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I walk over to the girl and clear my throat.
“Excuse me,” I say.
The girl squeaks and jumps in shock at the sound of my voice. Then she lifts her eyes to mine. Her irises are a deep velvety brown like a rich chocolate, and all of a sudden, my heart lurches. When was the last time someone looked at me with such trust in their eyes?
“I’m sorry,” the girl says. She clears her throat and wipes her eyes with small fingers. “Um, I was just sitting here. That’s not illegal, is it?”
“Yes,” I say in a deadpan voice. “It is.”
The girl’s eyes go wide and she draws in a long, shuddering breath.
“Relax, I’m kidding,” I sigh. Whoever she is, she’s in bad shape. The girl looks at me and sniffles. Her eyes are almost too big to look real, especially under the sheaf of silky brown hair that falls over her forehead. Despite the blotchy pink spots on her cheeks from crying, she’s insanely gorgeous. Lust flares in my lower belly and I lick my lips. I have no idea who this female is, but I’m attracted for sure. She’s wearing a simple black pencil skirt with a white cotton wrap-blouse and suddenly, I picture the clothing in shreds on the floor of my bedroom. “I see you’re obviously upset about something,” I growl. “And I can’t have that.”
The girl looks up at me and flushes.
I hold out my hand. “Dane Andersen,” I say smoothly. “Do you need a ride home?”
She gasps and eyes the open and inviting door of the Town Car. I can see the indecision flitting in her face. Ride home with a guy she’s never met, or stay here crying on a cold marble bench? I half think she’s going to do the smart thing and refuse. But then she takes my hand, and the flare of heat is immediate. The contact runs like a jolt of electricity through my big frame … and suddenly, I know I’m going to have this girl, come hell or high water.
Chapter Three
Allie
With a nervous gulp, I look up at the man standing before me. He’s tall with dark hair that falls over his forehead and bright blue eyes that pierce right through me.
He extends a hand in my direction. “I’m Dane Andersen,” he says in a rich voice that sends a shiver down my spine. “May I offer you a ride home?”
“Um,” I stammer like a fool, unable to say anything.
Dane smiles wolfishly. “Something the matter? I mean, obviously,” he replies. “But I’m not used to getting that reaction when I ask beautiful women if they need a ride.”
I blink at him. He thinks I’m beautiful?
There’s no way he’s telling the truth. He has to be lying. Men with cheekbones like Dane’s definitely don’t go after big girls like me who have twenty or thirty pounds to spare.
“I’m not going to bite you,” Dane says. He sounds amused and I sneak another peek at his chiseled face. There’s something about the look in his dark blue eyes that makes my heart race. I tremble for a moment, then put my sweaty palm against his. My flush darkens as Dane pulls me to my feet with a sensual, easy strength.
“I … I have someone waiting to pick me up,” I fib, glancing around. The truth is that I asked Nick, our chauffeur, to leave without me hours ago. I felt so horrible after the interview that I couldn’t face immediately going back to the mansion and the judgmental eyes of my parents. It seemed easier to hang out here in anonymity, trying to collect myself before heading into the lion’s den.
But this alpha male doesn’t take no for an answer.
“Really, sweetheart?” he asks smoothly, those blue eyes sweeping the vicinity. “It doesn’t look like anyone’s coming.”
“I really shouldn’t—”
Dane turns to me and cocks his head to the side. His dark hair flops into his face and I have to resist the insane impulse to brush it aside. “If it makes you feel better, I can swear that you’ll be perfectly safe in my company,” Dane says archly. He points to a black Town Car. “That’s my car, and my driver, Hanson, will make sure you arrive home safely.”
At that, I nod hesitantly.
“Good, I’m glad that’s settled. I’m a terrible salesman,” Dane says.
He leads me to the car and I bite my lip when I realize that we’re still holding hands. Dane opens the back seat and gestures for me to climb inside, then he climbs in after me and settles on the other side of the car. He doesn’t take his eyes away from me the whole time, and the intense heat makes my insides quiver and blossom.
“So, how did you wind up crying in front of my building?” Dane asks in a low voice. “What happened?”
I sigh and let my shoulders sag against the seat. After hours of crying on a cold marble bench, the warm interior of the Town Car feels like heaven. When I don’t answer, Dane cups my chin in his hand and tilts my face to meet his.
“You can tell me,” he urges.
