There was no back. Other than the dangling straps that I’d tied at the nape of my neck, there was nothing covering me. It was a daring look, one that I hadn’t had the courage to wear before now.
But Landen’s challenge made me brave.
I wore no jewelry except the diamond studs my parents bought me when I graduated from college and a few thin silver bangles on my left wrist. I’d also dabbed perfume between my breasts, behind my ears, and on my wrists. It was a subtle scent that never failed to make me feel sexy.
I’d kept my make-up minimal with the exception of my lipstick. It was a special brand that claimed it would stay put for twelve hours or more and it was a vibrant, deep red, reminiscent of the color worn by women in the 1940’s.
I glanced at the clock and saw that it was five to seven. I slid my feet into a pair of black peep-toe pumps that revealed my toes were painted the same shade of red as my lips. Then I tossed a few things into a black, beaded clutch that I usually carried when I had a formal event to attend, which was rarely. I also included a few condoms because, as much as I wanted to resist Landen on principle, it was better to be prepared than to have to stop whatever we were doing for an emergency condom run.
I took one last look in the mirror and ran a hand over my blonde curls. There wasn’t much I could do with my hair unless I wanted to spend an hour blowing it out with a round brush and straightening it with a flat iron. An hour I hadn’t had tonight since I’d gotten off work at five-fifteen.
I’d barely had time for a shower and to shave my legs as it was.
A knock came from the living room and I shook my head. I wasn’t going to waste energy trying to figure out how Landen kept bypassing the buzzer at the lobby. I took a deep breath before I turned away from my reflection. I grabbed the black pashmina from the bed and draped it over my arm. Though the days were warm, the evenings could still get chilly.
Once again, my stomach was jumping with nerves and excitement and I focused on making the short distance between my bedroom and the front door without tripping. I took a moment to steady myself before I put my eye to the peephole and saw Landen standing on the other side, once again dressed in head-to-toe black and looking way too sexy.
I opened the door and grinned at him, determined not to reveal how nervous I was. Especially since I didn’t know why.
Okay, so I was in denial. I knew exactly why I was nervous and that was because tonight would probably be the night I had sex with Landen Weber for the first time. Especially considering the way he looked at me when I opened the door.
His dark blue eyes stared at the top of my head before they locked on my lips. Then his gaze moved down to my shoulders, torso, and legs before returning. When his eyes lifted back to mine, they were heated and appreciative.
“You look amazing,” he murmured.
“Thank you. You look handsome too.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up as I stepped out of my apartment and turned to lock the door behind me.
“We have a reservation,” he stated, his voice low and rough.
I glanced over my shoulder at him as I tried to fit the key into my deadbolt. “Excuse me?”
His eyes were glued to my back when he answered, “I’m reminding myself.”
The expression on his face was intent and hungry, as though he wanted to take a bite out of me, starting with the curve of my shoulder. My legs felt weak as I locked the deadbolt and turned to face him. I leaned my hips back against my door so that I wouldn’t sway.
“Why would you need to remind yourself?” I asked.
He stared at my lips for a long moment. “Because I want to say fuck the reservation, go back into your apartment, and figure out how to get you out of that outfit.”
I couldn’t suppress the shiver that ran through me at his words and he saw it. Then he grinned. “But I think I can multi-task. I’ll figure it out while we eat and take action later.”
Yep, the condoms currently burning a hole in my bag were an excellent idea.
He reached out, took my hand, and tugged me away from the door. “And you’ll definitely need fuel for later.”
I stumbled on my heels at his words but quickly righted myself and shot him a hard glance. “You’re taking a lot for granted.” Never mind that I’d been the one pushing to have sex before now. The fact that he was behaving in a high-handed fashion again made me want to push back. It was just my nature. Even if I wanted to do whatever he told me to, I wouldn’t without some sort of fight. That facet of my character had driven my mother insane during my childhood and teenage years.
As he pulled me to a stop in front of the elevator, he reached out and tapped the button before he looked over at me. Then he used his hold on my hand to pull me against his side and he kissed me.
It was quick and rough, ending with a nip of his teeth on my bottom lip. I was breathing hard when he finally lifted his head and looked down at me.
There was no smirk on his face, only complete seriousness, when he said, “If you want me, you can have me. If you’re not ready, I still want you to sleep in my bed. Even if that’s all we do.”
There was nothing I could say to that because I did want him. Badly. Though I seriously doubted we could sleep in the same bed without having sex. It would be impossible.
He must have read my thoughts on my face because he did smile then. “So you do want me,” he stated.
