It’s clear that he’s confused as to how to handle me. The calm, threatening voice is always the worst. I’ve learned that from experience.
“I don’t take kindly to being laughed at or indecently propositioned by cockroaches. My man is a hundred times the man you’ll ever be and after this, you won’t be any kind of man for some time.”
I smile, a sinister, crooked smile that feels so fucking good. I’m taking control, fighting back, reclaiming my life, and unfortunately for this man, he’s bearing the brunt. My knee moves swiftly and powerfully upward. It connects with his groin at full force and he drops with a strangled moan. I watch with satisfaction as his face contorts with pain and he struggles to catch his breath. With any luck, he’ll be out of action for quite some time.
His friends leap up but don’t come to his aid until they’re sure I’m not going to turn on them. I step over the jerk and find Denham, Spike and Lottie standing on the other side of him.
“Oh, hi guys,” I chirp nonchalantly.
“Ari!” Lottie screeches. “That was badass! Did you see the way that guy dropped? Like a fucking tranquilized elephant.”
“He was just in my way.” I shrug.
Spike looks at me with an amused expression while Lottie bounces excitedly next to him, holding his hand. “Listen to you!” Lottie exclaims. “Remind me not to get on your bad side…”
“You guys gonna stop staring at me like I have three heads and get me a drink, or what?”
My cool, calm exterior is the opposite of the shaking mess I am inside, but the fact that I actually stood up for myself, that I fought back, makes me feel empowered. I’m still running on adrenaline which adds to the alcohol and the intense lust from a little earlier. It’s a potent, heady mixture, but one that makes me feel pretty damn good. I can’t stop smiling.
Denham is still standing in front of me, silent, his brows drawn into a tight frown and his thumbs tucked into the pockets of his pants. I step into him, sliding my hands around his waist and hooking my fingers in the belt loops of his slacks, and pull him closer to me. With my heels on, there’s only a few inches difference in height, and he looks down at me through those thick, dark lashes that frame his golden eyes and tilts his head questioningly.
“You’re brooding,” I state.
His eyes narrow and his gaze pierces the guy who’s still rolling around on the floor. “I’m trying to decide if I should wait here and beat that guy’s ass when he gets back up or…”
“Or …” I prompt.
“Whether I should take you home right now and make you scream my name until sunrise.” His hard stare softens and he looks over me seductively.
My mind is made up. If there was ever any doubt, it has been permanently erased. It’s not the drink talking.It’slust…
It’shappiness.
It’sconfidence.
It’shim.
All him.
“Let’s go,” I say boldly, wetting my lip with my tongue and drinking in the desire oozing from him.
Chapter 15
The Limo doesn’t circle the Strip on the way home this time. The driver is instructed to take the shortest route possible and I don’t know if I should be pleased about that or not.
I’m nervous.
Sex has always made me nervous. I’ve never really enjoyed it. Never wanted it. I just did it because that’s what is expected of you when you’re a wife or fiancé.
Until now.
This, whatever I have going on here with Denham King, is different.
I know it’s different because I feel a tingle start in my toes when he looks at me. It travels through every inch of my body, to the top of my head, every follicle, every nerve ending on high alert which thrills me as much as it frightens me.
What ifI’m not good enough?
What ifhe doesn’t like my body?
