Evin's Fight (Southern Charmers Book 3)

by Ahren Sanders

  I stay outside the room, observing her interactions and feeling exactly how these girls do.

  Completely enamored with the woman at the center of it all.

  Gorgeous, kindhearted, passionate, talented, every fucking beautiful thing about her radiates brightly.

  Mine.

  The primal thought has always been a foreign concept until six days ago when she strutted into that bar. My world shifted again on Sunday afternoon; I was three feet from her bedroom door when I heard Ryanne’s words and my body froze.

  Your run as the oldest resident virgin in Vegas is about to end.

  The rest of what they said barely registered as the reality slammed into me.

  Pure, clean, completely untouched.

  No man has experienced the beauty of having all of her.

  The last long-term relationship I had was right out of college. On paper, the woman was a perfect match. Ambitious, focused, and beautiful. We had a great time. But my family was going through hell, and when Darby needed me, I knew it wouldn’t work. Kelsey was looking for things I couldn’t give her. She didn’t agree at first, holding on to something that had long faded away. It sucked for her when she finally realized my priorities didn’t include forging a future with her. We split with little drama.

  That was a long time ago, and no woman has caught my attention for more than casual hook-ups since then.

  Dante’s warning has replayed in my mind over and over. Knowing that she has a family that fucked her over and his blatant disgust with them heightens my protective instincts. He’s used to being her protector.

  Now, she has me.

  And I’m gone tomorrow.

  Shit, a knot coils at the thought.

  I didn’t want to leave on Sunday, but I really don’t want to fucking leave tomorrow. Our time hasn’t been enough.

  We’ve fallen into a routine. I’ve kept up with work in the early mornings while she sleeps and later when she goes to perform. Our days have been filled with her showing me life in Vegas. Each night, I’m waiting when she’s done with her last show.

  All of it is barely a tease into the world of life with Poppy.

  A world I’m not ready to be two thousand miles away from.

  As if she senses my thoughts, her head pops up. She flashes me a blinding smile, mouthing ‘two minutes’.

  Jesus, that smile sends a possessive burn scoring through me.

  My phone vibrating in my pocket pulls me from my thoughts.

  “What’s up, Jackson?”

  “I have updates.”

  “Give me a second to get somewhere quiet.”

  I gesture to the door to let her know and head outside to the rented SUV.

  Monday morning, I arranged for the hotel to rent me a larger vehicle.

  This gave me the first glimpse of an irritated Poppy Malone. She protested strongly that it was a ridiculous waste of money, offering to call Dante and borrow his SUV.

  I told her it was non-negotiable.

  She threw sass until my dick was hard as steel. I ended the argument by silencing her with a kiss. Later, when the valet brought it around, she rolled her eyes but did it grinning.

  “Okay, I’m here.”

  “Where exactly is here?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  “After the curveballs you’ve been throwing me, not much would surprise me.”

  “I’m at a dance studio.”

  “Dance studio? Like ballroom dancing?”

  “No, a youth performing arts academy. Poppy had a workshop scheduled this afternoon.”

  His beat of silence tells me I surprised him. “Man, I don’t even know how to respond. Never in a million years would have guessed that. Not exactly your scene.”

  I chuckle, picturing his expression. “No, it wasn’t until about two hours ago.”

  “I don’t know what’s happened to the man that left Charleston, but I look forward to hearing about it when you get back.”

  “I’ll put you on the list behind my parents. Mom is like a dog with a bone.”

  “Warned you about the magic of Vegas. I don’t want to piss you off, but I wouldn’t be a friend if I didn’t tell you to be careful, Evin. This woman has caught your eye for a reason. Don’t get seduced by the bright lights of the city. Even the strongest of men find their weakness.”

  Our conversation in my office comes back to me. “You don’t need to worry about me being reckless, Jackson. I got this. Now, you said you had updates?”

  “Tessa wants the job,” he informs me unnecessarily.

  “This is not news, considering I spoke to her yesterday.”

  “She’ll transition into your full-time assistant over the next two weeks. The final offer is in your email waiting for approval.”

  “Consider it done. What else?”

  “Nothing that can’t wait until you’re in the office Friday.”

  “That’s all you have for me? You called to confirm something I already knew? We’ve been in touch all week. You could have messaged me.”

  “What can I say? I’m thorough.”

  “You’re full of shit.”

  His loud laugh travels through the line. “I’ll look forward to a cold beer when you get back and hearing all about your trip and Poppy.” The line goes dead before I can respond.

  If only Jackson knew the truth about how right he is. I’m not the same man that left Charleston last week.

  I’ve found my weakness in the form of a five-foot-four, rainbow-haired, tattooed, bohemian dancer that can bring me to my knees with the slightest of smiles. My strength is no match to her power.

  Poppy is getting bolder, our nights of making-out growing hotter, and my restraint is slipping fast. The irony is not lost that a man like me is falling for a woman I’ve never touched intimately.

  But until I know what she’s holding back, I won’t allow myself to go further.

  She’s openly shared anything and everything, but her history begins seven years ago. There’s no mention of her childhood, her family, or her upbringing.

