Not So Casual: Part 3

by Harper, Kelly

  Then something occurs to me, and I let out a tiny laugh. He frowns at me, giving me a curious look.

  “What is it?” he asks.

  I smile up at him. “I just realized something… I don’t even know your name.”

  His cheeks turn such a crimson red that I can’t help but let out another laugh.

  He lets out a light chuckle from somewhere deep in his chest. I’m so close to him that I can feel it reverberate against me. It’s an honest laugh, one that isn’t afraid if it draws attention.

  “And you think I’m such a player. Would a player be so star struck by a beautiful girl that he forgets to ask her name?”

  Now it’s my cheeks’ turn to burn red hot. It has absolutely nothing to do with the alcohol still buzzing its way through my head. We both let out a laugh together, and I instantly feel closer to him than I’ve felt to anybody in a long time.

  “My name is Isaac Drake,” he says, giving me a warm smile and holding his hand up to me.

  “Hannah Barnes,” I say, putting my hand in his.

  His hand is as strong as rock, but still gentle as it closes around mine.

  “Well, Ms. Barnes, I’d be honored if you’d do me the privilege of letting me ensure you make it home safely, tonight.”

  I consider it for a few moments, and then finally nod.

  “Okay, Mr. Drake, I’ll let you take me home.” I jab a finger into his rock hard chest—I’m pretty sure it hurts me more than it hurts him. “But it’s just a ride home. There will be no funny business of any kind.” An amused smile spreads on his face and I give him a puzzled look. “What’s that look for? I’m being serious!”

  His grin widens, revealing two sexy dimples in his cheeks. Where have those been all night? My heart races so hard in my chest that I almost don’t even hear what he says.

  “It’s nothing. It’s just… I hope you’re comfortable riding on the back of a bike. I left the Jag at home.”

  A bike?

  A Jag?!

  Trouble, here I come.

  Chapter 4

  Isaac leads me outside, and sitting right there on the curb is a sleek, expensive-looking motorcycle. Just like he’d promised. He grabs the helmet off the seat and hands it to me.

  “Safety first,” he says, with a wink.

  “And what about a helmet for you?” I ask.

  He gives me a sexy smile and a shrug.

  “Like I said, I’m not good at this whole picking-women-up thing.”

  “You’re doing a pretty good job so far,” I say, giving him a fierce little smile before I pull the helmet over my head.

  Isaac climbs on the bike and kicks the throttle. He revs the engine a few times, making it roar to life, then he holds his hand out to me. He steadies me as I climb onto the back of it. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around his waist and nestle my head against his back. His abs feel tight and firm as I hold onto him. I can’t help but spread my legs a little wider and press myself up against him as much as possible.

  I tell him where we’re going and he gives me a cocky smile.

  “Hold on tight,” he says. “It’s going to be a fun ride.”

  Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever ridden on the back of a bike while clutching a sexy British guy in your arms, but if you haven’t you really should. There’s just nothing quite like it.

  As we pull away from the curb and go jetting through the streets of New York City I can’t help but get excited by the way the bike vibrates between my legs. I squeeze myself even tighter against him, and every once in a while he gives me a grin over his shoulder. All of the jostling and vibrating has me so turned on I don’t know what to do with myself. And by the time we turn onto my street I know I’m headed for trouble.

  We pull up to the curb of my building and as we come to a stop Isaac flips the kickstand down and turns the key on the ignition. The deafening sound of the bike’s engine dies away, as do the exhilarating vibrations between my legs.

  I throw my leg over the bike, climbing off of it, and pull the helmet off my head. I’m certain that my usually flowing brown hair is a complete mess. It’s an unusually clear night in the city, and Isaac’s eyes twinkle in the moonlight as he takes the helmet from me. He fixes me with that sexy, dimpled smile for what could have been an eternity.

  “This is a pretty nice place,” he says, glancing past me at my building. “Now I know why you’re scared to bring a sexy guy home from the pub.”

  I cock an eyebrow at him. “What makes you think I’m scared?”

  He nods at the building behind me. “I’m guessing you still live with your parents? They’re pretty well off to be living in a swanky building like this.”

  The world stills around me at the mention of my parents. They’re a sore subject—not exactly something I’m about to get into with a guy that I just met in a bar.

  “Well, you’re wrong,” I say. “I have my own place.” I give him a defiant look, then wince. “Well, I do have a roommate, but the place is mine.”

  His face darkens as he studies me. “A bloke?”

  I shake my head. “It’s nothing like that. She’s an old friend of mine from high school. She needed a place to stay and I told her she could stay with me when I moved back.”

  His face lightens again and he gives me a triumphant look.

  “So I was right the first time…”

  I frown. “What were you right about?”

  He nods at the building again. “I was right that your parents must be well off. How else can a young lass like you afford a place like this?”

  I feel my face darkening as I stare down at him on the bike.

  “Just because a girl has a nice place doesn’t mean that it’s a gift from someone else. And I’m not all that young. Can’t a girl make it on her own in this world, or are you one of those guys that thinks we should just stay at home in the kitchen, cooking and waiting for you to come home from work?”

