“Yo Preston,” a booming voice called behind us.
Preston whirled around before his face broke into a wide grin. “Hey guys.” He rose out of the booth to do the manly hug/backslap thing with the three guys standing there. “Perfect timing. Annabel and I just finished dinner.”
My brows furrowed at his statement. “I’m sorry?”
A slight flush tinged Preston’s cheeks. “Oh, um, you don’t mind hanging out a little longer to watch the game do you? The guys and I kinda have a Monday night tradition.”
Nibbling on my lip, I fought the urge to either laugh manically or burst into tears at the situation I found myself in. Instead of having an actual date, I had been worked in toaccommodate Preston’s schedule. If I had had any ideas about Preston’s and my romantic future, it would have ended in that moment.
Forcing a smile to my face, I said, “Sure. That will be fine. As long as we’re not out too late. I have an eight o’clock class in the morning.” I held my tongue on the fact that I hated football with a fiery passion.
“Of course,” Preston replied.
“Okay. Sounds good.”
As I rose out of the booth, I once again caught the stranger’s gaze. Cocking his brow at me, it appeared he was giving me some sort of challenge. Cutting my eyes from his, I looked at Preston. “Give me a few minutes. I’m going to run to the bathroom.”
“No problem.” He leaned in and bestowed a chaste kiss on my cheek before turning to follow the guys to the game room. With a sigh, I picked up my purse and started for the bathroom.
Just as I was passing the sexy stranger at the bar, his arm reached out and grabbed mine. “Excuse me?” I demanded, as I slung his arm away.
“Don’t let that uptight prick ruin your evening. Sit down, have a beer with me.”
“But I?—”
He shook his head full of dark hair. “You deserve a night with a real man.”
The tug of war between politeness and temptation raged in my mind. “Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think so.”
“You know, I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of you all night.”
My brows shot up, and with a teasing smile, I said, “You should work on your pick-up lines because that one is kinda creepy.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Yeah, I guess it is.” His dark eyes twinkled. “You’re a ball buster, aren’t you?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
“You know what, ball buster?”
“What?”
“You’ve been checking me out just as much.” A wicked gleam burned in his dark eyes. “Since I’m not a gentleman, I would say you’ve been eye-fucking me all night.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Oh is that right?”
When he leaned in closer to me, his breath scorched my cheek. Almost involuntarily, my eyes closed at his proximity, and I hated the feelings he was eliciting in me at the same time as I wanted to savor them and explore them. “You want to know what it’s like to be with someone like me—a biker. A good girl like you wants to know if all the rumors are true.”
“You’re pretty sure of yourself.”
He grinned. “As sure as the wet panties you’re sporting right now.”
My eyes widened and I stared at him. “No one has ever talked to me that way before.”
Secretly, I loved the boldness of his filthy talk. It made me wonder what would come out of his mouth next.
“And you love it.” When I opened my mouth to argue, he shook his head. “Come on and let me buy you a drink, ball buster.”
Nibbling my lip, I stared at the entrance to the game room. Everything within me said this was a bad idea. That I should make my way back to Preston as soon as possible. But I had always taken the safe route, and I was sick of it.
