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I brush the pad of my thumb over her bottom lip. “I’m perceptive, I guess.”

She deserves a man who can treat her like the innocent princess she is. I’d bet everything I have she’s a virgin. And there’s no way in hell she knows the kind of sadistic bastard she’s caught the attention of tonight. She doesn’t need to know either. Her softness begs for equal gentleness. I’m almost tempted to hand her off to the posh-looking professor at the end of the bar. He looks like he would be kind and sweet to her. He could probably give her an orgasm before he shot his load.

But I’m a selfish bastard and my possessive side roars at the idea of another man taking what belongs to me. Besides, she deserves more than one climax.

Mine.

Mine for tonight, I correct myself.

I tip her chin up. “Let me be what you need tonight.”

She responds by inhaling softly, parting her lips. She’s clearly nervous and scared out of her mind. It radiates off her in waves, but so does lust. And her body isn’t lying to either of us.

“No names." Her voice shakes with obvious nerves. The possessive beast in me stretches and growls. I want to pull her off the stool and drag her into my arms. I want to devour her lips in front of every man in this place and show them she is taken.

"If that makes it easier for you." I move my hand to settle over hers, linking our fingers. I’ll agree to damn near anything as long as it gets her back to my place where I can strip her out of her wraparound. And by morning I’ll have a name.

"I’m sure. I just need a night where I don’t have to put on a show." Her voice is small and bordering on uncertain.

I’m not sure what she has going on in her home life, but that isn’t my concern. I’m more worried about making her scream for me.

I lean in closer. "You need to be certain, sweetness."

She turns on her stool until her knee brushes mine. Light, barely there, and yet every nerve in my body locks onto it with a focus I typically reserve for a scope. Her scent hits me. Light vanilla, warm apples and brown sugar. She’s sweet to the core and the exact opposite of everything I am.

My lungs pull it in deep and my brain locks on the idea of keeping her forever. Momentary insanity takes hold. As fucked up as it sounds in my head, my dick begs for the fantasy to be real.

"You keep looking at my mouth." Her voice dips low, conspiratorial, and the flush creeping up her throat tells me when I get her out of her dress, I’ll discover her naughty side.

I give her a smile. "Guilty. I keep imagining how sweet you will taste."

She straightens her back a fraction, putting her lips closer to mine. "Are you going to do something about it?"

The tease sends desire straight to my cock. I hold her gaze. Green, bright, a little reckless. This close I can count the freckles dusted across the bridge of her nose, see her pulse hammering at the base of her throat. She's young. At least twenty years younger than me. I should walk away. Every rule I've lived by says step the fuck away.

I lean in close enough for my breath to ghost across her ear. "Tell me what you want, sweet girl. I need to hear the words."

Her whole body reacts. A full shiver that rolls from her shoulders down her spine and pulls a soft gasp from her lips. Her fingers go still on the glass. Those green eyes darken with hunger and reckless want aims directly at me.

I cup my hand along the side of her face and the world around us remains on the fringes. The scent of her loosens my control and I place my hand on the back of her head to pull her closer. My lips brush against hers, though I want to fully take her mouth, I pull back. If I take what I want now, I won’t be able to stop. “What do you need, sweet girl? A mindless encounter that lasts an hour? Or more?”

"I want to not think tonight. Can you help me with that?"

I close out the tab without glancing at the total and offer my hand.

“I’m yours for as long as you need me.” And I mean every fucking word of it.

She hesitates and that shows me she has common sense and a head on her shoulders. Whatever has driven her into the arms of a stranger tonight is a blessing for me.

The next five seconds of my life are pure torture. “I promise to protect you with my life.” Another truth.

She slips her smaller hand into mine and takes a deep breath. “I’ll hold you to that.”

CHAPTER 2

NEVE

Bravery, recklessness, stupidity, and raw arousal crash through me all at once.