his jaw was taut as his eyes took their fill, skimming along the edge of my neck, my bare shoulder, and down lower. And I swear I could feel the edges of those flames on my skin everywhere he looked.
And he took his time too.
Because he could.
Because he truly did have the power.
Because, as he said, I needed him. I had a use for him. And when his eyes finally met back to mine?
I couldn't breathe from wanting this man.
From wanting to devour him.
And for him to devour me.
And as he stood there, strong and wild in his ability to stretch out the tension filled moment, electricity crackling between us like a time bomb ticking down until I'd explode…. I thought back to what London had asked me before I’d left.
And I wondered, if I really had any fucking clue what I was doing.
9
Hendrix
“Admit it, Savannah. You need me,” I said low and slow after my eyes had traced a path from the delicate line of her neck and exposed shoulder and over the curves no sweatshirt could ever hide, then back up. She’d dressed specifically to torture me, and her aim had been true.
Sure, I liked a woman dressed to kill, but this was a whole new level of sexy. She looked touchable, fuckable, and with my name stitched onto her back she looked like mine.
“I do not.” Her eyes flared with apprehension as if she’d finally discovered that she was the lamb in the lion’s den, not the other way around. “I can choose whomever—”
“But you won’t, or you already would have.” I stalked forward like the predator I was, scenting exactly where she was vulnerable. “Because you don’t want anyone else, do you?”
“I—” She blinked as she retreated, her cheeks flushing when her back met the wall.
“Who are you running from?” I asked, arching a brow as I consumed her space.
“I’m not running,” she lied, her breath catching on that last word as she brought her palms to my chest. She didn’t push. She wasn’t going to.
“The only person you have to fear is yourself, Savannah.” I braced my palms on each side of her head and leaned closer. “You’re the one who came to me, remember?”
“Well aware.” She tilted her chin and met my gaze.
Good girl. The war she fought between wanting control and needing to give it over was more than apparent.
“Admit it.” My entire body hummed with barely-leashed energy. I’d waited a week since that night in the club, trying like hell to conquer whatever hold she had on me so I could maintain a modicum of restraint, yet here we were. I’d also waited a week to prove one very important point. “Admit that you need me because I’m the only one you want.”
I’d only intended to talk it out—make sure this was something she wanted. Now my dick was making his intentions more than clear as I leaned my hips into hers. But I wasn’t some stud service, no matter how I felt about Savannah. If I was going to risk my career, she could damn well risk being open with me.
“Say it,” I whispered.
She swept her tongue over her bottom lip and raised her mouth to mine.
I lifted my head.
Her brow puckered.
“That little trick work with the college boys?” I asked, lifting my brows. “Can you kiss them silent? Distract them with your body to keep them from knowing you a little too well? Is that how you manage to keep everyone at arm’s length?”
“I don’t…” She drew back slightly, sucking in a deep breath. “I don’t keep everyone at arm’s length.”
“Sure you do. You’ve gotten so used to being the one in control that you can’t even let it go when you beg someone to take it from you.” Like tonight. “The reason you’re here isn’t because you want to lose your V-card on your terms.”
“Oh really?” Her gorgeous eyes narrowed. Guess she wasn’t so much a lamb as she was a tiger I held tightly by the tail.
“Really.” I brushed my lips over the shell of her ear simply because I wasn’t strong enough not to. Fuck, she smelled good. Like cinnamon and apple cider and something else I couldn’t quite identify.
Her hands curled into fists, gripping what excess cotton there was in my T-shirt.
Before I did something stupid like kiss her and blow our chance at this conversation, I lifted my head. Besides, I needed to see her eyes. “You’re here because you’ve never found anyone you’ve trusted