“Would you like me to arrest you with handcuffs?”
“Hell to the yes!”
“Kate?” There’s suddenly a very tall, very irritated man standing behind the fiery redhead, staring daggers into me. I can’t help but laugh.
“I’m talking to the hot Asher,” she says, not turning to look at him. “I assaulted him, and he’s a cop, and he’s going to put me in handcuffs.”
“No, I don’t believe he will.”
I laugh again. “There’s nothing going on here, man.”
“Come see Lila!” Kate takes my hand, pulling me from my stool to the table behind us. Most of the women have cleared out, leaving just a few, including the sexy as fuck woman I met on the plane yesterday. “Where did everyone go?”
“Declan took them home,” Lila replies, and her hand stops midway between the table and her lips, holding her drink. Her violet eyes widen when she sees me. “Hi.”
“We meet again.” I sit next to her, my fingers itching to plunge in her dark hair and brush it over her shoulder. “How are you, Lila?”
“Fine.” She clears her throat and smiles at me. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“A happy coincidence,” I reply softly. “You look beautiful.”
And she does. Her eyes are a bit glassy from the alcohol, her cheeks just a little flushed. Her hair is straight and falls down her back and over her slim shoulders. Before I can ask her questions about her trip here, or anything about her, we are soon pulled into the conversation with the others at the table. But when Kate asks Lila if she’s ready to go, I’m shocked when Lila responds with, “I’m gonna have Asher take me home.”
“Atta girl!” Kate high-fives Lila, making me chuckle, then turns her sights on me. “And listen up, buddy. If you hurt her, I don’t care if you really are a cop, I’ll make your life hell. Okay?”
“Okay.” I nod soberly, glad that Lila has such fiercely loyal friends in her life.
And I barely know her.
“I hope that’s okay,” Lila says and turns to me with an embarrassed smile.
“More than okay.” I can’t help it. I have to touch her. I tuck her hair behind her ear with my fingertip and then drag it down her jawline. “But I don’t think I want to take you home and end the evening.”
“I don’t either,” she whispers, her eyes fixed on my lips. She licks hers, and just like that I’m hard as fuck. “And that’s very unlike me.”
“Oh?”
She nods soberly. “I don’t do this sort of thing.”
“What sort of thing would this be?” I lean into her, enjoying the smell of her, the way her eyes dilate as I get closer.
“Pick up strange men.”
“Well, I’m not exactly a stranger. I mean, you’ve already been in my lap, after all.” I smile down at her, enjoying the way her cheeks redden at the memory of her falling into my lap on the plane yesterday.
“You didn’t seem to mind.”
Oh, trust me sweetheart, I didn’t mind at all.
“Would it be okay if I took you back to my hotel? It’s a couple blocks away.”
“You’re bold,” she says with a flirty grin. “And I think I’d like that.”
I stand, take her hand, and pull her to her feet, then lead her out of the bar and onto the busy street. She’s in mile-high heels, which are going to look fantastic over my shoulders, but are not appropriate for walking around New Orleans.
When she stumbles about a block away from the hotel, I simply lift her in my arms and carry her the rest of the way.
“You’re strong.” She loops her arms around my neck and presses her nose to my cheek. “And you smell good.”
“And if you keep running your fingers through my hair like that, I’m going to fuck you right here, against the side of the hotel,” I inform her, my voice completely calm but clear. She simply laughs and kisses my cheek.
“I’m sure we wouldn’t be the first people to fuck against the side of this hotel. This is New Orleans.” She smirks as I set her on her feet by the elevator.
“True enough.”
When the elevators arrive, she saunters in, leans her back against the far wall, and crooks her finger at me, inviting me to join her.
And who the fuck can resist that?
“You’re sexy,” I murmur and kiss her forehead. She plants her hands on my sides, gripping my shirt in her small fists. God, she’s the sexiest thing I’ve seen in a very long time, and not only is coming here with me out of character for her, it’s completely new to me too.
I don’t do one-night stands.
Fuck, I don’t date much.
Having a young daughter will do that to you.
“So are you.”
The elevator arrives on my floor. I escort her calmly to my room, open the door and motion for her to lead me inside. And as soon as the door closes, I grip her shoulders in my hands and spin her, pinning her back against the door with my body. I plant my hands on either side of her head and lean in, not kissing her. Not yet. Her eyes are wide, staring at my lips again, pulse thrumming, panting.
She’s so fucking sexy I can hardly breathe.
“I want to fuck you, Lila.”
“Oh good.” She swallows. “We’re on the same page. I want to fuck you too.”
“No, sweetheart.” I grin and lower my face beside hers. I’m not touching her, but I can feel her. Our skin is almost touching, and I know I’m making her crazy.