Page 13 of Reckless Desire

I swallow, but my mouth remains dry, so instinctively I lick my lips. His eyes fall to my mouth and I’m pretty sure the sparkles between us could power this hotel, if not the entire block. I kind of wish we’d returned to the former awkwardness.

“No, I didn’t.” My voice is hoarse, the words barely passing through my parched vocal cords.

“Okay.” He smirks.

The server comes to clear our table and recites the dessert menu.

“I’ll take my dessert to the room,” Hunter says, burning me with his gaze. The server runs without waiting for my order. Not that I want to eat anymore, but Jesus, the innuendo is coiling around, separating our table from others. Everything else is in a different dimension. Between us the air crackles, robbing me of oxygen.

“What now?” I push the words out with effort, more sweat breaking on my nape. The few loose strands of my hair are glued to the back of my neck.

“My terms don’t allow refunds.” He pauses, daring me to suggest the direction of this conversation. Will I bolt or will I continue? The latter would give him the upper hand, control. No way I’m allowing that. He can be hot, but I don’t want him to know what effect he has on me.

He must know already anyway. If anyone is new to this game, it’s me. His cards are well hidden and even better played. I’m out of my depth here. I want him, but I don’t want the circumstances.

He continues staring. Daring. Challenging me with those impressive gray eyes.

“What is it going to be, Sydney?” I love the way he says my name. “I’m your birthday gift. Are you going to unwrap me? Use me?”

Oh God. I make a sound that could be interpreted as a cough or a shriek and try to cover it with a generous gulp of water. I should have had more wine.

“Maybe I can put the gift away. Not use it, but not return it.” Am I asking him for another date? I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.

“Are you telling me you want to re-gift me?”

I say nothing because my brain has reached its capacity and I can no longer string words into sentences. I have no words. The entire conversation is ridiculous, but the person asking—the eyes piercing through me, the faint masculine scent wafting across the table, the body that any woman would die to touch.

And the electric current zapping through me just from his look. Jesus. I’m royally screwed. I’m so sex-deprived, a single look, a simple dinner with a man, and a fun conversation and my body is out of control.

“What are you saying, Sydney?” He pushes, confidence oozing from him. Bastard. “Do you want to spend our night talking, watching TV and just hang out?”

Is that what I want?

Before I can contemplate any further, I nod my head yes.

Why do I do this? It’s just like me. Too afraid to go all the way, so I play it safe and I opt for the middle ground.

Somehow I’ve moved from my initial complete refusal to entertain this to wanting it with everything that I am. So I settle on this halfway mark that’s neither one. Only, it seems more dangerous.

He regards me with a long, scorching look that I can’t interpret, but it makes my heart beat faster. I hope this restaurant has a defibrillator.

“Okay, Sydney, as you wish. No sex.”

I’m relieved and disappointed at the same time. Until he continues and my body tenses. His words, like a referee’s pistol, set my heart to racing.

“It’s so much more intimate.”

ChapterFive

Sydney

It will be okay. I’m sure we will have a great time together, even if we just talk.

My overactive sweat glands chilled during dinner to a level acceptable for a normally functioning adult. For the most part. But now that we’re in the elevator, they are back to working overtime. And why does this elevator shrink with every floor we pass?

Hunter stands beside me, our backs against the rear wall because a family jumped in before the door closed. A little girl stares up at everyone. Her eyes connect with Hunter’s and he gives her a wink. She giggles and he contorts his face into a ridiculous grimace. She hides behind her father’s leg and keeps peeking at Hunter, her face alight.

Apparently he charms the entire female population regardless of age. Their silent interaction, the impromptu peek-a-boo, warms my heart.

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