  I don’t only want her to trust me with her body; I want her to trust me with her secrets.

  “Fuck!” I openly groan, scrubbing my hands through my hair and thinking again how I need more time here.

  She comes out of the building waving behind her, and I swear she floats to the truck.

  “You never cease to amaze me.” I meet her at her door.

  “They’re an awesome group.”

  “Maybe so, but their teacher was the star in that room.”

  She blushes, pressing up to kiss me quickly. “Thank you.”

  I help her in and go to my side, climbing in as she bursts into giggles.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You have a fan club.” She discreetly points to the door where a group of girls and women are openly staring.

  “I think that’s for you.”

  “No, that’s for the Chris Hemsworth twin that set hearts a fluttering today,” she tells me as we drive away.

  “Don’t want to hear it.” Ryanne’s ridiculous comparison has plagued me since Sunday. Don’t see the similarities, but Poppy gets a kick out of it.

  “It’s none of my business, but was that a work call? Or was it your family?” There’s a touch of hesitation in her voice and that bothers me.

  I clasp her hand and bring it to my mouth, running my lips along her knuckles. “Anything that takes me away from you is your business. It was Jackson. Darby has Mom and Lynda working on a project for the wedding.”

  I haven’t hidden my calls with Mom or Dad, and she’s heard Mom’s constant digging for information.

  “If it was business, do you need to work tonight?”

  “No, we have plans.”

  She squeezes my hand, turning in her seat. “We have plans?”

  “You have the night off, I made plans.”

  “What are we doing?”

  “We’re going out.”

&nbs
p; “Where?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  “What do I wear?”

  “As many clothes as possible to cover you would be my choice.”

  “I can’t do surprises. A surprise date in Vegas differs from a surprise date anywhere else.”

  I glance over to see her carefree expression now agitated. My lips twitch and her eyes narrow as she yanks her hand back, waving it in the air.

  “Evin! This is not funny. What time do I need to be ready? I will call Ryanne for an emergency shopping trip.”

  “You aren’t going shopping. It’s taken care of.”

  “Taken care of?? What the hell does that mean?”

  “It means you need to calm your gorgeous ass down, and you’ll know what’s coming soon enough.”

  “That’s all you’re telling me?”

  “That’s all you need to know.”

  She lets out a frustrated sigh, turns in her seat, and crosses her arms. After a few miles of the silent treatment, she jerks forward, digging her phone out of her bag, and begins typing.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Sending an SOS.”

  “SOS?”

  She doesn’t respond, typing furiously. I reach over and pluck the phone out of her hand, shoving it in my shirt pocket.

  “Give that back.”

  “No.”

  “You can’t steal my phone in a desperate time of need.”

  “Baby, don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?”

  She snaps her mouth shut. The silent treatment resumes, this time with her icy glare aimed at me.

  My cock jerks at the fiery spirit, and I fight smiling outright. “Poppy, I know you’re fully aware of how my body reacts to almost everything about you. You slinging sass and getting pissy is no different.”

  Her eyes grow wide when they drop to my pants. “You can’t be serious. I’m highly agitated and you’re aroused?”

  Aroused? Fuck. My sweet Poppy is a trip. This time, my dick lurches. She doesn’t miss this either, a flush creeping up her neck. “Completely turned on.”

  “Is that normal?” she asks, the irritation thawing.

  “It’s never happened before. My guess is it’s the woman hurling the attitude.”

  Her eyes come back to mine, and when she pulls her bottom lip through her teeth, that’s all it takes for me to go painfully hard.

  “I need you to stop looking at me like that unless you want me to pull over.”

  She slowly faces forward and continues to chew on her lip. I notice her twisting the ring around her middle finger. She does this often, but right now, she’s paying close attention to the center diamond.

  “Do you remember that night in the club when I told you I’d done nothing like that before?” Her question is faint.

  “I remember everything.”

  “Well, it goes a little further than just being impulsive. My last date was a year ago.”

  I drive into the garage, park near the elevators, and turn to her. My cock is no longer an issue as I try to figure out how the mood shifted so fast. “What’s running through your mind?”

  This time, when she looks at me, her face is full of apprehension and nerves. “We didn’t hit it off and nothing came of it.”

  “Thank fuck for that, but can we move on from you being on a date with another man?”

  This earns me a small smile. “I don’t have a lot of practice in this, especially with a man like you.”

  “Like me?”

  “Ugh,” she groans, “I’m screwing this up.”

  “Why don’t you spill what’s bothering you.”

  “This differs from any other time in my life because it’s you. You’re not only the most handsome man I’ve ever seen; you’re also the full package. Kind, generous, sweet, attentive, brilliant, successful, and a thousand other wonderful traits. You’re also a man full of experience. Women probably fall at your feet offering a lot more than nights filled with kissing, yet you’ve been patient with me. We’ve been hanging out for days, but this is technically our first actual date, and I want the night to be perfect.”

  Without a word, I’m out of the truck and at her door. She barely has time to grab her bag before I’m guiding her into the elevator.

