Page 4 of Touch in the Dark

“Cos it’ll be fun,” Nick gave me a heated look and I can see what that means, the kind of fun he is referring to.

My heart flutters, a deep pulse throbs between my legs and I am sure my breathing becomes dangerously irregular.

“Come on, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Nick pins me to the wall, one hand squeezing my hip, the other on my breast. This is a bad idea, very bad, but his tongue is doing things to my neck that have my eyes crossing. One drink I said. Just one and then I’d leave. I swore that was what I would do. So how the hell have I ended up in a hotel room with him?

“Fuck, you’re so hot, Elsa,” he moans against my shoulder, his teeth nipping as he pushes my top away, baring the skin to his lips. “I’ve wanted to do this since the first time I saw you.”

“You have?”

“Yeah,” he grabs the hem of my top and pulls it over my head. His eyes dilate as they lock on my breasts. “Fuck yeah.”

He pulls off his own top in that honest to God, panty melting move guys do with one hand, dropping it behind him as he unhooks my bra. Alarm bells are going off in my head. I don’t do casual sex, I’ve had my share of one-night stands in college. I am a mature, independent and strong businesswoman now. I don’t do things like this anymore. I must tell him to stop. I moan as his mouth closes around my nipple. God, he is good at that. So good.

No, I have to stop, I’m not some groupie. I push him. He looks confused, lost in a haze of lust.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, pausing at my hesitancy.

“This isn’t why I agreed to come out tonight,” I tell him.

“I know, it wasn’t why I asked,” he hasn’t moved back, but he isn’t touching me like he had been. “But I thought we were both up for this, you seemed to be enjoying it,” he points out.

“I was, I am. But I’m just.” Shit what do I say? I’m not a groupie, I’m not someone to mark as a notch on your bedpost. Or wall.

He arches his brow at me. “If you want to stop, that’s fine.” He doesn’t look like it’s fine, but he does take a step back.

He could push the issue, but he doesn’t. I am grateful he doesn’t. And pissed at myself. We stand here topless, I could be wrapped around him right now, but I put the brakes on. What the hell is wrong with me?

“I don’t want to stop,” I pause, and he puts his hand up and brushes some hair from my forehead. “But at the same time,” he drops his hand, a frown on his face. He doesn’t look angry, just confused. “I swore I’d never sleep with clients. It’s unprofessional.”

“I won’t tell the boss if you don’t,” he grins. He knows I’m my own boss.

“And you’re…you.”

“Meaning?” he straightens up but still has a hand on the wall beside my head, still all up in my space. When I don’t answer, he sighs. “You think this is some meaningless encounter?”

“Isn’t it?”

For a moment, he looks offended, and I feel terrible. “No pressure here,” he says. “But this isn’t meaningless, Els. You’re not just some nameless, random girl. Besides, I don’t do that stuff. I’m not Jordan,” he gave me a pulse spiking grin, shit he has some pretty dimples. I wonder if he has them above his ass too. “I don’t think you’re the kind of girl to give it up to anyone. You’re sweet, kind, a good friend.”

A friend. Wow. He bends down and picks up my top, passing it to me.

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. If you don’t want this, then we’re all good.”

“It’s just that,” I take the top. “I’m looking for more. My days of random hook ups are over.”

He stares at me. “What if it wasn’t?”

I look up into his too blue eyes. “Wasn’t what?”

“A random hook-up.”

“I’m not sure what you’re suggesting,” I squirm a little. It’s getting chilly and my nipples peak and tighten. Or maybe it’s not the cold.

His eyes drop to them, then back to my face. “It doesn’t need to be a one-time thing,” he tells me.

Is he asking for me to be the girl he comes to whenever he’s in town? Is that any better? At least I know where I stand with one night. At least I know things won’t go too far, or my stupid heart won’t get the wrong idea. On the other hand, my body is having an intense argument with my head. He is right there, ready and willing. Nick Chambers from BreakNeck just asked me to be his… friend with benefits?

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