Page 11 of Reckless King

The grin he gives me this time is almost wicked. “I want to get to know you better.”

“Isn’t the whole point of this place not to know each other?”

“I don’t need to know your name or where you work. I don’t even need to know how old you are since you wouldn’t be here if you were underage. What I need to know is how I can help you relax, what will make those gorgeous lips part for me, what will make your pulse flutter at the base of your throat, and,” he leans forward until his mouth hovers just over mine, “what’s going to make that pretty pussy of yours wet.”

My breath stalls, even as his words send desire flooding through me. God, I don’t know how this happened so quickly. But I can’t deny that his confidence is incredibly appealing. And I’m intrigued by what he’s offering. It’s been a long time since I’ve been touched with any kind of intimacy.

“Okay,” I say before I can second guess myself.

“Okay?”

I let out a breath. “Okay, let’s sit.”

CHAPTER SIX

VIOLET

Iexpect him to smile in satisfaction, but he doesn’t. Instead, his big body almost seems to draw tight. Then he’s stepping into me and sliding his hand around to circle the back of my neck. The possessive hold has me sucking in a breath as my nipples tighten and rasp against the thin material of my dress.

He notices my reaction, of course he does, and that’s when he finally smiles—although it’s more of a primal baring of teeth than anything else. It sends a pulse of need through me.

“Come on, beautiful.” He glides his hand down my spine and settles it at my lower back, then guides me through the club to a couch in one of the darkest corners. He keeps me in front of him, so I’ll be closest to the wall once we sit. But before I can, he gently grasps my wrist to stop me and brushes the hair hanging loose down my spine to the side. When I glance over my shoulder, I find him focused on my back. With the ghost of a smile, he lightly traces my butterfly tattoo with his finger, causing every one of my nerve endings to crackle into life.

Then, without commenting, he lets me go. My shaky legs carry me the remaining step, and I manage to get my butt on the seat without them giving out on me. He sits next to me, his knee close to mine.

Here in this dim corner, just the two of us, there’s nothing to distract me from him—from the angle of his jaw, the seductive curve of his lips. Even his scent invades my senses. He smells too good. Fresh, like I imagine a forest at night might smell. It fills my head, triggering a wild impulse inside me, and I’m suddenly tempted to crawl into his lap, just so I can experience his mouth against mine.

Maybe it’s because of the mask, the anonymity it provides. Or maybe it’s the darkness and the low pulsing beat of the music. Whatever the reason, I’ve never been so aroused with so little physical contact before. There’s no doubt in my mind that this man, whoever he is, knows exactly how to make a woman feel good. He exudes confidence. It’s in every line of his body, the way he talks, the way he moves.

And I’m woefully unprepared for dealing with him.

He leans back and stretches his arm out along the back of the seat so it’s brushing my shoulders. “Why have the last few months been so difficult?”

I frown, a hint of the worry I can never quite seem to shake these days settling in my chest. “You really want to know?”

His mouth quirks up. “That’s generally why I ask questions.”

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth as I consider the best way to summarize the events of the last several months. “Work has been… difficult.” I offer him a faint smile. “And before that, there was a bad breakup.” I don’t mention Dad’s death. It seems wrong to talk about that, considering where I am.

He pushes my hair behind my shoulder, his fingers brushing against my neck. “I’m sorry to hear that. Can you quit your job? Find a better one?”

“I co-own a business, so no, quitting isn’t an option.”

He nods, his fingertips now running softly along my skin, back and forth, back and forth, making it hard for me to think. “And the breakup?”

I swallow past the residual anxiety that always hits when I think about Eric, then shrug as casually as I can. “Let’s just say he wasn’t who I thought he was.”

His eyes are dark as he watches me, and I’m hit by a sudden surge of déjà vu, like someone’s looked at me that way before. I blink, and the feeling dissipates. “Did he break your heart?” he asks, his voice low.

That question is the last I was expecting him to ask. I was under the impression that this conversation was leading to something physical, and now he’s asking me whether Eric broke my heart?

Despite my confusion, I answer him. “I don’t think I loved him, so I can’t say he broke my heart in that way. But he hurt me, made me feel bad about myself. When I discovered he was cheating, it was an… awakening more than anything.” But I don’t want to think about just how badly Eric had fooled me. I don’t want to think about Eric at all. So I take a deep breath, square my shoulders and look him straight in the eye. “I’m not here trying to get over a broken heart, if that’s why you’re asking. I already told you, there are lots of reasons I’m here, but that isn’t one of them.”

There’s a long beat of silence as we study one another. Even the hypnotic pulse of the music seems to fade into the background. A muscle ticks in his jaw, and I shift on the couch, nerves fluttering in my stomach under the intensity of his scrutiny. Maybe he wasn’t expecting such a thorough answer. In hindsight, I should have just said no and left it at that. I glance toward the dance floor. Should I call my first foray into breaking out of my comfort zone a bust and go hide in the crowd with Anna?

I’m surprised when he threads his fingers through my hair, bringing my attention firmly back to him.

The smile that curves his lips is as devilish as his mask. “That’s good. Because if I’m going to relieve some of your stress tonight, I don’t want your mind on somebody else.”

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