  My heart is pounding in my chest harder than it had been before. But this time it has nothing to do with being turned on. Anger courses through me because this Isaac guy presumes to know everything about me just because of my address.

  I don’t take hand-me-downs. I work hard and earn everything I get.

  Isaac holds his hands up, his eyes widening in surprise.

  “Easy. I meant no offense,” he says. He gives me another jovial, way-too-British smile. “Your face is so red. You’d think I just spat in your mum’s face or something.”

  Finally, a tiny smile tugs at my lips. He doesn’t know it but he’s just suggested the one thing I would probably be okay with.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to turn into a psycho or anything. I’m just sensitive about certain things.”

  He gives me another one of his fiendish grins, sending another wave of flitters through my chest. A tense silence passes between us as I return his smile.

  “Well, thanks for being such a gentleman. Now you don’t have to toss and turn all night worrying about whether or not I was abducted by some untoward cabbie.”

  I give him a wider smile, hoping he’ll appreciate the little joke I made, but the tiny smirk on his face remains serious.

  “I’m not afraid of a little tossing and turning tonight,” he says, smoothly.

  Ripples of desire go running deep through my center. He gives me a look that would turn any normal girl to putty in his hand. I’m sure he’s used to getting his way with girls when he looks at them like that.

  “You’re trouble,” I admit.

  His brow rises. “I was thinking the same thing about you.”

  I scoff and push him on the shoulder, playfully.

  “That’s not a nice thing to tell a girl. What kind of trouble could I possibly be?”

  He gives me a sinister grin.

  “The best kind.” My pulse races as he holds my gaze. “…and the worst kind.”

  I let out a little laugh.

  “Well, you almost had me until that last part.”

  “
And that’s why you’re the worst kind.” His eyes narrow just a bit as he nods his head and points at me. “You’re the kind of girl that gets a guy all wrapped around her little fingers. You make him think he’s found the secrets of the entire universe bundled in his arms. And then you shatter his heart into a million tiny pieces.”

  “That’s quite descriptive. You been thinking that line up for a while?”

  He fixes me with a confident grin and shakes his head.

  “I read you like a book.”

  “Is that so?” I say. I move closer to him until I can feel the heat of his body blocking everything else out. “Well, what am I thinking right now?”

  His eyes narrow some more as he studies me intently. I can’t help but feel nervous energy tingling in my fingertips as he weighs and measures me from head to toe. It’s like he’s drinking all of me in and really seeing me as a person and not just some girl he picked up at the bar. I realize that I kind of like his eyes on me. I kind of like him studying me, thinking about me. Even though I already know that nothing can come of it.

  I can’t get myself locked into something serious. Not right now.

  He taps a finger, thoughtfully, to his pinched lips before he responds.

  “You’re wondering if you should invite me up. You’re thinking, Hey, he can’t be all that bad. He did deliver me to my doorstep safe and sound, after all. You’re thinking, What’s the harm in trusting him a bit further? He’s already here. He’s charming. And he’s sexy as hell.”

  I give him a wry look.

  “Is that what I’m thinking?” I say, sardonically. I hope my voice doesn’t betray just how on-the-mark he is.

  “Wait, wait, I wasn’t finished,” he says, quickly. I incline my head for him to go on. “You’re thinking about inviting me up. But you won’t.” I tilt my head as to say, Oh really? He nods, more assured of himself. “You’re afraid that you’ll fall desperately in love with me. And that scares you.”

  “So you’re saying I’m afraid of commitment?”

  “Yes. But not for the usual reasons.” My brow rises, again. “Usually when girls are afraid of putting their hearts out there it’s because they’ve been hurt before. They’ve felt the pain of lost love, and that’s not something they want to feel again. But you’re different. There’s a strength about you. You’re afraid of commitment for some other reason.”

  I incline my head again, waiting for him to go on, but he just fixes me with that sexy smile of his. Although now it’s bordering on a smirk, like he knows everything he’s just said is absolutely true.

  Unfortunately for me, what he’s said is much closer to the truth than I’m comfortable admitting. I don’t know how he’s sized me up so easily, but he has, better than anyone’s ever done before.

  “You’re an interesting man, Mr. Isaac Drake.”

  “I’m a lot more than interesting.”

  The corner of his lip turns up just a little bit more, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Heat rushes down between my legs and I know I have to leave now if I want any hope of escaping him at all.

  I give him a soft smile. “Thanks again for the ride,” I say.

  His face is soft as his gray eyes sparkle up at me. He doesn’t say anything in return and I’m left feeling awkward, wondering what to do. My body is telling me all kinds of things I shouldn’t be listening to. It’s a struggle to battle them down.

  Still, Isaac was kind enough to see me home safely.

  He’s charming.

  And he is definitely sexy as hell.

  I give him another soft smile and lean in to give him a hug. His strong arms wrap around me like they did when he caught me at the bar. Every muscle in his chest is hard as it ripples against my body. He squeezes me tight and I sense what I can only describe as a low, animalistic growl rumbling through his chest. It’s raw and carnal and I my heart races in response. I pull away from him. I need to get away. I need to make a clean break before I end up doing something I told myself I wouldn’t do.

