Skin of the Night: Book One of The Night series

by Claire D. Bennett

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve gone on the prowl,” he said, “but if I’m not wrong, you approached him because she was initially interested in me.” He leaned back. “What a textbook performance. Didn’t work, though.”

  I had to give it to him – the man was remarkably perceptive. His aptitude for reading social situations was outstanding. Nevertheless, he still hadn’t detected my lies – or at least it seemed that way.

  I scoffed. “Doesn’t matter. As soon as you opened your dreadful mouth, her interest shifted onto your friend instead.”

  William laughed wholeheartedly. “I’m not even slightly upset. She’s not my type.”

  “You mean she doesn’t remind you of your mother?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Either way, she’s clearly not interested anymore, so there’s nothing holding you back. You’ve got a green light to get to know me.”

  “I’m sorry, didn’t you hear what I just said? I’m not interested in anything other than helping Livy out.”

  He surprised me when he suddenly stood. “Right, well, if that’s the case, I’ll just head over to them if you don’t mind. Shame if that sabotages Olivia’s chances.”

  “Wait, wait – fine!” I urged and raised my hand to halt him. “I’ll entertain you.”

  Releasing a satisfied sigh, he sank into his seat and folded his hands just above his crotch. “That’s more like it,” he said, and I desperately wanted to tear the smirk off his face.

  “You’re insufferable,” I grumbled.

  “You’re only upset because I’ve outwitted you.”

  “Why are you so determined to get to know me?”

  “Because you’ve seriously piqued my interest.”

  Again, his directness caught me off guard, and just like before, my heart began to pound harshly. Each thump of it pressed against my ribcage to the extent that a keen eye could probably see it. Because of it, I was starting to realise that my body wanted something quite different from my mind.

  “I commend your grit at least,” I muttered and placed my drink back on the table. Folding my arms, I hoped to hide my vigorous heartbeats.

  Another smirk climbed to his annoyingly kissable mouth. “Thanks. I’m quite pleased with that attribute myself,” he said while moving off his chair to grab the vacant spot beside me on the sofa.

  I stiffened when he draped his arm over the back of it, across my shoulders. It wasn’t that I minded the intimacy. On the contrary, I seemed to fancy it more than I was willing to admit.

  “Listen, let’s start over, yeah?” he proposed. “I realise it’s a poor excuse, but I’ve had a rough day at work. To make it worse, Andy and Chloe have been together for an entire decade. She’s practically my sister. So, when I heard the news – two minutes before you arrived – I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to handle you well,” he continued to explain. “I’m very sorry. I truly am.”

  He brought me closer to him, and as I mellowed against his warm body, the scent of him struck me hard. He smelled intoxicating. Drugged, I inhaled the fragrance deep into my lungs. I picked up testosterone, something dark, something sweet, and plenty of challenge.

  My Achilles’ heel.

  “You smell amazing,” I blurted out without thinking. “What fragrance is that?” Indeed, he smelled remarkable – even better than Jason did.

  Soft laughter poured out of him as he leaned forward to grab one of my drinks. “Stick around, and perhaps I’ll tell you. And you smell rather amazing yourself.” As he leaned back again, he continued, “On another note, you’ve got three of these to finish.”

  He raised my espresso martini towards my mouth, and he did not stop until he had placed the glass to my waiting lips. Consequently, my lips parted not because of the cold and solid material against my skin, but rather because of his surprising gesture. Wearing a complacent smile, he tilted the glass and carefully poured a portion of the cocktail into my mouth.

  I watched him the whole time, overwhelmed by his sensuality. I had never met a man quite so slickly domineering before. I had an inkling he was in the habit of getting his way.

  He lowered the glass to allow my swallow, and as I did, he watched me intensely. Meanwhile, the expression on his face was strangely erotic. Was he imagining me swallowing something else?

  “I guarantee you, Sandra, that had we slept together, I would not have forgotten. So, where you might have seen me before, I don’t know – but I wish it were in bed.”

