by Kelly Harper
“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 an
d 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.
Chapter 5
I try and keep my composure as we walk through the halls of my swanky apartment building. It's not the nicest Manhattan has to offer, but there's a reason I'm probably the youngest tenant in the entire place.
Isaac fondles my ass the whole way through the lobby. When we arrive at the elevator, I press the button to go up and he immediately corners me against the wall. His body is heavy and heat rolls off of him as he presses his lips into mine. That sweet tongue of his probes the insides of my mouth.
"You're sure you want to leave your bike on the road? They'll probably tow it.”
"Let them," he breathes into me between kisses.
His lips dip to my neck and start kissing their way down to my collarbone. Shivers run along my spine and tingles prickle their way up my legs.
"You don't care if someone takes your nice bike?" I laugh.
"I'll get another one." He looks up at me, his gray eyes intense. "I won’t wait a second longer than necessary to have you.”
He slides his fingers down along my thigh and when they make contact with my flesh my breath hitches in my chest. A whole new wave of pleasure rifles up my legs and my stomach as his fingers dip under the dress. They glide along the smooth curves of my panties and I let out a little gasp. He's sliding the panties to the side just as the elevator door opens and one of the night attendants steps out, eyeing us suspiciously.
"Night!" I exclaim to the man as Isaac and I fall into the elevator. He gives us a look but doesn't say anything before the elevator door shuts.
I swat at Isaac's chest as he pulls me into him.
"We're going to get caught if you do stuff like that. What are my neighbors going to think about me?"
"Let them do all the thinking they want," he says. As the elevator ascends rapidly he pulls me close and breathes all of me in. "How far is your apartment? I don't think I can wait another minute to have you. I need you right now."
His hands slide down along my hips, again. I grab them, holding them firm to my side.
"We're not that far. You can wait a little longer," I tease.
I feel that growl coming from his chest before I even hear it. There's something very primal about him. His rugged features and his accent remind me of all those cheesy werewolf movies I saw as a child. But there's nothing cheesy about Isaac Drake. His eyes flash and he squeezes me even tighter against his body. I can feel his enormity pressing into my leg. It drives me wild with lust, and I know I need him too.
I need him to take me any way that he wants.
I need him to make me do whatever he wants me to do.
I need him just as much as he needs me.
The elevator door slides open and we spill out into the hallway. We make it all of three steps before Isaac pins me up against the wall with his massive frame.
“I can’t wait any longer. I must have you now.”
His hands are quick and they slip beneath my dress. He presses his mouth into mine again, his tongue delving deeper and deeper. I whimper as his fingers slide my panties to the side and begin rubbing along my thin slit. I’m slicked wet and smooth and he has no problem finding the tiny nub of my clit.
“You’re so wet and ready for me,” he says, his eyes dropping down along my body. His finger is swirling around my clit in tiny little circles.
I nod at him, biting my lip.
He presses the tip of his finger into my tight center and I
breathe out a gasp. It’s been a long time since I’ve been touched like this. My legs wobble and almost give way as I try to sink myself further onto the curious little digit that is probing my entrance.
“My apartment is just around the corner.” My voice comes out low and throaty.
His eyes flash again as he shakes his head.
“I can’t wait that long.”
He presses his finger even deeper into my center and I moan in pleasure, arching my back into the wall behind me. I press my hand into the enormous bulge in the front of his jeans and lock my eyes onto his.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
Chapter 6
My fingers wrap around the outline of Isaac’s cock as he gives me a fierce look. I can feel the hunger inside of him. I can feel his need to have me. I know the feeling because I feel it, too.
Isaac growls again and his finger disappears from beneath my dress. It takes him all of a second to undo the button on his jeans and pull the zipper down. He’s not wearing any underwear beneath his jeans and his cock springs out at me, erect and hungry.
“Commando, huh?” I say.
“Boxers are a waste of time.”
The smile on my face widens as I wrap my fingers around his cock. There’s nothing in the way, this time, and he feels like soft silk sheathing hard steel. I begin stroking his full length and my pulse races when his eyes roll into the back of his head.
He’s big. Very big.
“You’re not anything like what I expected to find in the city,” I say. My fingers squeeze him just a little harder and he lets out a little groan. “You’re rugged. Not like all of those Wall Street boys.”
When his eyes reconnect with mine it’s like we’ve been transported to another place. The rest of the world fades away as he pulls up the sides of my dress. I’ve never done anything like this before, out in public for anyone to see. It’s as though the animal in him is awakening the animal within me.
Alarm bells start going off in the back of my head, but I ignore them. I’m always such a safe little girl. What’s wrong with wanting to be treated like a woman?
