mad gallop in her chest. His blue eyes blazed down at her while he waited for a response, and her mind went blank again.
Ryder’s larger-than-life presence made her feel very small. The spicy, delicious hint of cologne that clung to his skin made her want to bury her face in the crook of his neck and inhale his scent.
She quickly turned away from him and gathered her things off the sidewalk, worried she would act on her instincts. No one had ever caused her to have these kinds of feelings.
It scared her.
It excited her.
Responsible Zoe screamed that he was a stranger; no way in hell should she go home with him. The other, desperate-for-excitement Zoe was ready to hop into his SUV and get the hell out of here.
“Where do you live?” she asked.
“I have a house near the southern end of the Strip. On the golf course.”
She swallowed. That area was one of the richest neighborhoods in Vegas.
“Do I need to stand here and talk you into it for another five minutes before you eventually give in?” he asked.
She bit her bottom lip and glanced over at his SUV.
He stood and leaned against the building, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his suit pants. His gaze didn’t waver from hers and she swallowed again.
Cocking his head to the side, he grinned. “C’mon. What do you say, Strawberry?”
The butterflies in her stomach started fluttering madly again.
Watching him standing there with a sexy, mischievous grin on his face, she made up her mind. She was going to have her adventure. It started right here, with the man standing in front of her. She wanted more delicious, tummy-jumping, heart-pounding moments.
“Yes.” She stood and brushed herself off. “Yes, I’m ready. Let’s get out of here.”
CHAPTER 4
Zoe sneaked a few glances at him while he drove.
He’d taken off his suit jacket and pushed up his sleeves, revealing a glimpse of toned and tattooed forearms.
The intricate designs seemed to hint at danger lurking just beneath the surface. A warning, perhaps. One she should probably heed. He had heartbreaker written all over him.
Her gaze moved up to his profile, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. His lashes were long and thick, and his nose was perfectly straight. It was a good, strong profile. One she didn’t expect a hockey player to possess.
Zoe couldn’t tell if he had any interest in her or if he just pitied her. She wished he’d give her a clear-cut signal he was attracted to her before she made a move. On top of everything else she’d experienced today, she didn’t need to add another humiliation to the list.
“Thanks for letting me stay with you. It’s very kind.”
He winked. “I can’t leave a damsel in distress, can I?”
“I guess it would make the white knights of the world look bad.”
Her stomach hadn’t stopped fluttering since she’d stepped into his vehicle. If he hadn’t been the cause of all this emotional upheaval, she’d think she had an entire swarm of butterflies taking up residence in her belly.
Ryder took her hand and brought it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on her fingers. His dark blue eyes smoldered as he watched her. “We can’t have that, m’lady.”
Her breath caught in her chest and she froze, unable to tear her gaze away from his face.
A moment later the look disappeared, and he grinned. “I always wanted to do that.”
“Does the sexy, smoldering thing you just did work on all the girls you rescue from bars?”
“I don’t know. Did it work on you?” he asked, looking amused.
She stared out the passenger side window. “Yes,” she replied. “I’d say it did.”
***
“Is that right?” he asked, trying to hide his surprise. He’d only wanted to lighten her mood, and didn’t expect that response.
“I’m coming home with you, aren’t I?” She picked at the edge of her skirt, smoothing the edges down. Despite her show of bravado, he could hear her voice shaking with nerves.
Ryder pulled up to the security gate and nodded at the guard.
“Evening, Mr. O’Bryan.” The guard pressed a button and opened the gate.
“Have a nice night, Tom,” Ryder replied.
As they drove through the neighborhood, he asked, “Have you ever had a one-night stand, Zoe?”
She swallowed and put a hand to her throat, drawing his gaze to her long, graceful neck.
“No.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Maybe it seemed sexist to say she didn’t seem like the type, but she didn’t. She didn’t flirt or aggressively advertise her sexuality. Even her skirt, though sexy, wasn’t overly revealing.
“I’m