A Game Of Temptation

LAURA

“Damn,” someone muttered.

If I had to guess, my outfit was what prompted the cursing.

Looking up from my phone, I found Derrick, a guy who lived in my building, standing there. Actually, it looked like he’d abruptly paused mid-stride. His eyes were wide as they dragged down my form, and I was positive that if he kept his mouth open much longer, he’d attract flies.

I was right after all. It was my outfit.

“Hi, Derrick.” I gave him a small smile and briskly continued walking. I was almost out of the building when he caught up to me, stopping me with a gentle grip on my elbow.

My smile slipped. I gave him a look, then dropped my eyes to his hand on my elbow pointedly.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

He took the hint, smiling sheepishly as his hand fell back to his side. “Sorry.” His eyes darted away as he rubbed his neck, so nervous I could almost taste it. “It’s just… I’ve been trying to reach you.” When I simply cocked a brow, he swallowed. “Y-you didn’t respond to my texts or calls, and when I asked about you from your neighbour, she said you’d travelled. I didn’t even know you were back.”

Of course you didn’t know I was back.

And of course I didn’t respond to your calls.

When he’d asked for my number, I hadn’t hesitated to give it to him because he’d seemed like a nice guy. I hadn’t known that it was so that he would plague me with calls and annoying texts. He’d asked to hang out one time to which I’d flat out told him no. I’d expected him to back away after that-even if not for me, for himself-but it had only made him that much more determined.

Maybe I needed to stop treating him nicely.

Pressing the power button on my phone, I checked the time and saw that I only had eight minutes to get to my destination. One minute later and I would be late.

“Listen, Derrick,” I began and his light blue eyes jumped to mine eagerly. “I actually have to be somewhere right now. Maybe we’ll talk another time.”

His face fell in obvious disappointment but he nodded quickly, rubbing his neck again. “Of course. Some other time.”

Giving him a tight smile, I hurried outside to flag down a cab. I didn’t have to turn to know that he was still standing outside the building and that his eyes were still on me. I could blame my current outfit for that, but I would only be lying because Derrick had been into me for a while now. I’d thought it was something that would go away-or at least that he would get over it-if I showed him that I wasn’t interested, but he was either the most oblivious man on planet earth or the most optimistic one.

Honestly, I lacked the patience to deal with him.

I ended up being twelve minutes late, thanks to traffic.

And was it a bit pathetic that I’d been staring at my phone while I was stuck in traffic, waiting for at least a single text message, asking why I wasn’t there yet? It probably was.

Or maybe it wasn’t.

I mean, if I was to meet up with someone and the other person was running late, I would text or call them to ask what was up. It was basic etiquette. The normal thing to do. Anything could have happened.

Anything.

My jaw dropped when my cab pulled up to the building. What the actual fuck?

I’d deliberately asked how to dress, and all he’d said was to not wear anything too fancy, which was fucking crazy because this place was fancy as all fucks.

I paid the driver and tipped him, my attention already diverted.

The windows were floor to ceiling and it provided me a fairly good view inside. The restaurant was not packed. Only a few tables were occupied actually, but none of the people occupying them had familiar faces.

Pushing my shoulders back, I stepped toward the glass doors and the doorman immediately opened them, greeting me with a warm smile, the words sounding a bit distant because I was still trying to find the person I was supposed to be meeting.

Did he get pissed and decided to leave after all because of how late I was?

Had he mistook my lateness for me cancelling?

No. He wouldn’t do that to me.

Pulling the breaks on my panicked thoughts with deliberate effort, I slid my coat off my shoulders and handed it to the doorman with a smile I hoped was as warm as I wanted it to be.

I could simply text him right now and ask where he was, but I was a glutton for punishment because I would rather stand there, searching for him from table to table than do the easier thing.

I turned my head to the side, deciding to start from there. And. There. He. Was.

He looked right at me, and when our eyes met, I felt the full effect of him all over again just like the first time I saw him. Like we were back in that elevator, except this time, it was different.

The longing, the lust, the want was magnified by a thousand fold because I’d had him inside me and knew what he felt like. How he wrecked me in the best way possible and built me back from scratch, remoulding my insides until my body grew accustomed to his. Until we were a perfect fit.

Lust held me captive and lit a raging inferno in the pit of my stomach.

My pulse started a racing pace, my skin grew hot, and a thick blanket settled over my thoughts. Only one eclipsed all others and came to the forefront of my mind, clear and undeniable.

I had to have him inside me. Now.

His eyes didn’t leave mine as I made my way over to him, my steps sure and determined, the movement of my hips more defined, sensual. I was prepared to seduce, although from the looks of things, I probably wouldn’t have to try. His eyes grew sharper as I neared and his knees drew up as he pushed to his feet.

My stride only slowed momentarily so that I could place my clutch on the table, before I walked past him, whispering, “Meet me in the restroom.”

I didn’t even wait to catch the look on his face.

The smirk on my lips was probably as wicked as my intentions. Hopefully, no one would figure out what we were about to do. But even if they somehow managed to catch on, I wasn’t sure that I cared.

At least I couldn’t stop now. I wanted him too much.

I slipped into the women’s restroom and found all the stalls empty. Entering the last one, I slumped against the door, pressing my fingers against the spot between my neck and my shoulder and trying to calm my racing pulse. Whatever little progress I’d managed to make was lost when I heard the sound of the door sliding open, and the racing horse that was my pulse started back up.

Three days ago, Alex had finally called. And I wouldn’t even lie and say that my heart hadn’t quickened at the sight of his name on my phone screen. We’d agreed to meet at a location of his choosing, then he’d asked if he could pick me up but I’d refused, telling him that it would be better if we met at the place instead.

My reason for not wanting him to pick me up was so that he wouldn’t know my address. I still wanted some layers between us. He was pulling everything away so bloody fast, I could barely do anything but hang on and watch as he obliterated things I’d worked so had to build up over years into dust in the span of mere weeks.

I hadn’t been nervous about seeing him again-okay, maybe I’d been a bit nervous-because I’d thought that it would be…normal. I’d seen him everyday at the house in Miami after all, so I’d expected his face to become…normal.

That word again. It wasn’t the right one.

I’d just expected to have gotten used to seeing him. At least to the extent that he wouldn’t affect me so much.

What a fucking joke.

Here I was, so bloody weak from wanting him, I could barely stand straight.

Stepping back from the stall door, I watched silently as it fell open and Alex’s scowling face came into view, his big build filling the doorway.

Wait. Scowling?