“Excuse me?” I had an inkling the drunken man’s alcohol boosted his courage to take on a man nearly two heads taller than him and a good deal bulkier in build. I smiled.
“Walk away. Now.” The underlying threat in his words was evident.
“Whatever.” The drunk man finally got the message and stepped away.
“So, third time’s the charm?” I offered my rescuer a playful smile.
“And what are you doing here alone?” Did I imagine the hardness of his tone? Was he angry with me?
“H-having a drink.” I winced at the break in my voice.
“More than one by the looks of things?” He cocked a brow. “Are you even old enough to drink?”
I choked out a laugh then blushed when his gaze fell to the empty shot glasses. “Would my age bother you?” Did I look younger than my soon to be twenty-two years? I leaned back, crossing my legs. His gaze dropped to my dress, riding high on my thighs before coming back to rest on my bottom lip, now caught between my teeth. The feral burn in his eyes fanned the flames of abrupt want inside me and beaded my nipples. I looked away. He took the chair next to me, his hand moved from my waist to rest on my knee. I was suddenly conscious of the warmth the skin on skin radiated. I glanced down, noting the strength in those firm fingers. The thought of his hands moving further up, touching, stroking, pinching. I blinked.Holy shit.I uncrossed my legs and forced myself to concentrate. “Tell me, Prince, assuming that is your name, how is it that you keep finding me?”
“Does it matter?” His slow smile filled with distinct wickedness. My stomach muscles knotted. Was it possible for a man to be this sexy?
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked him but flicked me a knowing smile, as though approving my chosen company.
“Whiskey on the rocks and a bottled water, please.” He shifted slightly. The movement positioned one of his legs between mine. I was suddenly a lot more conscious of his presence. The soft brush of his fingers on the inside of my thigh had me swallowing when his hand slid up an inch, the light caress elicited succulent tingles I had no idea were even possible. When I lifted my gaze, it was to find his eyes on me, beautiful yet piercing. “What are you celebrating?” He pointed to the tequila.
“Celebrating?” I frowned.
“You don’t look like a drinker to me, so it must be a celebration.”
“Do drinkers have a specific look?”
“They certainly don’t have your innocence.”
“What makes you think I’m innocent?” I was surprised by my quick response. I wasn’t usually this brazen with men I didn’t know. Maybe it was the alcohol.
He uttered a low laugh, the husky sound, a soft echo against my heated skin. His gray eyes sparkled with intrigue, he leaned forward. “Forgive my assumption.” His fingers moved at a lazy pace, teasing the inside of my thigh. I fought to keep from trembling. He reached for his whiskey that the bartender had placed on the counter without me noticing. Eyes locked on mine, he took a drink then set his glass down. “Me touching you will do nothing, correct?” Focused on his fingers—just inches away from the apex of my thighs, I wanted to answer. Only a barely audible whimper slipped past my lips. With his back to the rest of the bar and me hidden by a large ornate feature, we were concealed from the other patrons. “Does it turn you on,” he continued in a tone as smooth as silk, “if I touch you here?” His fingers grazed my cotton panties. I couldn’t hold back the moan. “Does it, Princess? Knowing that I can make you come right now, onlookers be damned?” I swallowed, shaking my head. Another chuckle rumbled out his chest. “Because you’re experienced with this sort of thing, right?” He was baiting me.
I nodded, but I was just fooling myself. My knees quivered, the tremble ricocheting through my body when his finger feathered lightly over my slit. The soft material of my panties no barrier to the velvet touch. My breath escaped on a shocked gasp. What was I doing, allowing a stranger to manipulate my senses I didn’t even know I had? Electrified by his touch, I squeezed my thighs together, but his firm hand kept them apart.
“Your phone is ringing, Princess.” He chuckled.
“Huh?” Mesmerized by the man, it took a moment to register his words. I bit my lip, hiding my disappointment when he leaned away and pulled his hand back. “Ru,” I answered, still looking at the gorgeous man next to me. Completely hypnotized by the slide of his throat as he drank his whiskey before his tongue snaked over his lip. My tongue unconsciously mimicked the slow lick he stroked along his bottom lip. Oh. God. I wondered what it would feel like to have that pink wetness slide down my neck, around my hard nipples, teasing and tasting me. Would it be rough or smooth? When he caught my stare, one dark brow rose, the electric heat in his eyes sparked a flame through my body. His eyes widened slightly as I shivered, and a small smile teased his mouth.
“Sianna?” Ruvash called out.
I shifted my gaze to the counter, cleared my throat, and focused on my cousin. “Hi.”
“Hey, sweetie, I’m running late, but the good news is that the guys are happy to have you stay with us.”
I pulled in a deep breath, raking a hand through my hair. “Thank you. How long can I stay? You know—” I dropped my voice an octave. “With the job situation.”
My cousin laughed. “As long as you want. “You can take over the cooking duties.”
“You sure you want me in the kitchen. Food poisoning can be a serious complication,” I teased. If anything, I was a good cook. It was something I enjoyed doing with my father. I lost my mother at the age of six, and my father used the kitchen as a buffer to grow our relationship.
“Nonsense.” Ruvash scolded, his tone playful. “You can cook us a nice prawn dish.”
“You do recall I’m allergic to seafood, right?”
“So? I said cook, not eat.” My cousin chuckled. “Anyway, our stuff is being transported tomorrow. Are you packed?”
“Well, thanks to Shrek’s twin, my belongings have been stuffed into every nook and cranny of my car. Whether I can fit behind the wheel is another story.”
