Page 9 of Blissful Vixen

Completely content, we talked about so many things while we ate. He asked a few questions that sparked conversations that unrolled in many directions.

“So you don’t have any siblings?” he asked while swirling his last piece of steak in sesame seed sauce.

“Nope. My parents live in Canada now, so I can’t go visit unless I get my passport. We talk here and there, but I try to keep my life separate from them because I’m always so worried that they’ll be disappointed. I thought I’d have my own practice by now, and don’t. My mother is a surgeon, and my father is a director of arts for some big-time museum there.”

“And I’m sure that if you were drawing stick figures on street corners and happy, they’d be proud of you. Did they like your ex?” He sipped his fruit juice as he waited.

“No. We eloped. They don’t even know that I was married.”

Hardison choked. “Say what?”

I twisted the napkin in my hand until my palms burned. This was a touchy subject. “He insisted on it while we were taking a trip. I gave in, and as much as I want to say that it was all him, I could have gotten off that ride a long time ago. Searching for love, thinking I had it, I agreed. It didn’t feel right, so I didn’t tell them. I guess deep down. I knew the situation was wrong and wouldn’t last. My actions dictated it even if my mind hadn’t caught up to it.”

“Something made you change your mind, Emberlynn. Made you wake up and see it for what it was.”

“He tried to lock me in our place. I could feel the anger radiating from him as he locked doors, closed windows, and circled in on me. The mental and emotional abuse was about to get physical. I could feel it. I left and never turned back. Took off with nothing but the clothes on my back.”

“And look at you now.”

“Eating a really good meal with a handsome stranger?” I joked to ease the sadness I felt. I’d only told those truths to my best friend.

“I’m only a stranger for as long as you make me.” He winked at me and smiled, lighting up tenderness so sweet inside me that I could taste it.

The waitress came to the table asking if we wanted dessert, and he looked at me. His eyes traveled my body so intensely that it heated everything double time. I was cornered by just his beautiful eyes that lingered on my breasts before moving to look into mine.

“I’ll have the lemon cream cake,” I blurted. Or maybe I should have asked for Hardison dipped in chocolate.

“I’ll get that right away.” She smiled before leaving.

The cake or the man?

“You didn’t order anything.” I searched his face for reasons, but the only thing there was desire.

“I have what I need right here.” With that, he lifted my hand and kissed my fingers. “Have you decided what you want for Christmas?”

I shook my head, and something kept me from asking what he wanted. Not because I was afraid to ask. I was more afraid of his answer.

He watched me eat my dessert, and his gaze dropped to my lips each time. Self-conscious, I took smaller bites, prolonging this thing happening between us. By the time it was all over, my nerves were on edge, my panties were soaked, and I wanted to jump Hardison. All he did was look, not touch. He even walked beside me when we went to the car as if he’d burn me if we got too close.

He still talked to me, and the playful banter distracted me until we got back to Fitzpatrick Place. I looked at the building nervously as we approached. It was late. I was tired but also wound tight. It’d been a long time since I’d had sex even longer for good sex. Now, I felt desperate for physical connection, specifically the kind that resulted in mind-blowing orgasms. I didn’t know if Hardison was capable, but I had to admit that I was curious.

Inside, Hardison walked me to my bedroom door, where he lingered. I hoped he didn’t expect me to let him inside. As much as I wanted him, I needed to do some thinking away from him. It was difficult to make a sound decision with him being so close. I felt like I needed to say no, but everything in me was saying yes.

“Hardison, I—”

He cut off my words by pressing his lips to mine, drawing out a feverish moan. Before I could object to it, his tongue entered my mouth. It teased the roof of it, caressed my own, and then he sucked my lips into his mouth. If this was a fraction of what his mouth was capable of…

He backed me into the closed door firmly, pressing his body against mine, and controlled this wild and hungry kiss of his. It wasn’t until he stepped back did I realized I’d been gripping his shirt in my fists and trying to climb him like a tree.

His eyes seemed flaming with need, and he was firing it my way. Against the door, I was a cat in need, ready to strike. I stepped in his direction, and he held up a finger that made me halt.

“Go to bed, Queen. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll go in that room and lock the fucking door. Because I could feel your heat through your pants. You’re primed, and so am I. It’s not safe at all for you to come over here. Unless you want me to keep that promise I made to you before, then by all means, get over here.”

Ruin me. I didn’t know if I was ready for that part. I didn’t know if Hardison deserved all of me. It’d only been two days: yesterday and today.

I put my hand behind me and tried to open the door to my room before rationality lost its way. When I felt the cool air from inside, I took another look at Hardison. If we could keep this casual, I’d do him in a minute. It wasn’t. We both knew there was no way that a one-night stand could kill this pull toward one another.

He leaned against the couch with his ankles crossed. “You’re a beautiful woman, Emberlynn.”

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