  3

  WON’T YOU COME IN?

  All air was expelled from my lungs, and I could not look away from him. He had me trapped in his gaze.

  Astonished, I asked, “Are you always this crude?”

  “Sorry,” he apologised insincerely and placed my cocktail back on the table. “I can’t seem to think straight in your presence. My tongue travels before my mind.”

  When the edge of his mouth tucked up to form a crooked smile, I recognised it as the one he’d already presented several times. It was unique to him, and a testament to his cunning and calculating persona. The shape of it whispered tales of his intellectual conquests, of how sublimely he outwitted any opponent. Anyone could have been fooled by the invincibility it exuded, and yet, despite this, I thought I detected a hint of veiled vulnerability, and it intrigued me.

  “Anyway,” he interrupted my analysis, “though I haven’t been acting my age, I’m twenty-eight. How old are you?”

  Since I saw no harm in sharing this detail about myself, I replied, “Twenty-three.”

  “So you’re in your—”

  “Ah-ah,” I interrupted. “My turn,” I said while pointing my finger to my chest. His eyes dropped towards it, and it dawned on me then that I had directed his gaze straight to my cleavage. Immediately, a wave of heat flooded my face, causing a crimson blush to penetrate my faint layer of makeup. I rushed to entwine my fingers in my lap. When I glanced at William, he looked equally bothered, his gaze veering to Olivia and Andrew instead.

  Was it possible that he harboured at least a modicum of respect for me? I had just provided him with a golden opportunity to ogle my breasts, but instead, he’d hastily looked elsewhere. It increased my faith in him. Perhaps he wasn’t so terrible after all.

  “First impressions,” he muttered. “They can be surprisingly difficult to disprove.”

  I chuckled. “Spoken like a true solicitor.”

  He gave me a wry smile. “Your turn, you said. What would you like to know?”

  Where to begin? Glancing at Olivia and Andrew, I was reminded of his companion. They seemed like good friends, and that made me curious. “How long have you known Andy for?”

  “My entire life. My turn.” He grinned. “What are your interests, aside from medicine?”

  That was a substantial question. “Um, I have eclectic tastes, so I find that question too vast to answer. You’ll need to filter it down.”

  He sighed, and I thought it was in despair. “What do you spend your leisure time doing?”

  I scoffed. “Leisure time? What leisure time?”

  “Have you got a boyfriend?” he suddenly tossed at me.

  I stiffened. “That’s none of your business.”

  A lascivious gleam entered his arresting eyes, and it captured me wholly. All I wanted was to explore the dancing blue depths. In so many ways, he seemed like a promise of pleasure. Given his level of self-assurance, I couldn’t imagine that he’d disappoint between the sheets, so why did I deny myself the chance to explore his potential?

  His smile turned crooked again. “I assure you, darling, it is.”

  Unsure of his insinuation, I looked away. I had a faint idea, but I wanted to be certain. Frankly, I wanted to hear him confess it. “How so?”

  There wasn’t a trace of a smile present on his face when he answered, “Because I’d like to see you again. So, if you’ve got a
boyfriend, I’ll need to know. I’ll have to reassess my tactics, then.”

  I gaped at him. “Reassess your tactics?” I echoed disbelievingly. “Are you trying to say that if I do have a boyfriend, you won’t respect it?”

  “No, I’ll respect it – physically.” He glanced away before murmuring, “But I’ll try and tempt you to leave him.”

  “You’re ruthless,” I accused. Was he drunk?

  “Which you need,” he claimed with a smirk.

  I frowned. “You don’t even know me.”

  “No, I don’t, but I’ve got a vague idea of what I’m dealing with. My intuition tends to serve me well.”

  “You’re so cocky it borders on madness,” I exclaimed. “Are you drunk, William?”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “What makes you think that? No. I’ve had two cocktails.”

  “Because your head is messed up.”

  “You’ve messed it up.”

  I snorted. He’d have to do better than that. “That’s ridiculous. What a rubbish line.”

