Page 4 of Taboo Flames

I hesitate for a moment before nodding and letting him pull me up the stairs and out into a garden on the roof.

“Oh my God,” I exclaim. “How did you know this was here? It’s beautiful.”

“I know a lot of things I shouldn’t,” he says cryptically.

Unadorned by the bright ballroom lights, he looks even larger and more forbidding, and I’m drawn to him the way I’ve only ever been drawn to one other man in my life.

“And what do you do with all the information you acquire?”

He smiles coquettishly. “I use them to impress golden-haired, mysterious beauties. So, tell me, are you impressed?”

“By a rooftop garden that doesn’t belong to you?” I raise a brow. “I’m more of a diamonds kind of girl, to be honest.”

“I highly doubt that,” he counters confidently.

“You don’t know me,” I point out. “You don’t even know my name. How can you tell from a few minutes of conversation that I’m not a diamonds kind of girl?”

“As soon as I walked up to you, you looked right at my face. Not once did your eyes drop down to check my worth. You’dhave clocked the expensive watch on my wrist immediately if you were what you claim you are.”

“Your watch was the first thing I noticed,” I fib, playing along as his mouth curls up in amusement. “And you’re one of those men who sneer at a woman who likes a man with money?” I guess.

“On the contrary,” he replies, his tone earnest. “Only a man without money sneers at a woman who prefers a rich man. I’m sure as shit not going to mind that my wealth is attractive to someone.”

“So, how many women have you lured to your bed with your wealth and charm?” I’m half-teasing, half-curious.

He cocks his head at me. “You think I’m charming?”

“I think you’re way too slick to be genuine,” I reply, a smirk playing on my lips.

He throws his head back and lets out a bark of laughter. “To answer your question, I don’t kiss and tell.”

I eye him warily. “That’s the line that men use when their life is a revolving door of women.”

His full, rosy pink mouth curls up into a smile. “Do I detect a bit of judgment in your tone?”

“None whatsoever. Life is too short for celibacy or monogamy, for that matter,” I tell him.

“Life is also too short to have never been with me,” he counters smoothly.

I suck in a shocked breath, then lick my lips nervously at the direction of the conversation. I’m aware I’m stepping into uncharted territory, but I’m also far too curious for my own good.

“And what’s so special about being with you?” I scoff, playing up my experience. I don’t want to look like the inexperienced girl I actually am.

While I’m not a virgin, my only claim to intimacy has been a terrible one-night stand, a few kisses, and lackluster fondling. It has nothing to do with a shortage of men or opportunities and more to do with the fact that my limited experience has been far too unexciting to urge me to go all the way.

“I can show you,” he drawls.

“No, thanks,” I chuckle. “It’s just going to be another utterly forgettable experience. In my opinion, sex isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Just sounds to me like you’ve been having a lot of bad sex.”

I don’t correct his assumption. Instead, I just shoot him a small smile. “There’s nothing like bad sex. It’s all the same process leading to the same end.”

“You’ll be singing a different tune when you spend one night with me,” he purrs, his tone dripping with confidence and promise. “When I take you to bed, darling, you’ll realize you’ve been doing it all wrong.”

I swallow hard. “When? That’s a little presumptuous.”

He shrugs nonchalantly. “Or maybe I just like to be hopeful.”

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