I blushed, embarrassed at his smooth demeanor. He was clearly a man skilled in the art of lovemaking. I wanted to say something, but I bumbled the words stuck in my throat. What did I say to a man who was probably accustomed to polished women? Not a stumbling idiot who had no idea how to react to a man’s sensual manipulation?
As though he sensed my anxiety, he reached for my hand and traced lazy patterns over the back. “You have beautiful hands. Don’t you wear jewelry?” He glanced up.
I gathered he was trying to calm me back into a general conversation. “No.”
“Why not?”
“My feminine side died with my mom.” I turned away from his penetrative stare, pulling my hand back from his hypnotizing touch. “My dad was a mechanic. So, if my hands weren’t stuck inside an engine, it was between the pages of my homework.” I smiled, recalling those days I’d nag my father into letting me help. While I screwed up most of the time, I learned a lot by the time he passed, enough to change the tire, oil, and even the alternator in my car.
“You miss him?”
I glanced up. Prince watched me with open curiosity. “A lot.” I drew in a deep breath, needing to change the topic. There was no doubt I was intensely attracted to this man, which woman in her right mind wouldn’t be? But my dating skills were minimal, and I’d never had a one-night stand before, let alone a conversation with an overly attractive, mature man. I could easily mess it up, say the wrong thing. I didn’t think I was sophisticated enough to handle him. “So, I only get three questions?”
A smile curved the corner of his mouth. “Nothing personal and only a yes or no answer.”
“That’s not fair.” I laughed to ease my nerves.
He studied me for a second before answering, “nothing’s fair in life, Princess. Sometimes, we must accept what we’re offered, to live, and sometimes we do it to make others happy.”
I didn’t understand his cryptic answer, yet the intrigue soared. “Is your name really Prince?”
“Yes.”
Okay. I wasn’t expecting that. Who names their child Prince? His honesty, however, favored a second question with a straight face. I wasn’t sure why I thought to ask that and found myself dreading the answer. “Have you done this before? Paid for sex, I mean?”
“No.”
Whether or not I imagined his hesitation, I couldn’t say. Was he lying? His expression, however, hinted otherwise. Then again, I didn’t know him, so maybe he excelled at the perfect poker face. “Do you want to sleep with me because you feel sorry for me?”
“No,” came the quick reply.
Unsure why. His answer filled me with an inexplicable thrill. Maybe because I wasn’t an easy pick-up? I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I’d just let the man touch me. Technically, he felt my panty, but in public. Could that not be labeled easy? My phone rang, drawing my attention. “Excuse me for a second.” He nodded as I answered, “Ru?”
“I’m at your car, Sianna. You’re not here,” my cousin said, his tone filled with worry.
“I’m safe.” I slanted a sideward gaze at Prince. His smile told me he’d heard me. “Give me a couple of minutes.” When the call disconnected, I turned to my handsome companion. “That’s my ride. I have to go.” Knowing I sounded wistful, I didn’t care.
He eyed me with a slow smile. For just a beat, I wondered if I’d imagined his optimistic countenance. “Do you have more questions for me?”
“I thought I was only allowed three.”
“I’m willing to forgo my limitationsfor you.” The emphasis on the last two words created a swirl of warmth in the pit of my stomach. I smiled.
“Can I save them?” I colored at his raised brow. “You know. If I say yes.” Even his boyish chuckle was sexy, making my skin tingle.
“It’s been a pleasure, Princess.”
“About the pro—”
He held up a hand. “I’ll give you the next two days to think about it. On both days, I’ll be here at six.” He ran a finger lightly up my thigh, leaving goosebumps in its wake. “Can I walk you out?” I nodded. When I fished my wallet out of my jacket, his hand closed over mine. “Allow me.” I shook my head. “I insist.”
The look he gave me warned me not to mess with his gentlemanly duty, and I laughed with a nod. Smiling, he stood and settled our tabs while I said goodbye to the bartender. With a hand at my lower back, he walked me to the exit. The brisk cold chilled my skin. I hesitated on the top stair. The abrupt tightening of his arm around my waist before he turned us and pressed me against a wall, wrenched a gasp from my ‘o’ shaped lips. He lifted me slightly, pinning me between his large, warm body and the cold wall. One hand supported the curve of my ass while the other tangled with the curls at the base of my neck.
“What are—”
His mouth was on mine, cutting off my words in a contrasting kiss of equal parts firmness and placidity. I moaned when his tongue swept into my mouth, delved deeper, clashing, exploring, soothing. My hands sank into his thick hair and tugged him closer, tighter. Suddenly, I no longer wanted to leave. Every part of me desperate to feel his skin under my fingers, his hard cock between my thighs, his body flush against mine as he drove into me. When he moved from my mouth to my neck, nipping at the tender skin there, I whimpered.
“Just in case you need a reminder.” His lips brushed my jaw before he leaned back, his eyes on mine. “Say yes, Princess.”