  But I hesitate.

  His arms are still wrapped around my waist when his eyes find mine. Their sparkle has wilted into primal hunger and I feel myself melting into him.

  The next few minutes are a blur.

  Our lips mash together, hungrily. His tongue dips in and out of my mouth and my tongue greets it, wanting to taste every inch of it. The chocolate stout still lingers on his breath, and its sweetness spurs me on. His hands slide down my back until they’re clutching my ass. My black dress rides up a little as Isaac pulls me tight against his body. I can feel his hands exploring my ass cheeks as his tongue delves in and out of my mouth and it doesn’t bother me one single bit.

  When we finally break apart I’m breathless and panting. His gray eyes hold my gaze as I run my fingers through his messy, brown hair.

  “Are you sure you don’t need an escort to your door?”

  I shrug. And with that shrug, every walled defense inside of me crumbles away.

  “It might not be a bad idea,” I say.

  “It’s late. I couldn’t live with myself if I came all this way and then something happened to you as you walked up to your apartment.”

  My eyes narrow to thin slits as I nod my head in agreement.

  “You’re right. It would be a shame if anything happened on the way up to my place.”

  The growl that rolls through his chest is enough to let me know exactly what he’s thinking.

  Click here to download Take Me: Part 1

  Sneak Peek: Black: Part 1

  Chapter 1

  Calvin

  Loud music pumps from deep within the dark, narrow hallways of Club Addiction. The sounds are familiar. Their rhythm moves faster and faster, along with the pounding of my heart. The low lights help set the mood throughout the club. It’s in these moments, with my hand pressed into the small of a sexy girl’s back, guiding her through the club, that I feel the most alive.

  “Where are you taking me?” the girl asks.

  She flashes me an eager smile. We’ve known each other for less than an hour and yet she’s not nervous or hesitant to let me lead her wherever I want.

  “You’ll see,” I say.

  I give her one of my charming smiles. I can almost feel her wanting to melt into me with each crooked step she takes. Girls have never been able to resist that smile. Especially not after they’ve had a few drinks—when it’s obvious they’re looking for a good time.

  “I hope we get there soon.”

  “Patience is a virtue.”

  “You know, I’m not used to guys making me wait.”

  “I’m not like most guys.”

  She gives me that smile, again, this time there’s a hazy look behind her beautiful blue eyes.

  “I can tell.”

  The fabric of her dress is soft beneath my touch. I can feel the gentle slope in the small of her back as I lead her down the hall, closer and closer to where we’re going—my own private little place. It’s the place I like to bring girls—one of the few places in my club that you can get any real privacy. And there’s only one other person with a key to this particular room.

  Her dress hugs tight to her body, outlining every one of her curves, down to her thighs. It’s cut into a low at the top, revealing the bulges of her large breasts. They’re probably fake. But that’s not really important. Neither one of us is really looking to start something serious.

  Tonight is all about having fun.

  I lick my lips before they peel back in another smile as I admire the way her legs disappear beneath the short dress. They’re long and toned, and my mind has been racing with visions of them wrapped around me ever since I first saw her walk into my club.

  “Like what you see?” she asks.

  “Not as much as what I’m about to see…”

  “Oh really? What makes you think you’re going to get so lucky?”

  In one quick movement I wrap my arm around her, turning her to face me as I press her up a
gainst the wall. She lets out a gasp of surprise, and then delight when she sees the heated look in my eyes. The music beat is so hard that it sends trembles through the wall and into our bodies.

  “I don’t think I’m going to get lucky,” I say, my voice low and intense.

  Her blue eyes shift quickly between my own.

  “You don’t?” she squeaks out.

  I shake my head.

  “I think you are.”

  A long, intense moment passes between us. She licks her lips, still unable to break away from my stare. Her chest rises and falls with heavy breaths, drawing my attention down to her breasts. My cock shifts and bulges to life in my pants, and for a moment I consider taking her right there in the hallway.

  She’s a hot, little thing, and it might be fun to have my way with her right then and there. The eagerness is plain in her eyes. I know I can do whatever I want with her—she won’t refuse me. In that moment I know I can have anything that I want. Her lips tremble and her head tilts back, as though she’s expecting me to kiss her or something.

  It’s almost too easy.

  I draw in a deep breath, composing myself. This isn’t the time or place. I’m not ready to have her—not quite yet. There’s still some more fun I can have before I’m done with her.

  When I pull away from her she exhales, sharply, as though she hadn’t been able to breathe with me so close to her. The desperate look is still in her eyes. I hold my hand out to her and she gives it a hesitant look before taking it. Her touch is softer and more delicate than it had been just moments earlier. Just the thought of her giving in to my charms so easily sends my heart racing, even though it’s exactly what I knew she would do.

  I lead her further down the winding hallway until we come to a final closed door. Anticipation builds inside of me as I slide a card through the magnetic reader on the door and punch a four-digit code into the keypad. Her eyes are on me the whole time, watching me, intently. I can almost imagine what she’s thinking, what she’s fantasizing about.