“Not all women want what you’re selling, Nix.”
He arches his brows. “And what’s that?”
“A night of sex with the elusive Phoenix.”
“Elusive? I’m right here, Kennedy, close enough for you to reach out and touch.”
I wince and say, “Please don’t say my name in here.”
“Won’t happen again.”
“Listen, maybe you should consider the ego-crushing possibility that I don’twantto reach out and touch you.”
He leans toward me just slightly. “If that were true, you wouldn’t keep licking your lips, and I wouldn’t be able to see your nipples through your bustier right now.”
I laugh and lean a little closer to him. “Don’t flatter yourself. My lips are chapped, and it’s cold down here.”
His eyes darken, but I’m not sure why. It might be anger over his advances being rebuffed. I have to play this one so carefully.
“Do you consider yourself spoken for?” he asks.
“Spoken for?”
“Are you with Hassan?”
“No.”
“So then…why don’t we get out of here?”
I smile at him. “I’m not going back to your place for sex, Nix.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“What do you have in mind, then?”
Amusement dances in his eyes. “You’ll just have to trust that it’s something good.”
“Trustyou?”
“That’s right.”
“You know why I’m going to say yes?” I ask him.
“Because you like me, despite your best efforts at hiding it.”
I laugh at that. “No. Because you asked me. I like beingaskedto do things rather than ordered.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“So we’re going now, then?”
He stands up from his chair. “We are. That is, if you’re ready?”
His charm is subtle and genuine. If I’m not careful, I could end up actually being attracted to Nix.
I smile up at him and take the hand he’s offering me. “I’m ready.”
He takes out his cell phone and texts his driver. People are sneaking glances at us as he leads me by the hand through the basement. Probably wondering why Nix is with the woman Hassan’s been putting the moves on.
