to the side of his upper thigh, contained by his well-fitted pants. He was so thick and long and firm and…
She licked her lips.
Bennett cleared his throat. “All right. This time I can’t blame you for looking.”
Her eyes reluctantly met his. “I’m…I’m…” Nope. Not feeling any shame.
“Yes?” he asked, a pleased sort of devilish expression on his face.
He’s proud! He’s actually proud that I’ve just looked at his enormous cock and licked my lips like a hungry little slut.
“You’ll do anything to win, won’t you?” she said.
He shrugged and grinned. “I’m a man with many gifts. Nothing wrong with that. Are you getting in?” His eyes flashed to the gleaming black limo.
She hissed out a breath. “You want me to get in and do what?” After all, he was aroused and riled up. She was aroused and hotter than hell for him. Please say you want to—
“Train me.” He paused. “And trust me.”
Not what I was hoping for.
Wait. What? Get your head out of your ass, Tay. This guy kisses you and suddenly you’re going all fan-girl on him. Here, sign my panties, Bennett! Sign them while I’m wearing them!
“Trust? You’re asking a lot, Bennett. A lot. If you want me to trust that your motives are on the level, you need to give me something—anything—as a sign of good faith.”
Perhaps he’ll show me his erection.
Nooo…You are so bad. We’re in public.
He tilted his head. “Like what?”
“Why did you do that bet?”
He looked up at the sky exasperatedly for a moment before looking back at her again. “It’s complicated. But I promise I’ll explain when the time is right.”
Right for who? Right for what? she wondered. But something about the way he’d said it made her want to give him the benefit of the doubt, like he was pleading with her for a little patience. Her heart nudged her to give it to him. I’m a huge sucker, aren’t I?
“Okay. Fine then what’s your ‘thing’?” she asked.
He almost rolled his eyes with frustration, but ended up looking away toward the noisy street.
“Please,” she said, mimicking his non-begging tone.
“If I tell you, will you come to Paris?”
She’d actually go anywhere with him right now—Laundromat, chicken coop, dark alley with serial killer and rats—she just wanted him. But her non-horny bits (i.e. pride and mind) demanded he give her some reason, any reason, to believe he wouldn’t emotionally wreck her. Otherwise, she’d be forced to feel like an idiot for giving in to him.
She crossed her arms and nodded. “Yes.”
“I get garble, garble…” he mumbled, rubbing the prickly hairs over his upper lip.
“What? I didn’t catch that,” she said.
He dropped his hand and pinned her with his eyes.
“Just say it,” she urged him.
“I get panic attacks.”
She stared, trying to understand.
“I’m not following,” she said slowly.
“I become very anxious when I don’t know where people are. People I care about,” he growled.
She pulled back her head. “You mean you have everyone you care about followed?”
“No,” he scoffed. “I’m Bennett Fucking Wade. Do I look like a stalker to you?”
She shook her head no. He looked fucking hot—expensive suit, silky dark hair, swollen sexy lips, and a carnal look in his blue eyes. Don’t forget his woody. So damned hot.
“I just need to know that I can reach them at any time. Just in case there’s an emergency,” he elaborated.
“Really? What happened to—”
“That’s all I’m going to tell you. Now, I held up my part of the deal so get in,” he demanded, puffing out his chest and straightening his spine in that special Bennett Wade kind of way that flaunted to the world that he was not the sort of man to be messed with.
Of course, Taylor knew his trick. Not fooling anyone, Bennett. Wait. He just said he cares about you.
Blinking with shock, she slid into the backseat. She listened to Bennett give some instructions to the driver in Japanese before he climbed in next to her. She didn’t know he spoke Japanese—though she probably should’ve guessed—but apparently the man was as much a mystery as he was domineering. And sexy. The chauffeur closed the door, jarring her from her mental quandary and shutting out the loud city, cocooning them in an awkward silence.
She didn’t know what thoughts might be rolling through his head, but the thoughts inside hers could no longer be contained.
“Why did you kiss me?” she blurted out.
He glanced at her. “You got your one offering of good faith. That’s enough sharing for today.”
She looked at him as he