He trapped me. He knew I wouldn’t be able to confront him here. He knew how much I’d stumble over my words, trying to find an excuse as to why I needed to talk to him in front of Trevon. And I hated it.

I sat next to my loving boyfriend, fingers grazing against his. “Nothing,” I said. I dipped a piece of bread into my bean stew. “It’s nothing.”

Trevon gazed at me briefly, then continued his conversation with Javier.

Eros paused for a moment, twisting his ring around his index finger with his thumb, and leaned back against the white leather. “Oh, come on, Dani.”

Ignore him.

“Don’t be shy.”

He’s just trying to anger you.

“I bet you’re not this shy elsewhere.”

I snapped my eyes to him.

“You’re probably loud, aren’t you?”

I kicked my foot into his shin under the table. Did Trevon not hear this man?

When I looked over, Trevon was in a deep conversation with Javier and Zane about the best places to go in the city on the weekends. He didn’t even glance in our direction. Big smile, wide eyes. I sighed and gazed back at the man of mystery in front of me.

Once I got home, oh boy, I was going to march straight to his apartment and demand that he tell me how he got my panties. I was having no more of this. He couldn’t go around flirting with me and stealing my underwear for no good reason at all.

After enduring another forty minutes of dinner, watching Eros play with his ring and hoping that he wouldn’t talk to me ever again, I had decided that going to his apartment was probably the worst idea I ever had. I could barely keep it together when we were out in public. God only knew what would happen if I ended up at his place.

Trevon slapped a hand on my thigh and smiled at me. “You ready?”

I grabbed his hand, yanking him out of the booth. Oh, I was more than ready to get out of here. He pulled the phone out of his back pocket and grabbed my waist, slowing me down. “Babe, what’s the rush?”

“You can check your phone when we’re in the car. Hurry up,” I said.

We walked out of Crimson’s Nouveau, the cold breeze biting my exposed legs. The car was parked less than a block away across the street. There wasn’t even any traffic. I was so close to freedom. So damn close.

Trevon stopped. “Shit,” he said. The light from his phone illuminated his dark skin. “Something happened at work. I need to go. I’ll give you a ride back home, but we’ll have to make it quick.”

“I can take her back,” Eros said from beside him. Appearing from absolutely nowhere.

“No, that’s not happen—”

Trevon nodded. “That would be great, man. Thanks.”

My eyes widened. I snatched his arm, pulling him to the side. A bus rumbled down the street toward us. “Trevon, I’m not going with him!” I whispered.

“Come on, Dani. I really have to go.”

“No! I—”

His phone started to buzz again. He tapped the screen and lifted it to his ear. After pecking me on the lips, he told me he’d make it up to me.

I crossed my arms over my chest, watching him jog across the street to his car, nearly getting hit by the now-angry bus driver.

Eros walked up beside me, arm grazing against mine. “Looks like it’s just me and you.”

“So, what does Trevon do for work?” Eros asked, one hand on the steering wheel, the other dangerously close to my thigh. His car was strikingly clean, the sleek bronze and black leather seats had no scuffs, the silver accents were glimmering in the moonlight, and the small screen on the dashboard had no fingerprints on it.

I gazed at the city lights through the windshield, jaw clenched. I couldn’t believe I was here. “He owns a bar on Sixth.”

He tapped his ring against the wheel, turning onto a four-lane freeway. “You must get lonely.”

“Excuse me?”

“You spend your nights alone when he’s in the bar.” Eros slowed to a stop at a red light. The car screen lit up with Incoming Call: Luci, and Eros hit the decline button.

I narrowed my eyes at the screen, then at him. “And that makes you think I’m lonely?”

The corner of his lip curled up. “No. I think that you’re lonely because of the way you act.”

“And how do I act?” I asked, voice rising with each word. Why does he have to get under my skin every time I talk to him? Why was I even here? I should be in Trevon’s car with him, not with Mr. I’m-So-Hot-And-I-Know-It.

“Needy… Wanting…” That infamous smirk stretched across his face. “Horny.”

My eyes widened. “What!” I dug my nails into the leather seat. “You’re the one who’s been acting like that. You’re the one who stole my underwear! Who does that?”

He pressed down on the gas, and we drove forward slowly. Calm. He was so calm. “I didn’t steal them. I found them and thought I’d return them to you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring out at the trees that lined the street. Fiery red and orange leaves hung off of them. “Pfft, yeah okay. You just magically found the same panties that I was wearing last night.”

“You’re hot when you’re angry.”

“Well, you’re not hot at all, so stop talking to me.” I lied, and he knew it. He was so damn hot, but if he didn’t stop talking to me, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I just wanted to be home and be alone—where I’d be able to stay in control of this unexplainable urge that I had to rip Eros’s clothes off and let him do what he wanted to me.

“Why are you lying, Dani?”

“Why are you so full of yourself, Eros?” I clenched my jaw. “You act like you’re this oh-so-powerful sex-god, but I bet you’re not even good in bed. You probably suc—”

Eros hit the brakes, and I flew forward in the car, my seat belt digging into my collarbone. He tangled a hand into my hair, grabbed a fistful of it, and forced me to look at him. I could see my wide-eyed reflection in the black pits of his eyes.

“You have no idea what I’m capable of,” he said. Despite the harsh grip he had on my hair, he gently grazed his thumb against my cheek. “I can leave you trembling under my fingers, Dani.” He roughly grasped my jaw. “… under my lips…” His hand traveled down the column of my neck, sending a wave of heat through me. “When I’m finished with you, you’ll be begging for more.” His fingers grazed against the hem of my dress, dipping along my cleavage. “Craving more,” he whispered.

I pushed my knees together, my core throbbing. Oh, God. Oh, God. This wasn’t good.

“Until you can’t handle it any longer.” His fingers grazed against my nipples through my dress. I shut my eyes.

Stop him, Dani.

My fingers dug into the leather, my head resting back on the seat.

I needed to stop him.

He drew his fingers across them again, and I pulled my knees together even more.

It felt too good.

Someone hit their horn behind us, the sound vibrating through the car. Bright headlights flashed in the rearview mirror. Eros released me and stuck his hand through the window to apologize to the car. He pressed onto the gas.

I stared down at my knees—wide eyed as realization shot through me. Please let that be a dream. Please let that be a dream. I couldn’t begin to comprehend every thought running through my mind. Why did I let Eros touch me? It felt so good. But it shouldn’t. I hadn’t felt that good—ever.

Not even with Trevon.

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CHAPTER 6

OceanofPDF.com

Dani

I laid in my bed, staring up at my plain, boring ceiling and thinking about one person: Trevon. The sleepy smile he gave me every morning, him drawing patterns on my skin with his fingers and brushing his hands through my hair so soft and soothing. The morning sun flooding into the room, hitting his brown eyes and making them a sea of honey.