Page 21 of Dark Verse

I laugh harder this time.

“Did you know that chloroform is actually a subpar anesthetic compared to some more recently discovered organic compounds?”

Raven’s expression shifts again. “How and why would you even know that?”

“I have spent a lot of time in bars playing trivia.”

“Hmm…” she muses aloud, “That actually tracks.”

She crosses her arms and leans up against her car’s hood. The action pushes her breasts together, and my gaze immediately falls to them. They look absolutely perfect, the glow from the street lamps and dying sunlight creating a subtle shine on her skin. I feel my dick stiffen in my pants as I imagine all the things I want to do to those perfect pillows.

“So… now that you’re back in town, how about we go get that drink we were never able to share?”

Not that I need another caffeinated drink, but I don’t care.

“I’m not back in town,” she answers quickly.

I look around the parking lot, pretending to be confused and concerned.

“You’re not? Then what am I speaking to? A highly advanced robot?”

She rolls her eyes. I decide in that moment it’s my favorite look of hers. I can tell she rolls her eyes to hide her amusement, her lips turning up for a moment before pressing back into a line.

“What I mean is, I’m in town but only for a few weeks and for work. Then it’s back to Los Angeles for me.”

“And how is that any different from before?”

“It’s not, I guess,” she says, looking caught. But she quickly finds her next excuse. “But you work for me now. I’m your direct supervisor. That wouldn’t be appropriate.”

Feigning surprise, I say, “Oh, I do? I thought I would hear from you or Danica tomorrow if we got the job?”

Raven looks utterly flustered, blood rising to the apple of her cheeks. Taking advantage of her distracted state, I move into her space. She smells like that night in the alleyway, like rosewater and lilacs. The passing traffic fades completely into background noise for me as I watch her. She blinks rapidly, her breath uneven.

I decide to push my luck.

“Why are you acting like I don’t know how wet you can get? Or like I don’t know what your pussy feels like stuffed with my fingers?”

Her dark skin takes on a noticeable pink hue, the tip of her nose turning almost Rudolph red.

“Yeah, that was a mistake. You caught me in a moment of vulnerability.”

“I’d love to catch you in another one.”

Raven clears her throat, standing up straight. The action brings her heart-shaped face closer to me. I want to lean in and bite her lip like she did to me that night, but I can tell she’s right on the edge of running away completely. Or grabbing that pepper spray she mentioned.

God, I so want to grab her shoulders and press her against the hood of her car. I let my imagination run wild for a few more seconds, thinking through the order in which I would remove her clothes. Even if she was fully willing, we’re fairly exposed out here, overlooked on all sides by buildings that are five and six stories tall. That is not the kind of attention I want on us. The semi-private alleyway was right on the edge of what I’m willing to do.

So instead of doing what I actually want to do, I sigh and shrug lightly.

“But maybe you’re right.”

“About what?” she asks.

“If we’re going to work together, keeping things strictly professional is probably the best choice.”

“Right,” she says.

Raven sounds almost disappointed.