“I appreciate a good looking guy as much as the next girl, but—”
“Bullshit,” Chloe argued, crossing her arms and giving her ample breasts an unnecessary lift that was sure to turn a few heads.
“What? I do!”
“Oh, really?” Chloe smirked, locking eyes with Olivia. “Prove it, Ice Queen.”
“Would you cut that out? What are you even talking about?”
“I dare you to seduce one of these delicious stud muffins,” Chloe challenged, a lascivious grin transforming her face. “And I get to choose which one.”
“Man candy? Stud muffins?” Olivia arched her brow. “Are you hungry? Do you need me to get you a snack?”
“I. Dare. You.”
“You cannot be serious.” Olivia scoffed, tapping her fingers idly on the table and avoiding Chloe’s intense stare. “What are we, twelve? I am not going to have sex with some random guy on a dare.”
“Your loss,” Chloe chided, smiling coyly. “Don’t you at least want to see what you’re missing?”
Unable to deny her curiosity, she twisted in her chair, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man who’d inspired such a ballsy challenge. When her gaze settled on Chloe’s choice, she was sorry she’d looked. The guy was insanely hot. Tall, broad shouldered, and oozing confidence, he was exactly the kind of guy she would be attracted to—if she were in the market for a one-night stand, which she wasn’t. Still, it was impossible to ignore the slow burn moving south from her belly as she drank in his smoldering good looks.
Crap! His gaze swung toward her and she knew she’d been caught staring. Real smooth. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, refusing to shrivel under the heat of his gaze. She wasn’t one of those girls. And judging by the light in his eyes, he kind of liked that. She couldn’t quite make out the color, but their ravenous look left no doubt as to his intentions.
Olivia had never been a believer in lust at first sight, but apparently her body hadn’t gotten the message. Like a lit fuse, desire raced through her, awakening urges that had been dormant too long. Maybe Chloe was doing her a favor after all. It had been a while, and the prospect of having those masculine hands wrapped around her body instead of the stem of a martini glass was promising.
…
Cole Bennett eyed his martini with a mixture of appreciation and discontent, trying to decide if he should order another. The martini was damn near perfect, but it wasn’t exactly his drink of choice. He preferred a nice smooth scotch any day of the week, but what the hell. The night was young and he didn’t have anywhere else to be. It also didn’t hurt that he was getting top notch service from the busty, bottle blonde bartender he’d pegged for the actress/model type. He’d smile and tip her well, but that was as far as it would go. It was his first night back in New York, and he was determined to be on his best behavior.
More than anything, he was glad to be home. Home meant a New York slice and more time with his sister, Anna. Growing up, he’d always looked out for her, but thirty-five hundred miles had forced him to step back and recognize her independence. Although he grudgingly accepted her adulthood, it was comforting to know he was only a short drive away if she needed him.
Sure, there were certain things he’d miss about London, but his lifestyle was far better suited to the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. It was no secret to anyone who knew him that he lived on the edge, with his penchant for fast cars, hard liquor, and high stakes. After all, life was meant to be lived and he was determined to go full throttle after what he wanted. It was that tenacity which had earned him his first million and almost ruined him in London, where going after what—or rather, who—he’d wanted had nearly cost him everything he’d worked so hard to build. That was a mistake he wouldn’t be repeating, but it didn’t mean he was going to change his lifestyle any time soon. He nearly laughed at the thought.
For years, Anna had been bugging him to settle down and start a brat pack of his own, but there was no way in hell that was happening. Cole Bennett didn’t settle for anything. Besides, hadn’t fantasizing about that happily-ever-after bullshit been what had burned him in London? He’d seen enough broken families, including his own, to know a fairytale when he saw one.
No, Cole liked his life just fine. He especially liked the hot blonde he’d been admiring for the last half hour. Too bad it was her sultry looking friend who was undressing him with her eyes.
He wasn’t interested.