  “Better than ‘have we met?’, though.”

  I glared at him, and he glared straight back.

  After a brief while, he tilted his head and watched me as though he were trying to solve the enigma. “If you actually had a boyfriend,” he said with narrowed eyes, “I doubt you’d allow me to keep my arm around you like this – much less let me pour your drink into your mouth. Then again, you could just be a partner liable to cheating, but I seriously doubt you’re the type.”

  I leaned forward to grab my espresso martini. “I don’t see why we’re even entertaining this question. You said you want to know because you’d like to see me again, but in case you’ve already forgotten, I live in Edinburgh.”

  “Sure, but for now, you’re still in London. How long are you staying?”

  “Will,” I shook my head, “I’m not going to set aside time to see you. I’m here to visit my friend.”

  “Who is obviously interested in getting laid,” he replied, head cocking in her direction. Looking over, I discovered her laughing at something Andrew must have said. “I’m sure she’d appreciate it if I took you off her hands, at least for tonight,” William continued.

  While it had been on the cards, his proposal still took me by surprise. As soon as I turned my head to regard him again, his eyes blazed into mine – two blue flames, wild in their craving for me.

  In the orange light of the place, he resembled something of the divine. A Greek god, perhaps, and I was only a mere mortal. How was I supposed to resist such celestial temptation? I was submitting to his power more by the second.

  I struggled to fathom the reality that I had only met this man mere moments ago. Our chemistry was clearly off the charts.

  When I had spent too long contemplating his offer, his impatience got the better of him. “Listen,” he said, “we can either spend all night bickering, or we can spend this ridiculous energy in my bed. It’s up to you.” His voice was terse and to the point while his gaze burrowed into mine. “Either way, you would be doing both yourself and your friend a favour by joining me back at mine.”

  Pink and breathless, I looked away from him. This man surely didn’t beat around the bush. He hadn’t even kissed me yet, and now he was suggesting sex? What sort of a scene was he into? No-strings-attached, I reckoned. That notion filled me with relief, because I didn’t have the capacity for romance at this point in my life.

  To buy more time, I raised my drink. “I’m not nearly drunk enough for this,” I replied and then filled my mouth with the liquid courage. Humoured, William watched me drain the remaining contents.

  “I fancy my women responsive, Sandra, so please keep the intake to a minimum,” he warned.

  “You’re speaking as if I’ve agreed,” I countered and placed my empty glass back on the table. Just as I was about to reach for my next drink, a large and unfamiliar hand took hold of my jaw. Turning my face towards him, William leaned in so close that our noses touched. Only then did he pause his advances.

  My breath abandoned me at once. Within me, my heart throbbed with bittersweet delight. It was begging me to give in – to allow myself a night I would never forget. Besides, it wasn’t like I hadn’t had a one-night stand before. Hell, I often preferred them. The less they knew, the better.

  I wasn’t at a point in my life where romantic companionship was even remotely appealing. It was far too time-consuming a venture. I had my studies to mind – my ambitions to realise. I was a millennial woman, and fiercely independent at that. Intellectual pursuits were my main priority.

  However, I was still a sexual creature. I had needs. While I had Aaron to fulfil them, my casual arrangement with him allowed me to have one-night stands, which I occasionally indulged in. Tonight, William wanted me to treat myself to another one. So, why was I being so difficult? Because he’d been an arsehole at first? What did that matter if I wasn’t going to see him again? Plus, he had apologised, and now he wanted to make amends – properly.

  The light blue colour of his eyes struck through my defences while he gently released my jaw. Trailing his thumb across my cheek, he then buried his large hand in my long, wavy brown hair.

  His voice was as mollifying as a lullaby when he said, “I want you to know that if you decide to join me, I’ll have no expectations. I’d be happy just to talk all night.”

  My heart throbbed again. Seduced by the sensual promise that basked in his eyes, I gave him a faint nod.

  “I’m going to kiss you,” he warned.

  Utterly at his mercy, I swallowed. I couldn’t move another muscle. He had me completely spellbound.

