She easily followed my lead.
I dragged her under the streetlight and let my eyes sweep over her. I didn’t have to, though. I’d already memorized her features. She had a small nose, heart-shaped lips, smooth porcelain skin with a smattering of freckles on her nose, hair the color of cinnamon, and a body that would make any hot-blooded male look twice. I scratched my chin. “Hmmm . . . I’m not sure. My age. Maybe a year or two younger.”
She threw her head back. “Just a few minutes ago you thought I was old and married.”
Practically mesmerized, I watched her carefree style. She wasn’t like most women. Or most of the women I came in contract with—the ones from the New York City upper echelon who prided themselves on packed social calendars and their looks. She seemed tough. Able to take care of herself. She seemed to be a fighter, like me. “First of all, I only thought you were married. You’re the one putting the word old with married,” I playfully countered.
She pulled her lip between her teeth in contemplation. “You might be right,” she conceded.
Our eyes locked and I had to lick my lips as she chewed on hers again.
“What did you say?”
She rolled her eyes.
My grin couldn’t be erased even if I tried.
“I turned thirty last December,” she blurted out.
“An older woman.” I winked.
She started walking.
When I took my place beside her, she glanced over at me and nonchalantly joked, “Just call me Mrs. Robinson.”
My cock twitched at the thought of her seducing me—the game of a young college boy and an older experienced woman definitely had my attention. And although I’d already let my intentions for the evening be known, hers weren’t clear and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make sure she was on board with the fact that we were going to fuck. So I raised a brow and told her, “I’d love to.”
Headlights lit up the alleyway and a car started to slow. My guard instantly went back up. My body tensed and my stance changed. The car passed and someone got out. My eyes focused, my hands ready for action, I watched as an older Chinese woman pounded on the back door of a nail salon. False alarm. Still, the moment between us was broken. Awareness took over where I had allowed playfulness to wrongly occupy my mind.
With my hands shoved in my pockets, I put my head down.
What was I doing?
Once the car passed, I looked at her. She hadn’t noticed the car or my reaction. She was still lost in our Mrs. Robinson conversation and her response caught me off guard.
She was blushing.
I hadn’t been expecting that.
And right then, I knew I was in trouble.
ELLE
I glanced up at the sign above the restaurant—The Hornet’s Nest.
How appropriate. I shouldn’t have agreed to have dinner with Logan. After all, he was the son of the man Michael had just told me to stay away from.
Yet I couldn’t fight the sexual tension between Logan and me. I’d never felt anything like it. And I wanted to give in.
But I knew better. Life had taught me that lesson long ago.
Don’t get too close or you will get burned.
The restaurant was tucked away down an alley just around the corner from Molly’s. It was out of the way and off the beaten path. I was thankful. There would be little chance of running into anyone who knew Michael. I hadn’t decided what I’d tell him, if anything.
Logan pulled open the door and as I walked past him, I could feel my cheeks still blazing. I had no idea what my schoolgirl reaction was all about, but it had to come to an immediate end. I intended to put my mind to it. But that wasn’t what happened. Instead, I stumbled to a stop when his hand grazed my back.
Thank God he was reading a list of tonight’s specials and hadn’t noticed. With nonchalance, he stood beside me. Luckily, I quickly regained my composure as I observed the restaurant. Polished wood paneling and brass fixtures made the place appear slightly less bar-like. Whereas Molly’s pub side looked like a hole-in-the-wall brewery, this place looked like an authentic American-style Irish pub.
“Shall we?” Logan motioned toward a booth in the back corner. He stripped off his jacket as I slipped out of my raincoat, and he tossed them both on the red leather bench. My gaze lingered over him and my pulse raced as we sat across from each other. The leather seat might have been worn, but I melted into it without a problem.
My nerves had my palms seeking the cool, smooth surface of the table separating us. My focus flicked away from Logan and landed on the menus that sat against the wall. Logan’s gaze followed mine and he handed me one before I could reach for it. “It’s nothing fancy but they have the best burgers around, if you like burgers.”
I opened my menu. “Cheeseburgers happen to be one of my favorite foods.”
He looked pleased.
Just as I started perusing the menu, the waitress approached. “What can I get you to drink?”