by E. L. Todd
Now what?
Beatrice waited for me to speak, predicting exactly what I would say.
I went with the first thing that came to mind. “I forgot to ask you something. What’s your favorite Star Wars film?”
Beatrice didn’t hide her surprise. Her eyes gave her away. She opened her mouth to speak but abruptly closed it again. The guy fighting for her affection raised an eyebrow, obviously thinking my plan of attack was juvenile. She regained her composure then spoke. “The Empire Strikes Back.”
“No way,” I said. “Cool.” I put my hands in my pockets then stepped back. “Well, goodnight. It was nice meeting you, Beatrice.” Pretending to be indifferent to her existence, I turned around and walked away.
92
Silke
When I called Arsen, he answered on the first ring.
“Beauty.”
He always greeted me in the same way, the same words and the same voice. “What are you doing?” I sat at my vanity and added a few final touches to my hair.
“Depends.”
I rolled my eyes, hating his hardball act. “On what?”
“What you want to do. If it’s something annoying and stupid, then yes, I’m doing something.”
“Arsen, could you stop being an ass for five seconds?”
“No.” He said it plainly and without conviction.
“My girlfriends want to go out tonight.”
“What does that have to do with me?” He sounded bored, like he might fall asleep any second.
“I want you to come.”
“To do what?”
“Be my date,” I snapped. “I keep talking about you, but no one has seen you.”
“Good. I don’t want to see them.”
“Just shut up and come out with us,” I hissed.
“I’m going to pass.” He breathed hard like he was inhaling from a cigarette.
“You’re coming. That’s an order.”
He sighed into the phone. “Stop acting like I’m your boyfriend! I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I can’t count the number of girls I’ve fucked since I met you.”
“No, you can’t,” I said seriously. “Because zero isn’t a real number.”
He growled over the phone.
“Now shut up and pick me up.”
“No,” he argued. “I’m not going to pretend to be your perfect boyfriend.”
“Who said anything about perfect? I’ve made it clear to my friends that you are nothing close to perfect.”
“So, you talk about me?” he asked in an irritated voice.
“Yes, it’s what girlfriends do.”
He sighed while he adjusted the phone. “Forget it. I have other things to do.”
“Like what?”
“Like none of your business.”
“Fine.” I glanced at the time on my nightstand and knew I needed to get going or I’d be late.
“Fine?” he asked in surprise. “That was easy.”
“All my friends think you aren’t real, so when you don’t show up, they’ll continue to think that.”
“Good.”
“They want to hook me up with this guy named Hunter.”
He fell silent.
“I guess he’s seen me around and wants an introduction.” I smiled because I knew he was panicking on his side of the phone. His eyes would be wide and his heartbeat accelerating. I enjoyed the silence, never getting so much joy out of a wordless conversation.
He growled into the phone like a wolf. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” He hung up before I could gloat.
I laughed then put my feet on the vanity. I grabbed my pink nail polish and gave myself a quick pedicure.
When I was ready, I opened my front door.
Arsen was sitting on the top stair with his back to me. He was smoking a cigarette, the tendrils dissipating in the night air.
He never knocked on my door. He always stood on the other side, leaning against the wall or sitting on the staircase. Somehow, inexplicably, I knew he was there even when he didn’t announce his presence. There was a static in the air whenever he was near. I couldn’t explain it.
I locked the door behind me then stood near him. “You got here fast.”
He put the cigarette out on the concrete then tossed it down the stairwell. “I was nearby.”
“Where?” I asked. I pulled my dress down then sat beside him.
He glanced at me, his eyes lingering on my long legs in my black pumps. Then he looked away, pretending to be indifferent. “Somewhere.”
“You know what I think?”
“I don’t care.”
“I think you hauled ass over here so I wouldn’t leave without you.”
He didn’t acknowledge my words. “Let’s get this over with.” He rose to his feet then grabbed my hand, pulling me up.
I wore a tight black dress that reached my upper thighs. My brown hair was curled at the ends and it framed my face. Golden earrings hung from my lobes, and my face was heavy with makeup. I stared at his face, watching his reaction to me.
His eyes burned in a quiet smolder while he looked me up and down. They lingered on my legs longer than any other part of my body. Then he turned his gaze back on my face. Several heartbeats passed but he didn’t say anything. Then he turned away and headed down the stairs. He didn’t compliment my appearance, but he didn’t need to. I knew what he was thinking even if he didn’t say it.
I followed him down the stairs then walked by his side while we headed to his motorcycle. He wore a black leather jacket with a black t-shirt underneath. His dark jeans hung low on his hips. His ass always looked nice in those jeans. Even though he’d just worn a helmet, his hair still looked perfect. He was naturally sexy, requiring little effort to make him that way.
When we reached his motorcycle, he handed me a pink helmet.
I studied it in my hands. “What’s this?”
“Your helmet.” He put his black one on then started the bike.
I smiled in victory. “You got this for me?”
“No, I got it for all my guests.”
