Maya Banks - Sweet Surrender

“I’ll refrain just for you.” He pushed his plate over so it straddled the space between them. Then he proceeded to dump ketchup in a confined space on the plate.

As he watched her nibble on one of the fries, a sudden thought occurred to him.

“Are you meeting someone here? Am I keeping you?”

She gave him a puzzled look and shook her head.

He dunked a fry in the ketchup and raised it to his mouth. “Not hooking up with the boyfriend?”

Again a delicate pink blush bloomed on her cheeks.

“There’s no longer a boyfriend,” she said lightly.

Could this be the reason for her melancholy? But no, she had a wariness about her that signaled more stress than sadness. He was still betting on the mother. He just wished he knew how involved Faith was at this point.

“He’s an idiot,” Gray muttered.

She laughed, and he pulled his head up, transfixed by the sound.

“I guess I’m the idiot. I was the one who ended things.”

“He’s still an idiot.”

Smiling, she motioned to the bartender for another drink. “You sound just like one of the guys.”

He raised a brow. “Which guys?”

“Connor, Micah and Nathan.”

“Well, I definitely don’t see you as my damn sister.”

Her eyes widened. “What do you see me as?”

Now that was a provocative damn question. Maybe she wasn’t as shy as he thought. She stared back at him, unblinking.

“Beautiful.”

He chuckled as she blushed yet again.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“You’re adorable when you blush, and you do it so easily.”

Her brow furrowed, and her lips turned down into a frown. “Adorable? I much prefer beautiful to adorable.”

He reached over and touched her arm. “What if I find you both?”

A warm tingle spread up Faith’s arm as Gray’s fingers brushed across her skin. She swallowed the knot in her throat. She wasn’t some inexperienced virgin, but here, sitting in such close proximity to a man telling her she was beautiful—and adorable—had her completely flustered.

She loved the subtle complexities of attraction. Loved the feeling and challenge of meeting someone new and exploring those first awkward moments as they felt around, both being subtle yet forward.

“I can live with that,” she said huskily.

He withdrew his hand and resumed eating. She wanted him to touch her again. A simple caress, him looking at her just so, his masculine scent…her stomach curled into a nervous knot of anticipation.

She studied him as he ate, watched his movements. He was strong and confident. She liked that. But would it extend to the bedroom? Would it extend to his relationships? She shook her head a bit. No more was she leaving it all to chance. How many more men would she have to go through before she found what she wanted? Would she ever find what she wanted—no, needed?

Friday seemed a light-year away. She was nervous as hell at the idea of waltzing into some fetish club by herself, but another part of her was proud of the fact that she’d ventured so far out of her comfort zone.

Strong. Confident. If she wanted those qualities in a man, then maybe it was time she started exhibiting them herself. Like attracted like, didn’t it?

“I’d give up beer for a week to know what’s going on inside your head right now.”

She blinked and refocused and saw that Gray was staring at her. “Oh, sorry. Was just thinking.”

He chuckled. “Like I said, I’d love to know about what.”

She wouldn’t blush. Would. Not. Blush. She could feel herself losing the battle as the wave of heat crept up her neck. Damn it.

He hooted with laughter and picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth. “That blush just gave you away, darlin’.”

She groaned. “It’s not polite to keep pointing out my faults.”

He leaned forward and tipped her chin up with his finger. “Not a fault at all. I find it sexy as hell.”

Goose bumps trickled down her spine, back up again and over her shoulders. Her nipples tightened, and the muscles in her pussy constricted.

A dot of ketchup rested in the corner of his mouth, and it gave her an excuse to touch him. God, she wanted to touch him. She raised a finger and gently wiped the ketchup away. When she would have withdrawn her hand to wipe it on a napkin, he captured her finger then raised it to his mouth.

His lips closed hot over the tip, then his tongue swirled over the skin, licking away the ketchup. The action sent a shock wave through her system. She sat, stunned at her reaction.

Slowly he pulled her hand away, sliding his tongue along her finger until it left his mouth. When he released her, she let her hand fall to her lap, trying to disguise the shaking.

“I should go,” she said, saying the first thing that popped into her mind. That was a lie. She didn’t want to go but didn’t know what to say or how to react to the blatant sensuality between them.

“Why don’t I follow you back?” he offered. “I’m headed home too. I’ll see you to your door.”

“O-okay.” She sucked in several steadying breaths so her voice didn’t waver so damn much. After collecting her purse, she dug for her cash and started to flip a few bills onto the countertop.

Gray held out a hand and shoved her money back to her. “I got it.”

She slowly pulled the money back and stuck it back in her purse. “Thanks.”

She waited as he paid their tabs, and then he turned around to face her. “Shall we?” he asked, gesturing toward the exit.

Why did this feel like a freaking date? And why was she so damn nervous? She was never this insecure, this jittery. She’d never felt anything but comfortable with her dates. Was that the problem? Had they all been nothing more than buddies? Nice boys whom she had nice sex with?

Nice sex. Ugh. She wanted the dirty kind. The hot, sweaty, make-you-scream sex.

She walked ahead of him, but he caught up to her and put his hand to the small of her back as they walked into the parking lot. It was a protective gesture, one that made her feel cherished. And she liked that feeling. Liked it a lot.

He opened her car door and ushered her inside, closing the door behind her. She sat there and watched him return to his truck. Watched his determined stride, the way his jeans hugged his ass.

When he slid into the driver’s seat, she started her car and backed out of her space. Fifteen minutes later, she pulled into her assigned parking spot outside her apartment and cut the engine.

She got out and walked around to the front of the car, waiting as Gray approached from three spaces down. There was an awkward pause as he waited for her to start ahead once more. Then, as before, he put his hand to her back, sliding his fingers seductively down her spine to rest in the hollow.

She barely controlled the tremble that threatened to take over her body. When they reached her door, she couldn’t help the pang of disappointment that their interlude was over.

Withdrawing her key, she unlocked the door then looked up at him. His eyes burned into her and seemed to concentrate on her lips. Was he thinking of kissing her?

Her lips parted, and she sucked in a catchy breath. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He leaned in closer and trailed a finger down her cheek. “I’m counting on it.”

His mouth hovered temptingly over hers. Her gaze flickered over his face. She could see the pulse in his neck. He swallowed once then twice and slowly pulled away as if he’d just undergone an epic battle with himself.

A surge of disappointment knifed through her. He wasn’t going to kiss her. She smiled shakily. “See you then.” She turned and walked into her apartment, turning only to give him a small wave.

He stood, unmoving, watching her until finally she shut the door. Once fully inside, she sagged against the door and closed her eyes.