“Why, because I’m the man and I’m older?”
“No. If I was thirty-five and you were twenty-eight, that wouldn’t be a problem. Presley is…” She shook her head. “He’s so… young.”
“He’s a grown man who’s got the hots for a beautiful woman who is smart and kind and funny and engaging. And mine.”
Her head jerked back a couple of inches. “Yours?”
“Yes, mine. And that’s what I told him.”
“We’ve kissed twice, this is our first proper date, and you’reclaimingme?”
“I’m setting boundaries.”
“You’re stomping all over boundaries. I belong to myself.”
This was not going well. “I don’t mean mine in the sense that I own you. Just that…” I ran a hand down the back of my head. “I needed to draw a line in the sand for Presley. That kid’s ego is ballooning, and it’s concerning me.”
“He’s finding his feet, that’s all. Let him grow, Joz. Stifling him isn’t the way to deal with a young, over-excited guy who’s living out dreams he probably wished for but never truly thought he would achieve.”
“If this were about anything other than you, I’d agree. You may not be concerned, but Iam.”
“Why?”
“I’m territorial.” I wasn’t. Or rather, I hadn’t been. Until her. Maybe it wasn’t Presley’s behavior I should be worried about. It was mine.
“You don’t say.” She put down her water. “Even if what you’re saying is true, I can handle Presley. If he does have a crushon me, so what? My interest in him begins and ends with our professional relationship.”
“Ours began as a professional relationship.”
“Okay, now I know you’re losing it. You’re comparing yourself toPresley.” She chuckled. “This is probably going to inflateyourego, but other than the fact you can both play the guitar and sing, you are nothing alike. I’m not attracted to boys, I’m attracted to men. One man in particular. You.”
Slightly appeased, I dropped the subject of Presley Knox, but despite him being my find, I would be keeping a fucking close eye on that guy. Aspen might think him harmless, but I didn’t. Call it intuition, one guy reading another guy’s intentions, whatever.
I settled the bill, and we returned to the car. Conversation flowed easily, but as the driver stopped outside Aspen’s apartment building, tension stretched between us. Our banter had been borderline heavy flirting the entire evening, but what happened next was up to her. Did I want her to invite me in when we both knew what that meant? Too fucking right I did. Though if she didn’t, I wouldn’t pressure her. I wasn’t that guy. I never had been that guy, even in my early twenties, when women had thrown their underwear at me and stuffed their phone numbers into my pockets.
I kept my seat belt fastened and waited to follow her lead. Although her breathing was steady, there was a definite hitch on each inhale.
“I had a great time.”
I gave her a crooked smile. “So did I.”
Silence.
“Another big day tomorrow.”
This was painful. It was pretty evident she was trying to find a way to end the evening, and not with me buried balls deep inside her. “Yeah.”
“There isn’t going to be any awkwardness between you and Presley is there?”
“Not from my side.” As long as he kept his fucking advances, and his hands, to himself.
“Okay. Good. That’s good.” She unclipped her seat belt. “Um… I don’t suppose… would you like to come up?”
“For coffee?” I was joking. I didn’t want coffee.
A flicker of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “No, for sex.”
My dick twitched as though to sayfinally.“Thought you were never gonna ask.”
