You want me to beg?
I send the text, a smile dancing across my lips. Hopefully, that makes her squirm a bit. Better yet, I hope it earns me a proper response. Maybe I’ll just go over to the bar tonight and ask her in person. I need to see her again.
Once I’m done with this stack of papers, I’ll call it a day and head over to the bar.
The Lair is emptier than the last two times I’ve been here, but perhaps that’s to be expected for a Monday night. As I approach the bar, my heart begins to pound in my chest, seeing Mallorie’s blonde hair pulled back in a high ponytail.
She glances at me briefly before doing a double take when she realizes it’s me. Her posture straightens, her cheeks beginning to flush with color, and boy does she look perfect.
“Hello, Mallorie,” I purr as I slide onto a barstool, my lips curving into a smile.
She looks me up and down for a moment. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you, plan our next date,” I say, resting my elbows on the bar with my fingertips loosely intertwined in front of me.
Her expression twists, eyebrows dropping and eyes narrowing. “You want to see me again?”
My own eyebrows shoot up my face. Is she serious? Why wouldn’t I want to see her again, especially after the night we had? I thought it was amazing, the best of my life. Did she not feel the same? Is that why her text reply was so vague?
“Of course I do, darling,” I assure her, keeping my attention on her. “Last night was just the beginning of our journey. At least, I want it to be.”
“You do?” she asks breathily.
I nod, raising a brow at her. “Is that not what you thought? Or want?”
Her lips part, moving, though no words exit.
My smile falters slightly. Did I do something wrong last night? She was enjoying it—at least, that’s what it seemed like. Maybe I crossed a line. I knew biting her would heighten her pleasure, but I can’t deny taking some for myself when I drank from her. In all my years, I have never thirsted for anyone the way I do for Mallorie.
“Men like you don’t date girls like me,” she says hesitantly, eyes darting around my face. “And I don’t date, like, ever.”
The same hunger from our dinner date is present in her eyes. The longing is undeniable, despite attempting to mask her feelings with her words. If she keeps looking at me like that, I might have to jump across this bar and show her how much I crave her.
“If you want me to leave you alone, I will, but—” Voice low, I lean forward. “You need to tell me directly that’s what you truly want, because your eyes are telling another story.”
The corner of her mouth twitches, but she doesn’t smile. Instead, she purses her lips, leaning back from the bar slightly to put distance between us.
My heart aches at this, my soul burning for her.
Finally, she says something. “I can’t tell you that…because it would be a lie.”
A wave of relief washes over me, and I wonder if it shows on my face. She is one of a kind, if I were to lose her as quickly as I found her, I don’t know what I would do. My entire being feels like it revolves around her now.
“So, Mallorie.” I eye her intently. “When can I see you again?”
She turns, glancing at something behind her, before facing me and giving a small smile. “How about in two hours? The bar closes at midnight on Mondays.”
Returning her smile, I shoot her a wink. “I’ll wait right here for you.”
Mallorie steps out from behind the bar, saying something quietly to Julius, the owner, as she passes him. He gives her a nod, and she squeezes his shoulder before briskly walking over to me, her cheeks already rosy.
She looks amazing, loose pieces of her hair fallen from her ponytail and framing her face. I offer my arm, and she pauses a second before slipping hers through mine, allowing me to lead her out.
“I will take you anywhere you want to go,” I say, looking over at her. “You name the place, and I’ll make the call.”
A small laugh escapes her perfect lips, sending a fire through me. Gods, everything she does is sexy. If I could, I would take her right here on the street, but that would be rather barbaric of me. Plus, we would get charged. It would be worth it, though.
“I was thinking maybe we could just spend some time together. Chat.” Her voice is sultry as she shoots me a glance, batting her eyelashes. “Get to know each other a bit better.”
