Page 9 of Reputation
She smiled almost shyly when she reached him, moving to stand in the small gap between his body and the person behind her.He mirrored her when she did, turning so they were almost chest-to-chest.
“What can I get you to drink?”he asked, his voice low and thick.
“White wine, please,” she answered, eyes scanning his face and shoulders when he turned to give the bartender their order.
Her fingers itched, wanting to trail them up the back of his neck and feel if his hair was as thick and silky as it looked.
For fuck’s sake, girl.Get a grip—you arejusthaving a drink with him.You will not jump him in the middle of a crowded bar.
Blinking, she tore her eyes away as he handed her a glass filled with a buttery-colored wine.She smiled her thanks as she took it.
“Cheers,” he said, lifting his beer so she could clink hers against it.
“Cheers,” she echoed softly, taking a small sip.
The rich, creamy flavor of the wine exploded in her mouth, and her tongue darted across her lips to catch a runaway drop.His eyes watched the movement, his chest expanding on a deep inhale.They were standing so close that it brushed hers, rubbing against her overly aroused nipples.The sensation sent excited shivers through her.
She cleared her suddenly thick throat, her entire body on edge with the desire that pulsed through her.
“So, what are you celebrating tonight?”he asked after a few heartbeats of silence.
Her brow scrunched as she blinked at him, head tilting in confusion.How did he know they were celebrating something?
At her confused look, he continued.“I’ve been watching you,” he said, nodding toward where she had been sitting with Joyce.
She glanced over to where he indicated before her eyes focused on him again.“You were watching me?”she asked, one eyebrow raised.
His throat bobbed with a swallow.“I mean, I wasn’t watching you.That didn’t come out right,” he stammered, running a hand through his hair.“What I meant was that you were drinking champagne when you got here…” He obviously realized that his words proved hehadbeen watching her.“Fuck, okay, none of this is coming out right.I’m just going to stop talking now.”
She chuckled throatily, completely charmed by him.She should have found it weird that he’d been watching her all night, but she couldn’t help but be flattered.This incredibly handsome, fit, confident guy had been focused on her tonight despite being here to attend a party.
Taking pity on him, she laid her hand on his arm.It was warm and firm beneath her fingers, and she had to stifle a sigh at the contact.“You’re right,” she said, looking into his eyes.“I am celebrating something tonight.”Drawing her hand away, she immediately missed the contact.“I got some good news today.”
“What about?”he asked.
She turned her head, watching her fingers toy with the stem of her wine glass.“About a promotion at work,” she answered.
“Congratulations,” he said, resting his elbow on the bar top again.He leaned closer, and with the sheer size of him, it felt like he was enveloping her.He surrounded one entire half of her body.“What do you do?”
She turned her head slightly.With him leaning against the bar, their lips were almost level, and she couldn’t stop her gaze from dropping to his mouth.It was wide, with a full bottom lip perfect for biting.
“I’m an assistant,” she answered, thinking through the fog of her wayward thoughts.
She was careful with how much she revealed.The anonymity of who they were made her bold and more willing to let go of her tightly held control for the night.As soon as that ended, the moment would be broken, and she would once again be who she truly was.For one night, she just wanted to be no one.She just wanted to be with him with no pretenses.Thankfully, she still had enough control over her hormones that she could heed that advice, courtesy of the minimal rational brain cells she had left.
He reached up and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing her cheek and jaw as he pulled them away.The move was smooth, designed entirely to let him get that small amount of contact.Another shiver racked her entire body, settling in her toes.
His fingers were a little rough, the pads calloused.It was so at odds with the rest of him.He was good-looking enough to be a model and certainly in good enough shape for it, too.But then again, he wasn’t just gym-fit.He was muscular, the type that told her he used his body daily.It aligned with the roughness of the calluses on his hands.
Then there was the scar, about an inch long, just at the right corner of his mouth.It was straight and infinitesimal.She could only see it because she was standing so close.It gave his otherwise angelic appearance a slightly devilish look.
Roman warrior, indeed.
When she first ran into him, she assumed he worked in finance or some other business, like most of the patrons here.Now, she wasn’t so sure.
She opened her mouth to ask, her curiosity getting the better of her, when the person behind her bumped her back, causing her to fall a step forward and right against his hard body.She let out a soft breath as his arms wrapped around her, enveloping her again with his heat and scent.Leaning back, she stared into his eyes, the gray irises deep pools that she wanted to drown in.Her body hummed from the contact, practically purring with a need to rub herself against him.
“We need to stop running into each other like this,” he said, a satisfied smirk on his mouth.She couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up.“You alright?”
