Page 3 of The Ties That Bind

“Would your folks settle for dental school instead?” he joked.

The way she threw her head back when she laughed brought a broad smile to his face. He wanted her to laugh at his jokes. To like him. God dammit.Stick to reality, man. You need her to like you enough to get her home with you. After that she’sreallygonna hate your ugly mug.

“You’d better tell me if you’re a dentist before I answer that!” She playfully punched his arm.

“With these teeth? Obviously not.” He made a show of baring his teeth like a beast.

She leaned further across the table, ostensibly to get a better look. He willed himself to keep his eyes on hers instead of dipping to check out the spectacular view of her cleavage spilling out from the top of her dress. To his immense displeasure, he somehow found this view nearly as captivating.

Alec knew he was a dirtbag, but he had some morals. He wouldn’t sleep with the poor girl only to hold her hostage immediately after. But did she have to make it so difficult for him?

“You have great teeth,” she told him.

“Ah. So, vet school,” he ventured, nodding like it all made perfect sense.

“It’s like you don’t know me at all,” she joked.

He looped a thin strand of red hair around his finger, twisting gently. “I don’t. But I’d like to.”

****

She wasn’t pre-med, but Elle knew the way her heart skipped a beat when he touched her wasn’t normal. In fact, she was pretty certain her blood pressure, oxygen levels, and fine motor skills were all severely affected right now. She wiped a suddenly sweaty palm on her thigh and tried not to swallow too noticeably. His eyes dropped to her throat and lingered. Well, so much for being mysterious. Her stupid body was betraying her. She might as well have a giant neon sign on her forehead flashing,I’m attracted to you!

“Hard sciences aren’t really my thing,” she managed. “They’re too…”

“Hard?” His voice was a low growl.

She gulped. “I think I’ll take that drink now.”

The way he smiled at that was almost feral. He unspooled himself from the chair languidly, a jungle cat that knew he’d caught his prey. “How do you feel about tequila?”

“It’s a gateway to bad decision-making,” she answered automatically, distracted by his taut biceps as he leaned across the table. Wait, had she actually said that out loud? Curse her overprotective parents and years of private fundamental schools. She felt her cheeks bloom with heat, the tell-tale flush of embarrassment spreading across her chest. She cleared her throat and tried to recover. “Sounds perfect.”

He chuckled as he strolled to the bar. She wanted to be the dark jeans stretched across his perfect ass and powerful thighs. His well-worn t-shirt did nothing to hide his sculpted back muscles—she could see them flex when he raised his arm to get the bartender’s attention. Elle gulped her water, suddenly desperate for a cold shower. And if Alec wanted to join her, well…

She banished the thought as he strode back to the table and set a generous shot in front of her. A second was in his hand, and two more sat in the center of the table. Her damn sweaty hands were making it difficult to pick up the slippery glass, but she managed to hold it up as he clinked his glass with hers. “To bad decisions.” He gave her a little cheers and downed his shot.

She took a deep breath, slamming the shot back before exhaling through her nose. It was a trick Sarah taught her to take the sting out of shots. It still burned all the way down, and Elle decided Sarah was full of shit. She choked back a cough, eyes tearing up.

He rubbed soothing circles on her back, then massaged just between her shoulder blade and the back of her neck. His fingers traced over her collar bone, skimming over the sensitive skin below her throat. Her body reacted to his strong hands, sensation searing through her as warmth pooled in her core. She was already getting wet.

“I wouldn’t normally trust the produce here, but we might have to make an exception.” He stood abruptly, and Elle almost screamed her displeasure that he was no longer touching her. “Be right back,” he promised. From the crooked smirk and glint in his eyes, Elle suspected he knew how he affected her. True to his word, he was back in seconds, now holding a saltshaker and two lime wedges. “I should’ve known better than to let this paint thinner past your virgin lips without a chaser,” he apologized. “That’s on me.”

“I’m not a virgin.” She was aiming for a sexy, nonchalant purr. What came out instead was defensive and almost petulant, even to her own ears. She didn’t know why it was suddenly so important he knew she wasn’t some untouchable flower, pure as the driven snow. Other than the fact that she couldn’t stop wondering what he looked like naked, how he would feel on top of her, inside of her…

He licked his lips. “I just meant a girl like you doesn’t deserve this garbage. But alas.” He shrugged.

“And what do I deserve?” She tilted her head coquettishly, glancing up at him from underneath her eyelashes.

His eyes shuttered so briefly Elle was sure she must have imagined it. “Only the best,” he replied smoothly.

“Hmm.” She peered into her lap, swallowed her nerves. “Is that something you can give me?”

He flashed a dazzling smile. “Not even close, princess. But I promise you’d enjoy the ride.”

She clenched her shaking hands together under the table, pretending to ponder this. Her phone vibrating in her purse almost startled her out of her chair. It was a message from Sarah.

Car’s gone tits up again. Catching a ride to the strip. Meet you at Sharky’s?

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