  “Let me show you something before you go into full freak-out mode.”

  She grips my hand tightly through the lobby and up to our room. When we get inside, her body jars at the same time she gasps loudly. “How did you do this?”

  A variety of dresses are laid out on the bed for her to choose from.

  “I called in reinforcements.”

  “Ryanne did this?”

  “I called her this morning and shared my plans, asking for help. I left a key, and she brought over options for you.”

  “You did this for me?”

  I don’t have time to answer before she spins and leaps into my arms. Her lips crash to mine, her tongue diving inside. I grab her ass, hitching her tighter, and go to the sofa.

  Her soft hands frame my face, holding me to her as she pours her appreciation into the kiss. I give over control until she rolls her hips, grinding hard, and moans down my throat. In a flash, I have her on her back, my fingers fisting her hair, and my mouth taking over.

  She arches up, tangling her tongue around mine. It’s my turn to groan when her legs latch around my waist. Our mouths move urgently together, finding a rhythm. There’s a roaring in my ears and my brain shoots on all cylinders as she flexes her hips and thrusts upward, rubbing herself on my cock.

  A deep hunger coils low in my stomach and blood scorches through my veins. Her muscles tighten, and she rocks up again, this time whimpering at the contact. The sound goes straight to my dick, which pulses with need.

  Shut this down. My brain breaks through my haze and I tear my mouth away, dropping my face to her neck and nipping the skin lightly. “Jesus, fuck, Poppy. You make me lose my mind.”

  Her heart races in beat with mine as her soft pants sound in my ear.

  I kneel back, separating our bodies, and stare down at her. My heart rate picks up again, for a different reason this time. She’s staring back at me, her lips parted and slightly swollen, the flower pinned in her hair now crushed, and her hazel eyes bright and wild with their own need.

  She lifts her hand, tracing her thumb over my lips. “The feeling is mutual. What I don’t understand is why you always shut it down.”

  I clasp her hand and gently draw her close. “I was trying to save this conversation, but after what you said in the truck and what just happened, it’s unavoidable.”

  Her expression fills with confusion. I try to think of how to say what I want without sounding like a total asshole. She reads my hesitation, placing her hand on my chest. “Why don’t you spill what’s bothering you?” She steals my words from earlier.

  “You’re right, I am a man with a lot of experience. Lost my virginity at seventeen. Casual sex has never been an issue or a problem for me. I picked up early on that wasn’t the case with you.”

  She tenses, her eyes swelling with embarrassment. “No, that’s not the case with me.”

  “Don’t be embarrassed, baby, that’s a beautiful thing.”

  She takes a deep breath, shaking her head and clutching my shirt. “You don’t understand. It’s not a problem with casual sex. I’ve never—”

  “I know,” I cut her off, curling my arm around her shoulders.

  “You know? How?” The embarrassment transforms into dread and her head hits my chest. “Oh my God, you must think I’m a total square.”

  “You’re wrong. That’s the furthest thing from my thoughts. I don’t know why you saved that part of yourself, but there is no judgment. And not to be a dick, but it fucking thrills me.”

  Her head pops up, and she scrunches her nose. “It thrills you you’ve hooked up with the oldest virgin known to man?”

  “There’s the drama again.”

  “No, seriously, Evin. I don’t know one
person over the age of twenty that’s never had sex. Even some older girls in that class today have steady boyfriends, and it’s obvious they’re sleeping together. Do you know how it feels to know that I teach girls with more experience than me?”

  I bite back my laughter at the ridiculousness of her question. “Do you know how many of them will regret giving up something so special to boys that most likely do not know what they are doing?”

  “You were a boy.”

  “Yeah, and that’s how I know.”

  She purses her lips and scans my face, the curiosity returning. “If you know this about me, why do you always shut things down when they get heated?”

  “Because there’s a reason you’ve held on to something this important. I want to know that reason. And if things go the way I hope, I’m not fucking you on a sofa in the heat of the moment.”

  “But you’re leaving tomorrow.”

  The reminder sends a sharp pain to my chest. “That’s another reason. I’m not the dickhead to get something so precious and fly out the next day.”

  “So, tonight is not about that?”

  Her question slams into me with such force that I jerk back. “Hell no.”

  “What if I’m ready?”

  “Baby, trust me on this.”

  “What happens when you go home?”

  Fuckin’ A, she’s scared. “Poppy, there’s no one else and there will not be. You haven’t dated in over a year, but I’ve got you beat. As much as it sucks to say this to you, and it makes me a dickhead, I don’t date in the traditional sense. Haven’t had a girlfriend in a hell of a long time.”

  “Are you saying I’m your girlfriend?”

  “Girlfriend isn’t the right term. You’re a lot more than that.”

  Everything about her settles, and she gives me the smile that lights my world on fire. The mood in the air shifts, all her apprehension vanishing. “Tonight is going to be the best first date in the history of first dates. It will be so epic that we’ll be able to last the next three weeks.”

  She gives me a quick kiss, jumps off my lap, and goes back to the bed to look through her options.