Page 21 of Reckless

I took a sip of my own drink and tasted a mixture of lemony zest that fizzled on my tongue and then turned sweet. It felt like I was drinking a pack of Sour Patch Kids. I didn’t hate it.

After a beat, I worked up the courage to ask him what I wanted to. “I guess I’m surprised to hear you say you don’t date a lot. Why is that?”

“Work. It keeps me busy. I spend a lot of time away from home so there hasn’t been time to settle down.”

“What is it you do?” I asked.

He took another sip, coughing and then pulling a grimace before setting the glass down. Clearly, he wasn’t a fan of Sour Patch Kids like I was. “I’m in the uh, restaurant business.”

“The restaurant business,” I repeated wondering if he was going to elaborate.

He nodded, looking over my shoulder at something. I turned to look to see what it was, but all I could make out was the bartender pouring another set of drinks.

“It’s not as glamorous as it sounds, but it pays the bills.”

“If you weren’t in the restaurant business, is there something else you would be doing?”

He looked surprised by my question, like he never thought of that possibility before.

“You know. I… haven’t given it much thought, but if money wasn’t an issue and I could walk away from my job tomorrow, I think I’d like to find work in helping families escape dangerous situations.”

Well, slap my ass and squeeze my heart.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Because I know what it’s like to be trapped in a place where you don’t feel safe. An upbringing like that… it can shape your whole life. People should have a better way of being able to leave a situation like that.”

I squeezed his hand again. “So, why don’t you quit? Your dream sounds life changing. And definitely worth pursuing.”

His lips folded into a thin line. “It’s complicated. Leaving my business comes with a lot of red tape. It’s not something I can quit. I’ve got… contracts I have to uphold. But you make a good point. I’ve been examining my life more lately. Deciding what I want. What I don’t. It’s why when I saw you at that diner, I knew I had to ask you out.”

“So, you weren’t stalking me?”

“No.” He laughed again. “I figured it was fate giving me a do-over for not asking for your name and number when we first met. You’d run off so quickly I didn’t have a chance.”

“Yes, well. Dating and my job don’t mix easily.”

He nodded. “I could see that. There are a lot of guys out there that want to control a woman and treat her like property.”

“That’s for sure.”

“But that’s not me. I want you as you are. Not anything else.”

I absorbed his words, searching his face for the catch. There had to be one. No guy was this good. Maybe he had a basement full of bodies. Or was part of a secret society that ate people’s toes.

“So… you want me?” I asked, feeling emboldened by the mixture of alcohol and his words warming my veins. My foot reached out beneath the table finding his calf. I slid it up and he gripped onto my hand harder, his green eyes turning molten.

“Yes. I want you,” he practically growled and it sent a jolt of heat to my core. My body was buzzing with anticipation, wanting to get out of here so he could make that declaration happen. Was it too soon to suggest getting out of here because the heat pooling between my legs was distracting.

He seemed to be on the same wavelength as me because he signaled for the check, not even bothering to look at the total before putting down a wad of cash. What must it be like to not have to worry about your finances like that?

We hurriedly made our way back to the elevator, his hand gently resting on my lower back right above the swell of my ass. The heat from his palm seared my skin and became all I could focus on. A frantic energy took up residence in my body, needing the elevator to move faster. Callahan was equally antsy, watching the lights shift from floor to floor until we were finally at the lobby again.

“Are we really doing this?” I asked, heels clacking quickly as the automatic doors opened for us. The street was fairly empty, and the air had taken on a chill, leaving goose pimples on my skin.

“That’s up to you,” he wrapped his hands around my arms, rubbing up and down. “I have my car. I can take you home. Anything further is your call, Stella. I want you. It’s all I’ve thought about since I met you. But if you’re not up for it or having second thoughts.”

“No. I want this. Take me home.” I grabbed him by his tie and pulled him towards me so that our eyes were level. “Take me home and fuck me like you’ve been fantasizing about. I want you to make me scream.”