“I’m curious as to when?” I was surprised I managed to speak coherently at all.
The ping of the elevator indicated the destination, but when the doors opened, neither one of us moved. His stare was intense, more so behind the evocative mask. Using the same hand as had touched me, he rubbed his jaw.
The movement brought my eye to the dark stubble covering the lower half of his face. Not an intentional beard but due to forgetfulness, a man too busy to bother even though his attire was body hugging, tailored only for him. Even his watch, a stunning onyx piece from band to face, and jeweled with rubies instead of diamonds, screamed of money and power.
What struck even more than his handsome face were his fingers. They were not the mark of a pampered man. His fingernails weren’t perfect and the tips of his fingers were rough, like a man would have who regularly handled hard labor.
I don’t know why, but that thrilled me even more. Maybe he fit into the bad boy category that I and so many other women were hungry to taste.
“In the fourth grade. The first time I decided on my girlfriend for the year.” His voice dripped of innuendoes just like before. He was enjoying himself tremendously.
Why was it that all time seemed to stop? Including with the elevator? And where were all the people coming and going from the ritzy hotel for the night? It felt as if we’d both stepped into an alternate world, a location where I could choose to be anyone I wanted to be.
If only for one night.
Including Aphrodite, which my masked companion seemed to appreciate.
His touch had brought heat to my core, his closeness an ache to my already hardened nipples.
“In the fourth grade,” I repeated. I’d be damned if he didn’t push himself against me for just a few seconds, but long enough to understand the condition he was in.
The mystery man was hard as a rock.
Oh, my God. I was lightheaded, my desire off the charts. Was I considering doing something so irrational and irresponsible as allowing him to…
“Of course. My father taught me to start early.”
“Mmm… I can only imagine how you handled girls then women from there.” I skirted away, moving to step off the elevator. No, I was crazy. But he was a benefactor, which meant he was well known in the city and cared about the arts. He was also a wealthy man.
That shouldn’t matter.
No, my inner voice was correct.
What were the chances he was anything but a powerful, lonely, very sexy man?
Just when I’d almost convinced myself that daring to drop my defenses was a bad idea, I felt his heat once again.
I was only mildly shocked when the stranger grabbed my arm. But I wasn’t terrified or even anxious, which was a rarity in my world. He pulled me so I was a mere inch from his heated body.One hand was already keeping the door open, his fingers of the other digging into my skin as if he owned me.
For that moment and the entire night, I wasn’t Anna or Anastasia. I was Aphrodite, the goddess of passion.
“I came into my own,” he offered.
“You did?” Even my voice had dipped to a dangerously sensual level. I’d just offered him an invitation with my eyes, dropping them directly to the thick bulge between his legs. Holy mother of God. He was huge. And my mouth watered from the thought of trying to wrap my lips around the thick girth.
Who was I suddenly?
He nodded slowly and took a deep breath. “From there I simply took what I wanted.”
“And that worked?”
“Every. Single. Time.” He stepped off, taking my hand and pulling me free from the doors. When he entangled our fingers together, the moment of realization hit me. Yes, I was doing this. I was letting go if only for one night. His smile was as if he was reading my mind, capturing the moment we’d gone from flirting to the acceptance of a salacious invitation. “Which is why you’re going to have a drink with me and I will not take no for an answer.”
“Then what?” I dared to whisper.
His eyes became hooded as he drew me in as close as two people could be. The rush of adrenaline and flow of desire was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. He was so handsome, so powerful.
“Then you’re coming with me for one entire night.”