I put it on then hiked up my dress and straddled the motorcycle. My arms moved around his waist and I held him tight. “Thank you. I love it.”
“Where are we going?”
“Heat.”
He pulled his legs up then took off.
I rested my chin on his shoulder and held on while he made the drive. Sometimes he was adventurous on the road, swerving between cars to get to the fast lane, but I trusted him. Arsen knew what he was doing. And I knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to me—even if he would never admit it.
When we reached the bar, he parked his Harley then pulled his helmet off. “Nice night for a ride.”
“Yeah.” I pulled the helmet off then fixed my hair.
Arsen stared at me, his desire undeniable. He glanced down to my legs again, unable to hide his thoughts.
I left the helmet on the handle. “I like the pink color.”
“It’s your favorite.”
“I thought it was for all your guests?” I loved cornering him and catching him in his lies. It was too easy.
“All girls like pink,” he said in an irritated voice.
“Sure…” I put my hands on my hips and waited on the sidewalk.
He shook his head slightly then came to my side. “Let’s get this shit over with.”
I grabbed his hand and held him still. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“No.” He stared me down, not amused.
I stood back and gave him a sexy pose. “Are you sure?”
The corner of his mouth turned up in a sexy grin. He tried to fight it, but he couldn’t. “Yes.”
I did a different pose, showing off my cleavage. “Think about it.”
A light chuckle escaped his lips while he ran his hand through his hair, being sexy without even trying. He dropped his hand and ended the laugh, only a smirk remaining. “Fin
e.”
“Fine what?” I changed poses.
“You look…great.”
I gave him an offended look. “Come on, bad boy. You can do better than that.”
He walked to me then gripped me hard. Then he pushed me against the brick wall of the building, his hard body pressed to mine. The air left my lungs as I felt the cold tingle of the bricks. My hands were pinned to the wall, and Arsen’s face was pressed close to mine. He stared at my lips for a long time like he wanted to eat me alive. “I want to have you right here, right now.”
“Go ahead,” I said fearlessly. “What’s stopping you?”
A distant light burned in his eyes. “I know you aren’t the kind of girl who fucks in public places.”
“Try me.” I held his gaze, not backing down.
He closed the gap between us and pressed his lips against mine. The kiss wasn’t hard and forceful like I expected. It was gentle and soft, full of purposeful touches and passion. He sucked my bottom lip, feeling me intimately, and then caressed my lips with his warm ones. The light breeze from the evening chill moved through my hair. I pulled him closer to stay warm. He pressed me against the wall, his large body keeping me safe from the cold. One hand fisted my hair while he kissed me gently, telling me everything he couldn’t say with words. Then he slowly pulled away, taking the heat with him.
My lips were still slightly parted from the intensity of the feeling. I’d never had strong chemistry with anyone else, not like I did with Arsen. He was the only man who could make me melt, who could keep up with me, who could drive me crazy until I screamed in passion.
“It’ll have to wait until we’re home.”
“Why?” I whispered.
“I’m not going to fuck you where other people can see you.”
“Why do you care?” I challenged.
He left the question hanging. He pulled away then grabbed my wrist, taking me with him. Then he interlocked our fingers, gripping me tightly like I might float away.
After we walked inside, I spotted my friends.
“Girl, you look smoking hot!” Denise looked me up and down. “Spin around.”
I made a pose while I turned.
“Damn, look at that ass,” Charlotte said.
I waved it off. “Oh, knock it off. You guys always look hotter than me.”
Denise laughed. “Yeah, right.”
Charlotte laughed too then narrowed her eyes at Arsen, who was standing slightly behind me. His arms were by his sides, and his shoulders looked broad in his jacket. Even though he was clothed, it was obvious his body was chiseled to perfection. His body was flawless, and he knew how to use it. His blue eyes were hypnotic to any woman who looked at him.
Charlotte’s jaw dropped. Then she fanned her face. “Oh my…”
“So he is real?” Denise said. Her eyes were wide while she stared at him. “Wow.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, he is.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him with me. “Why would I make that up?”
“You make up a lot of stuff,” Denise said, still staring at Arsen’s face.
“I do not,” I argued.
“She does, actually,” Arsen said with a sexy grin.
I hit his arm playfully. “No, I don’t.”
Charlotte stared at him like he wasn’t real. “What’s a guy like him doing with a girl like you?”
I put my hands on my hips. “What about all that stuff you just said about me looking hot?”
“Not the same level of hot.” Denise shook her head slightly.
I rolled my eyes, embarrassed that my friends were openly gawking at Arsen.
He extended his hand to shake Charlotte’s. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Whoa, Arsen does have manners.
She shook his hand. “You too. But I’m surprised you’re Silke’s boyfriend.”
Arsen always rejected that title, saying we could never be together in a traditional way. But he didn’t correct her. I was surprised. Then he moved to Denise and introduced himself.
Both of my friends were floored by Arsen’s raw sexual magnetism. He was good-looking and charming, at least when he wanted to be, and he made a good first impression when he tried.
We moved to the table and Arsen sat beside me.