  “Okay.” It was barely a whisper that escaped my mouth.

  After a lopsided smile, he pressed his soft mouth to mine, and I marvelled at the taste of him. Only seconds into it, I knew he was the best kisser I’d ever encountered. His lips moved tenderly across my own – gentle at first, until his lust overruled his resistance. With his hand in my hair, he brought me closer, and his remaining arm moved to sweep around me.

  While pressing me tightly against him, he kissed me like I’d never been kissed. It set my heart on fire. No words could ever match the immense feeling. Kissing someone had never felt so right.

  The mere motion of his lips overwhelmed me. So simply, he made me feel like the most precious thing alive – as if he couldn’t bring himself to stop until he had devoured all of me. Untamed and famished, he pushed his tongue into my mouth to explore the rest of me, and I, rather earnestly, welcomed him.

  It was only when blood rushed towards my sex that I realised why this particular kiss affected me so. For the first time in my life, kissing someone didn’t feel like a mandatory part of seduction. I actually wanted this. I wanted to kiss him – I was desperate to. In fact, I never wanted to stop.

  But he pulled away far too soon. Breaking away, he leaned forward to grab my drinks for me. He shoved them into my hands, impatient, while he stared intensely into my eyes.

  Breathless, he ordered, “Neck these. Then we’re leaving. Non-negotiable. I’m not wasting a second longer.”

  I obeyed without protest. Afterwards, he clasped my hand in his and stood while dragging me up with him.

  But all of a sudden, something was off about him. His gaze was fleeting, and he looked a bit lost, even dazed.

  It surprised me. He didn’t strike me as the type of man who would respond so profoundly to a mere kiss. Taking his expertise of the art into account, I was confident he’d kissed his fair share of women.

  So, was it possible that the same flame that had spread through my system like wildfire had also touched him? I found that hard to believe. He was too much of a stoic for it, much too nonchalant and arrogant.

  He started towards the exit, meaning we’d have to pass the bar where Olivia and Andrew sat chatting. Once we reached them, Olivia studied us bew
ildered. Was it the look on my face? It had to be.

  “We’ll be off,” William announced and released my hand to wrap his arm around my waist instead.

  Olivia released a laugh. “Sandra, you devil.”

  “Devil, indeed,” William confirmed and shot me a look that I didn’t understand.

  “Will you be alright by yourself, love?” I asked Olivia, concerned. There wasn’t a chance I would leave her behind if she didn’t approve. If that meant losing my one shot at a sensational night, then so be it. My duty as her best friend would come first.

  She eyed me shrewdly. “Will you?”

  “I’ll take good care of her, Livy. You have my word,” William assured her, suddenly the gallant man again, rather than the greedy, libidinous and domineering man I’d just been kissing. I quite fancied them both.

  “You better. I know who you are, should she happen to disappear by the morning,” Olivia threatened.

  “She might be sleeping until dusk, seeing as she won’t be getting much rest tonight, so don’t be concerned if she doesn’t answer her phone first thing in the morning,” William informed her.

  Andrew chuckled beside my gaping blonde friend. “He’s a bit of a character, but you get used to him. Very blunt, is all.”

  “Blunt, indeed,” I mumbled under my breath.

  “It was lovely to make your acquaintance, Livy. I hope we’ll meet again,” William stated before he leaned in to offer her cheek a peck. “You’re a sweet girl. Again, I’m sorry about earlier.”

  “Y-yeah. Me too,” she stammered and met my eyes with evident concern, and I knew why. ‘I hope we’ll meet again.’ I hoped it was only his courteous side speaking, because as far as I was aware, this was a one-time arrangement. Had I jumped the gun by assuming that no-strings-attached was mutually understood?

  “I’ll see you Monday, Andy,” William continued to his friend, who responded with a perceptive smirk.

  “Looking forward to it. Have fun.”

  Without replying, William dragged me towards the cloakroom, and his impatience was clear from his long strides.