A sudden deafening explosion on the screen made her jump, summoning a dark chuckle from Gage. “Scaredy-cat,” he whispered.
“I wasn’t scared,” she whispered back. “I was distracted.”
He leaned into her, teasing her once more with his spicy, masculine scent. He smelled so darn good, and his sexy mouth was dangerously close to her ear. “What’s got you so distracted, Skyler?”
She placed her hand over his and squeezed his knuckles. “This.”
“Hmmm. Do you like it when I put my hands on you?” He spoke so softly she barely heard him over the gunfire and screeching tires blaring from the screen.
She stifled an aggravated sigh. “You know I do.”
He moved his palm over her thigh in a sensual caress, chuckled again when her breath caught, and then stopped stroking and turned back to the action scene unfolding in front of them.
The theater was packed. Skyler was painfully aware of the people on either side of them, in front of them, behind them. And she was equally aware of him. His long body folded into his chair, his biceps, sleek and tempting, peeking from the sleeves of his black T-shirt. If they’d been alone she would have spread her legs wider and given him access to more than her thigh, and Gage must have read her mind, because his mouth dipped close again.
“You’re thinking about me fingering your pussy.”
It took everything she had to stop a moan of lust from slipping out.
“I am, too,” he rasped. “My cock is aching just picturing it.”
Skyler’s pulse drowned out the movie. Wonderful. Now she’d have to come back next week and watch it again, because Gage had officially stolen her ability to concentrate.
And he didn’t let up—for the next hour, he whispered the dirtiest things in her ear. Seductive threats, wicked observations, filthy promises. His hand never left her thigh, but save for the occasional caress, it sat there in unmoving innocence as he taunted her with words and refused to follow through with actions. By the time the end credits rolled, she was squirming in her seat, panties soaked and nipples tight with arousal.
Skyler couldn’t walk properly as they followed the mob out of the theater. She felt like she was running a fever, her body hot and achy and pleading for relief. Even though it was midnight, the air outside was so humid it only made her sweat harder. It was the hottest summer in Boston history, and she was with the hottest man in human history, a man who seemed determined to make her burst into flames.
“You okay, Sky?” he mocked. “It looks like you’re having trouble walking.”
She grabbed a hunk of his shirt and clenched her teeth as she glared at him. “You’ve been toying with me for the past hour and a half. Of course I’m not okay.”
Gruff laughter rumbled out of his chest. He examined their surroundings for a beat, then took her hand and practically dragged her down the now-deserted street. Before she could blink, they were in another alley, with her back against a brick wall while a warm male hand traveled between her legs.
“What is it with you and alleys?” she mumbled.
He didn’t answer. He just groaned, because his hand had discovered the evidence of her arousal in the form of her very drenched panties.
“Jesus. You are hurting.” His gray eyes burned with passion. “My poor little bad girl.”
God, he was teasing her again. Blunt fingertips lightly stroked her clit, his touch featherlight and not nearly enough. Skyler’s head lolled to the side, but her eyes stayed open, fixed on the intensity sharpening his rugged features. Then something downright wicked flashed in his eyes and he slipped two fingers under the crotch of her panties.
After the endless torment of his verbal foreplay, her body was a lit fuse—and it exploded the second those long fingers drove deep. Skyler bit her lip as the orgasm shuddered through her. She bore down on Gage’s fingers and rocked into his hand, but the rush of pleasure faded fast. It hadn’t been enough, and he seemed to know it.
“That was just to take the edge off,” he said huskily.
Skyler rearranged her skirt with trembling hands. “It didn’t take the edge off at all,” she grumbled. “I’m hurting even worse now.”
“Aw, hell.” He looked genuinely concerned for a moment, then brightened up. “Don’t worry. I’ll get you off again in the cab on the way home.”
She choked back laughter as she followed him back to the street.
Chapter Eight
“Do you want to watch me fight tonight?”
That was the last thing Skyler expected to hear when she answered her phone. She didn’t normally take calls at work, but when her cell had buzzed in her apron and she’d spotted Gage’s number, she’d decided to make an exception. Although they’d seen and spoken to each other several times over the past week, it was still rare for him to be the one to reach out to her, so his taking the initiative to call brought a rush of happiness to her chest.
“I’m still working,” she told him, genuine regret washing over her. Not that she was a big fan of watching grown men beat the crap out of each other, but she really did want to see Gage. She couldn’t seem to get enough of the guy.
“What time are you done?” he asked.
“Well, we’re closing early tonight for a private party. I’m not working it, but I am helping with the setup, so I won’t be out of here until nine thirty-ish.”
“Fight’s not ’til ten.” He paused. “Is that too late for you? I know you woke up early this morning, so if you want to go home and sleep, I understand.”
His concern absolutely touched her. Honestly, she had no idea why he thought he sucked at relationships. He had an intense side, sure, but he also went out of his way to make sure her needs were met. Hell, he’d even cooked her dinner the other night. And he liked to snuggle. That already put him way ahead of her previous boyfriends.
“No, I want to see you fight,” she told him. “I’ll just chug some coffee at the end of my shift and I’ll be wide-awake.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
“I’ll pick you up at nine thirty then.”
She was grinning like an idiot as she disconnected, same way she’d been grinning all week long. It was probably a good thing her roommates were always out, sparing her a ton of merciless teasing about how besotted she was.
She didn’t understand it herself. Gage was the furthest thing from her type. Big, burly, and tattooed. Strong and silent. Lots of baggage. He avoided talking about his background, but she knew it haunted him, whatever it was. Still, the fact that he kept so much of himself hidden only made her want to work harder to unlock him.
Skyler ducked out of the employee lounge and spent the next hour tending to her customers and trading wisecracks with the chefs over the pickup counter. Since they were closing early, there weren’t a lot of patrons left to serve—only two married couples, and a group of young men taking up residence in one of the rustic wooden booths against the back wall. The males flirted shamelessly with her as she dropped off their bill, but none of them sparked her interest. Nope, Gage was the only man capable of doing that.
She felt it the moment he walked into the steakhouse. Warmth flooded her body, the hairs on the back of her neck tingled, and sure enough, she turned to see him standing at the hostess stand, his hot gaze zeroing in on her like a missile. As her pulse sped up, Skyler smiled and gave a little wave, then gestured for him to wait at the bar.