He scanned me and inhaled sharply. “You look incredible.”
Evan was complimenting Elizabeth in my periphery, and I assumed he looked amazing as well, but I couldn’t stop staring at Bas.
With an effort, I dragged my eyes away from his neck. “You clean up pretty well, yourself.” I tried to sound casual, but my voice quivered a little on the last words. His face lit up. I squashed the rising pull I felt toward something ephemeral, something I couldn’t place or name or control. And my heart cramped as I shoved that fleeting desire down, convinced it was nothing. Just my off-the-charts libido.
How had this guy I barely knew wormed his way into my life?What magic did he possess to hijack my waking—and sometimes sleeping—thoughts? Surely, it was simple lust, a superficial physical attraction, and yet it felt…
It felt like infatuation. But infatuation would run its course, especially if I nudged it back into my bed.
Bas picked up my jacket and helped me into it before leading me to his car and opening the door for me. It started to rain, so it made more sense to drive even though the music venue wasn’t far.
Evan and Elizabeth opted to take her car, and I predicted they’d end up at her house before the night was out. Fortunately, Bas still didn’t know where I lived, but gauging by the way he nervously fumbled his keys before starting the ignition, chances were looking good that I’d become well acquainted with the inside of his house by the end of the night.
I was tempted to invite him to my place right now to get rid of this annoying want, but my address was on a need-to-know basis with guys I slept with. It helped to maintain boundaries.
Bas tuned to some cheesy jazz station and didn’t stop glancing at me with a stupid grin the whole way to the parking garage. His demeanor screameddate. My stomach twisted in ways that had nothing to do with how recklessly he drove.
“Watch the road, Bas. You’re gonna get us killed.”
He parked in the garage and raced around to open my door. He even offered me a hand as if I hadn’t been getting in and out of cars on my own my entire life. But I loved his attention. I didn’t want to get used to it. I knew it wouldn’t last. He was showing his feathers to seduce me. It was working.
Revelers hooted on the side streets as we entered the pedestrian mall. We caught up with Evan and Elizabeth close to the coffee shop where I worked, and we walked quickly together down the brick walkway, teasing Evan for failing to bring an umbrella.
“Hey,” he laughed, “I don’t start work until Monday.”
Inside the renovated old theater, a guitarist strummed about love. We hadn’t bothered to find out who was playing. It didn’t matter. We just needed a place to listen to music together, so we could get points for the list.
Bas brought me a glass of red wine, bless him. He stared at my lips as I sipped it, clearly contemplating the same urge I was, and it sucker punched me. I leaned against him, feeling his heart beat. He draped one arm around me, and I closed my eyes, pretending this could be a real thing.
Why couldn’t it?
My fear of future devastation kept me lonely right now. I could do this. Iwasdoing it. Like Elizabeth said, this didn’t need to be everything. I could accept this small slice of affection. This could even be a trial run to dip my toe into the romance waters.
As the singer crooned, I faced Bas. His dark, wavy hair called for me to dig my fingers through it and drag his face toward me. Those eyes pierced my soul, devoured me, and every time he licked his lips, I envied his tongue. I longed to kiss him, taste him, bite him. I wanted to feel his mouth on my skin, surrounding my nipples, sucking on me to bring me some relief. His long fingers touched mine, pulled me close, brushed my neck, and sent crackles down my skin.
He wasn’t shy in showing his naked desire. He wanted me as much as I wanted him, and all I had to do was crook my finger.
My eyes flicked up to his. He knew I wanted him, too.
He held me closer still, and the bulge in his pants pressed into my hip. I wanted to ride that until I lost my mind. I ground against him so there’d be no doubt about my intentions.
“You want to get out of here?” he asked, voice gritty.
Finally. “Can we go to your place?”
He frowned. “Ordinarily, yes. But—”
“Evan’s here,” I offered, assuming he was going to remind mehe had a houseguest.
“It’s just that my roommate will probably be there, watching TV.” He ran his finger across my temple. “We could go get coffee and talk.”
Oh, hell no. We’d already talked too much. What would New Chelsea do? Or was I just using her as an excuse to do what I wanted? Fuck it. I was already in so deep. “Let’s go to my place.”
I didn’t get any argument there. He grabbed my hand and waved at Evan, pointing at his watch. Evan did some hand gesture I interpreted to mean he wanted to stay out with Elizabeth.
Bas pulled me from the club like it was on fire. The rain had stopped, but it was still chilly. The bracing wind outside quenched some of the heat as we walked to his car. He took my hand without asking permission as he drove me back to the street where he’d parked before, but I directed him to my house. He opened the car door for me and followed me as I dug in my purse for my keys.
I halted on the sidewalk. What if he turned out to be a stalker? If I stopped wanting his company and he wouldn’t take no for an answer? He’d know where I lived.