“Beer?” he asked me.
I nodded. “Sure.”
He left the table and headed to the bar. When his back was turned to me, I got a peek of his ass.
My friends both looked at me with stunned faces.
I smirked and released an elated sigh. “I know…”
“He has trouble written all over him, but wow, he comes in a pretty package,” Charlotte said.
I sighed again. “I know…”
“He really has a motorcycle?” Denise asked.
“He never goes anywhere without it,” I answered.
Denise studied him at the bar.
“Could you not check out my boyfriend’s ass?”
“Sorry,” Denise said with a laugh. “Got carried away…”
“Well, this is awkward…” Charlotte sipped her drink, looking guilty.
“What?” I asked.
“Hunter is here. We told him we’d hook you up with him,” Charlotte said.
“I told you I was bringing Arsen,” I said.
“But you’ve said that hundreds of times,” Denise argued. “We honestly thought he wasn’t real.”
That presented a dilemma. “Oh well, I’m sure Hunter won’t be too put out about it.”
“Let’s hope so,” Denise said with a shrug.
At that moment, Hunter came to the table with a beer in his hand. He flashed me a smile, his eyes lingering on my chest. “Wow, Silke. You look…wow.”
I felt my cheeks blush. “Uh, thanks.”
Hunter stared at me for another second before he recovered. “It’s great to see you.” He pulled me in for a hug.
“You too.” I returned the embrace then pulled away.
He left his beer on the table then turned his gaze on me. “I can easily say every guy in this bar hates me right now.”
Charlotte smirked and covered it with a sip of her drink.
I knew I should tell him about Arsen. “I know Denise and Charlotte said this would be a date but…”
Arsen set our beers down then eyed Hunter with a dark expression. He didn’t say anything, just staring him down.
Hunter followed my gaze then turned to Arsen. “Who’s this?”
“Arsen.” I decided to give Arsen a taste of his own medicine. I gave him a meaningful look.
Arsen’s eyes narrowed in anger, but he didn’t react in any other way. His jaw was clenched tightly.
“Nice to meet you.” Hunter extended his hand to shake his, assuming I would never have any type of relationship with a guy that looked like Arsen.
Arsen eyed his hand for a moment before he took it. “Yeah.” Then he quickly pulled away.
Hunter turned back to me. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“I already got her one,” Arsen said darkly.
“Oh.” Hunter hid his annoyance. “Want to hit the dance floor?”
“I’d love to.” Making Arsen admit his feelings for me was always a pleasure.
Arsen growled, but it was so low no one heard it but me.
“Cool.” Hunter took my hand and led me onto the dance floor.
We danced together and shared a few laughs. When he held me close, I felt Arsen’s gaze burn into me. The jealousy emitted across the room, penetrating every inch of my skin. I knew he was fuming, pissed that some other guy was touching me. Arsen worked so hard to act like I didn’t mean anything to him. He fed me lies about all the women who stayed at his place. He claimed I meant nothing—less than nothing. But I knew it was all an act, and he needed to knock it off.
A shadow passed over me then moved between Hunter and me. When I looked up, I saw Arsen looking down at me with a pissed expression on his face.
I gave him an innocent smile. “Three is too many
to tango.”
“Then make it two.” He grabbed my hips then grinded against me, dancing so close we were a single person. His face was close to mine and he looked into my eyes, the same way he did when we made love. One hand moved down to my ass and he gripped me tightly, claiming me in front of anyone who could see.
I moved my hands up his chest while I danced with him. Dancing was similar to sex. People moved when their partner moved, and the connection between their minds was prominent. Passion drove them forward, guiding their swaying hips and moving legs.
His lips moved to my neck and he kissed me. Then he ran his tongue up my throat to my ear. “I wanted to fuck you the moment I saw you in that dress. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“No. I already knew.” I gave him a playful smile.
He smirked back. “You’re a little full of yourself, aren’t you?”
“I want to be full of you.” I gripped his ass and squeezed.
A quiet moan escaped his lips. “Stop trying to act like a bad girl. You aren’t one.”
“With you, I am.”
He gave me a serious look. “No, you’re a wonderful girl, too good for a loser like me.”
I kissed the corner of his mouth. “You aren’t a loser.”
“Let’s not do this,” he said seriously.
“Do what?”
“Pretend I’m something I’m not. I like it much better when you understand what I really am.”
I gripped his jacket and yanked him closer to me. “I understand exactly what you really are. You’re the one who doesn’t.”
His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw. But he didn’t say anything.
“Let’s stop playing games, Arsen. You want me all to yourself. Just admit it.”
His hands moved around my waist. “No, I don’t. You should be with someone better for you.”
“But I want you.”
He eyed Hunter by the table. “You should be dancing with him, not me.”
“You’re the one who interrupted us.”
He stopped moving and just stared at me. “I did, didn’t I?” The resignation in his voice told me something was off. He was hurt. A million thoughts were circling through his mind, but I couldn’t tell what they were. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I prefer you over him any day.”