I said nothing. Mostly because I was afraid to spook her. Maybe she didn’t realize what she was saying. But I did. She wanted me safe. And she wanted it enough to play on a team to make it happen.
Whether she realized it or not, she cared about me and I wasn’t above exploiting the hell out of that to get what I wanted.
“I already promised to keep you in the loop,” I reminded her.
“And now I want you to promise me more. I’ve planned over two dozen asset retrieval operations,” she continued. “I’ve been on hand to actually execute half of those operations. I’m a pro at working in tandem with law enforcement agencies. And I never quit.”
“You packed a suitcase,” I pointed out.
She pinned me with a look.
“What?” I asked.
“I’m debating.”
“Debating what?”
“Whether to tell you the truth.”
“Don’t waste the energy deciding, Angel. Always tell me the truth.”
“Fine,” she said with a delicate shrug. “I packed a suitcase because it hurt too much to be that close to you when you hated me. I was going to move back to the motel, wait until work could send a replacement, and then I was going to leave town.”
It was like a knife to the gut, knowing how close I’d come to losing her for good. If it weren’t for Naomi and Sloane stopping her, last night wouldn’t have happened. And this conversation wouldn’t be possible. I owed them flowers or maybe a spa gift certificate.
“I’m sorry, Angel,” I said. “I was falling fast and I grabbed on to any excuse I could to break that fall. I’m sorry for making you feel like you couldn’t trust me. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
Her fringe of lashes was thick and dark against her skin, and when those heavy lids raised and she looked at me, she stole the breath right out of me.
“When you say falling,” she said softly.
“Head over heels, Angel. I’m really regretting taking you out to dinner instead of taking you to bed again.”
Her laugh was husky, and when she leaned in, her breast was soft and tempting against my arm. “Mission accomplished. Now tell me you’ll use me, Nash.”
My fingers tightened on the stem of the wineglass. I knew what she meant, but the double entendre was impossible for my dick to ignore. It was time to take back control.
“First things first. I wanna hear those words coming out of your mouth again once I’m inside you. And I want you to mean them.”
Her lips parted as her breath quickened. “Deal.”
“Second, if you want in, I need you to take every precaution I deem necessary to keep you safe. That’s nonnegotiable,” I said.
“Deal,” she said again.
I gave her a wolfish look. “You know, last time we made a deal, I was inside you.”
“And instead of being naked in bed, we’re out to dinner on our first date. Guess you’ll just have to settle for the high five,” she said smugly.
It was a first date to end all first dates. I knew it in my gut. There was something about Lina Solavita that drew me in, that captivated me. I wanted all her secrets, all her trust. And I wanted her to willingly hand them over to me. Forever.
This wasn’t just an attraction. This was something more.
We talked, we laughed, we flirted, we sampled bites of each other’s entrees. The longer the meal wore on, the closer we inched.
By the time the waiter was describing the desserts, my right hand was on her thigh just below the short hem of her dress. My fingers drew tiny circles on her warm skin.
Lina looked as if she were riveted by his description of the bourbon bread pudding, but beneath the table, my bad girl opened her knees wider for me.
Inviting me, testing me, teasing me.
I wanted to look down. Knew if I did, I’d finally see the color of her underwear and experience a whole new level of torture. However, it was time I delivered a little torture of my own.
She didn’t think I’d do it. But there were a lot of things Angelina Solavita could tempt me into.
As the waiter rhapsodized about the hazelnut cheesecake, I trailed my fingertips all the way to the promised land. Lina jumped and tried to close her knees, but it was too late. I’d found what I was looking for. That damp spot on the silk I’d yet to see. But I could feel it.
Her thighs trembled around my hand.
“What sounds good to you, Angel,” I asked her.
The look she shot me was a beautiful combination of shock and naked desire. “Wh-what?”
“Dessert,” I said, pressing two fingers to that delectable wet spot. “Tell me what you want.”
She blinked twice, then shook her head. The smile she shot the waiter was not her usual man-eater. “Uh, I’d like a piece of the hazelnut cheesecake. To go.”
“And for you, sir?” he asked me.
I used my index and middle fingers to squeeze the lips of her sex together through her thong.
“Just the check.”
With a nod, he disappeared and Lina fisted her hands on the tablecloth.
“Open your legs.” My command was a harsh whisper.
She didn’t hesitate before spreading her thighs.
“Wider,” I commanded. “I want to see.”
She obeyed, sliding her ass to the edge of the cushion, giving me the permission and freedom to play. My cock was rock-hard and begging to be let out.
Red. Her thong was bad-girl red. I slid my fingers under the band that covered her sex.
“Nash,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
I loved the way she said my name when she needed me.
“Think you can play your bad-girl games in a fancy restaurant and I won’t call you out?”
“Well…yeah,” she admitted on a shaky laugh. Under the table, she bucked her hips forward, begging for more pressure.
I wanted to bend her over this table and shove her dress up to her waist.
I circled her slick little bud with the pads of my fingers. “If I take the edge off for you right here, right now, promise me—”
“Anything,” she whimpered, writhing against my hand.
God, I loved the sound of her surrender. It made my dick ache.
I leaned even closer so her breast was plastered against my arm, my lips brushing her ear. “Promise me you’ll still take me as deep as I can get when we get home.”
“Yes,” she hissed instantly. Then she smiled wickedly. “If you can make me come before my dessert gets here, I’ll be sure to return the favor.”
Challenge accepted.
“Spread as wide as you can, Angel.”
She hooked her knee over my thigh to accomplish it, but once she was splayed open, I drove two fingers into her slick, wet channel.
Her low moan made my cock twitch painfully. So I added a third finger.
“Oh Jesus,” she groaned.
“Don’t ride it,” I warned, brushing what looked like an innocent kiss to her shoulder. “Stay still or everyone in this restaurant will know what’s happening under this table.”
She bit her lip and stopped moving.
“That’s my girl,” I whispered and then brushed my thumb over her clit.
“Oh God,” she whimpered.
The telltale quivers that teased my fingers told me everything I needed to know. “You’re ready to come already. Aren’t you, Angelina?”