now Hailey felt a sexual tension that refused to let her go. Sure, she’d been drawn to him from the first. But she felt downright edgy, aching for him in the most carnal of ways.

The hot stares he kept giving her when he thought she wasn’t looking didn’t help, especially since she’d been staring at him, and none too subtly, since they’d arrived at the apartment complex.

He opened the door and followed her inside, his breath hot on her neck as he trailed her through the foyer. She couldn’t help a shiver, nonplussed when he noticed.

“Cold?” he asked quietly, his eyes burning.

“A little,” she lied, embarrassed to be so reactive to his presence. Good lord, but he made her as jumpy as a cat.

“Then I guess hot fudge sundaes are out of the question.” He looked disappointed, like a small boy told he couldn’t have a favorite treat, and she smiled.

“Well, I guess I could make an exception for chocolate and ice cream. I’m not a monster, you know.”

“I know,” he murmured, staring at her. He shook his head and turned into the kitchen. “Sit at the counter and prepare to be amazed.”

Unable to eat more than half her bowl, Hailey sighed and leaned back, staring woefully at her uneaten chocolate sundae.

“That’s a waste.” Gage echoed her feelings, his bowl licked clean.

“Sorry. But I honestly don’t know where you put it all.” She couldn’t help staring at his lean torso, still in awe of his perfect body. He was all tendon and muscle, whereas she still had an extra five pounds spread between her ample thighs. And she didn’t want to think about her butt.

“I could say the same about you,” he murmured, his gaze riveted to her face, wandering from her eyes to her lips.

Her nerves tingled and she felt her nipples bead into stiff points of arousal. Damn. And she’d been doing so well. She’d spent a good twenty minutes with him without thinking about sex...much.

“Hailey, about the other day,” he began, and she immediately pictured him in nothing more than boxer-briefs.

Her heart thumped wildly. Hailey had never wanted anyone so much, and it scared her to feel so intensely about a man she barely knew. She quickly stood and placed some distance between them. “Look Gage, this was fun. But I need to head back.”

“Hailey, what’s wrong?” he asked quietly. He traced her face with his eyes, and his gaze roamed further down, resting over her taut breasts with what looked like satisfaction. Then he glanced at her face again and frowned in thought.

His quiet did little to ease her tension, and in fact irritated her that he felt so damned calm around her.

“Look. We had our dinner and our dessert. It’s been fun, but I have to go.” Before I jump you, acting like one of the desperate sleazebags I work with. He leaned closer and she took another whiff of his cologne. Angered at her faltering control, she snapped. “This is really your fault anyway.”

“Oh?” he asked coolly, his eyes flashing. Good. Not so calm now, are you? “How so?”

“If you didn’t want to be watched, you really should have closed your curtains,” she said primly, aware she was acting like a complete idiot. But how was she supposed to act when her blood wouldn’t stop rushing to her breasts, to her loins? She throbbed as she watched him, wondering how to handle her reactions, let alone this man. “Just like a man to blame a woman for something that’s his fault.” Come on, Gage, get angry. Tell me to leave before I jump you like a starving woman.

She took a hasty step back when he pushed off the kitchen stool and approached her slowly, carefully, like a predator stalking prey.

“Now, honey, who said I didn’t want to be watched?”

Her eyes widened, and she gasped when he caught her in a tight embrace.

“I knew you were looking at me, Hailey. And I could only imagine those honey-brown eyes wide with desire, those full, cherry-red lips slick and open, just waiting to be filled by my tongue, or even better, my cock.”

Before she could protest, he ravaged her mouth with enough heat to make her melt, while stealing her very breath. He tasted like chocolate, and his lips felt like velvet. Gently prodding, he entered her mouth with his tongue, sweeping the moist cavern with delicious licks that set her heart hammering for more. She could feel her womb pooling with want, her clit pulsing from just the touch of his carnal mouth on hers.

“Mmm, better than I’d imagined.” He chuckled throatily. He increased the pressure of his kiss, taking and plundering, making her knees weak and her head spin. The feel of her breasts pushing against his unyielding chest thrilled her. And when his large, callused hands moved from the small of her back to her ass, she almost sobbed his name as he pulled her tight against that most impressive part of him.

Heavens, but he was large, much larger than what she thought she’d seen watching him from a distance. Granted, the sight of his penis had definitely hinted at male strength, but nothing so grand as the feel of the steely rod pressing hot and hard against her belly. She couldn’t stop wiggling against him, needing to feel his reactive tension.

“Yeah, baby, that’s it,” he crooned and ran his lips over her throat. He began thrusting against her, and her traitor of a body immediately responded to his seduction. She wanted to drown in him.

As if he could read her mind, he snaked a hand down her belly and below her dress, running his hands up her thighs toward her pelvis. Before her mind could wrap around the thought, his hand slipped beneath her panties.

“Christ, you’re wet.” He groaned and nipped at the pulse at her throat. “Hailey, you’re killing me.”

Thrusting a finger between her folds, he sighed her name and stared into her eyes. “This is it, baby. This is the part where you either hightail it out of here, or you spread those thighs wide. Because if you stay, I’m going to fuck you ’til you can’t walk.”

His gravelly voice raked over her, dampening her further. He added another finger and began priming her, stretching her.

Her breath coming fast, she had a hard time hearing what he was saying.

“Damn it, Hailey. Yes or no?”

Much as she wanted to run out of the room, astonished at her own promiscuity, something within her refused to back down. For once, Hailey wanted to ignore her unlucky history with men and enjoy herself, and who better to share such an experience than with the man of her dreams? A man who, even after catching her peeping, left the choice to have sex in her hands, in spite of the iron erection straining his pants.

“Yes,” she sighed into his mouth as he swept her away on another kiss.