Shit.That was careless, Declan.
“A guy like what?” I say, blowing it off. “Just because I’ve got ink on my head doesn’t mean it seeped through to my brain.”
“You’re educated.” It’s a statement, not a question. “Not just a thug, are you?”
“You’ve been holding out too,” I say, deflecting. “Where did you get given numerical, verbal and spatial awareness tests?”
She glances away. “I used to do pretty good in school. Before I…” Her voice drops to a mutter. “…left.”
We’re almost back at the bikes, and I pause, not wanting this to be over. I have to deal with Mercer and her damn dog early tomorrow morning, but for now, I want more of Genesis. “I’d like to hear all about that.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m not telling you.” She scuffs her boot on the ground, looks up at the apartment building we’re parked in front of, then back at me. “You’d have lost that match.”
I blink. “How do you figure?”
“I’m better than you.”
She might be right. “Still, I won anyway.”
It’s her turn to look surprised. “How do you figure?”
“You disqualified yourself in that last game. So I win by default.”
“What? The fuck I did.”
“Handling the balls on the table?” I remind her. “Taking two of them off?” I shrug and spread my hands. “Instant disqualification.”
She stares at me for several long seconds. Then her lips curl into a sexy smile. “Yeah, okay. Worth it though. You see that guy I ball-clapped around the ears?”
I wince. “Please don’t ever say those words again.” Then I take a step closer to her.
She backs up, a hand pressing into my chest. “Whoa, mister. What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m still high from that fight, alcohol in my blood, inhibitions lowered and… I just watched you beat the crap out of three men.”
“Right.” Another pace back, but I follow, keeping her close. “And… uh… now?”
It’s not a refusal, and I leap on it. “Now I take you up to your apartment”—I glance at the building behind her—“and claim my reward.”
She bites at her lip, her cheeks tingeing red, suddenly looking vulnerable. So goddamn appealing.
Then she meets my gaze and gives the smallest, briefest nod.
Seven
Raven
Istruggle to get the key into the door of my apartment, Declan’s hands inside my jacket and his mouth on mine.
He kisses like he can’t wait to devour me, raw with everything we’ve both been holding back.
I hit the door with my hip, shoving it open even as he pushes my jacket off my shoulders, and it falls to the floor as we spill in. I press him against the wall, fingers clawing at his T-shirt, feeling his hard chest beneath. The clothes are in the way; we’re past that now.
I don’t know what I’m doing with this man I barely know, only that what’s been building between us started the first moment I laid eyes on him.
“Off,” I mutter in frustration, pulling at his belt, working the buckle.
He grins and strips his jacket from his arms, dropping it on mine, and his T-shirt follows quickly.His pecs are well-defined, his stomach flat, everything I imagined. I leave his belt to run my fingers over his skin, feeling the ridges of his abs. Tattoos cover almost every inch of him from waist to shoulder, down both arms too. Designs I want to explore at my leisure and run my tongue over, but that can wait.
