Had to admit, it hadn’t been a totally terrible idea.
My good mood was still riding high when I walked out of the bathroom. I was wearing one of my favorite things in the world, a strapless gold embroidered Monique Lhuillier that had cost me almost two months’ rent. It had been a present to myself when I got my first bonus check, the short, sexy cocktail dress making me feel like a million dollars.
“Fuuuuck, that dress. You look amazing.”
Leighton was gone, Jared having taken his place.
He smoldered, his icy blue eyes raking over me with an undeniable hunger as his tongue darted across his lips. He was hot, the same fitted black Tee and dark blue jeans he’d been wearing suddenly looking different as he stalked closer with purpose.
His hands moved up and down my arms gently, a wave of goosebumps following in their wake as my pulse quickened. “You trying to make me insane, Presley? Because you in that dress would pretty much do it.”
“That wasn’t the plan, I just like the dress,” I answered honestly, the look in his eyes, lethal. “But if this is too much for you, I can just get a cab.”
“You’re not getting a cab.” The argument over before it was started, his gaze searing me.
So much for it not being weird.
“Well then, we should go.”
Neither of us moved, our bodies inches away from each other as the sexual tension hung in the air.
“Leighton?”
I hoped calling him that would help but it didn’t. He was Jared, and Jared was looking at me like he wanted to eat me with a spoon.
He sucked in a breath, nodding his head with an unspoken resolve. “Yeah, we should go.”
At least that’s what his mouth said, but his eyes were saying something different.
We took the elevator, the enclosed space making it worse. There were still no ground rules for what we were doing, so for all I knew pushing him up against the wall and kissing the hell out of him would be perfectly okay. As long as we stayed friends, right?
“Uh hm,” I cleared my throat, feeling hot despite wearing a dress that didn’t cover much. I was going to freeze outside for sure, but I welcomed that feeling over the inferno currently radiating in my core.
The elevator pinged, the doors flying open as we reached the bottom. Jared’s arm-braced the door, holding it open as I went ahead. I could feel the weight of his stare. His eyes on me as I walked slightly ahead, his strides only taking a step or two before he was right beside me.
“The car is parked a street away, why don’t you wait here, and I’ll pull up in front.” His voice was rough around the edges, as he stopped in front of the glass door.
It should’ve been a question but it wasn’t, his feet rooted in place as he turned to face me. “It’s cold out.”
He wasn’t telling me something I didn’t already know. I’d meant to grab a jacket or coat on my way out but stumbled on the Jekyll/Hyde transformation in my living room. There was only so much I could recover before leaving, and insuring I didn’t freeze to death had rated low. Probably since I was running so hot, I was actually looking forward to it. Clearly I had issues and didn’t want to advertise that.
“I’m fine, I’ll warm up in the car,” I responded with hopefully enough sass he’d assume I was being difficult. I had a habit of not liking being told what to do so it fit the narrative, and I’d rather him believe that than know I had issues.
He looked like he wanted to argue, not opening the door despite his hand on the handle. His eyes flicked down to my dress giving it a final inspection before pushing open the glass and allowing me to walk through.
I could feel the tension in his body, evident his muscles were tight even underneath the Tee. He hadn’t worn a jacket either, his toned arms flexing as they pressed against the door.
It gave me a twisted kind of pleasure to know I wasn’t the only one suffering, wondering if that was going to be the theme for the night. At least once we got to Diablo I’d be too busy to notice, industry night Mondays almost as crazy as my Saturday nights.
My heels hit the sidewalk, clicking on the concrete as he directed us to where he was parked. It wasn’t close, the air hitting my skin like a slap and making me shiver as I walked.
He glanced over, his mouth opening like he was going to comment and then thought better of it. Good, talking would show my teeth chattering, and I didn’t want to confirm he was right—that I’d be cold—even if I was freezing.
Doing my best not to shiver the entire way, we made it to his silver Mustang before frostbite set in. Just as well too, because losing a toe or an arm would have totally ruined the esthetic of the dress. He hit the fob, the locks clicking open and I had to literally stop myself from throwing my body into the car. He shook his head as he walked around to the driver’s side, pretending not to notice as I huffed into my hands and tried to warm up. Hey, he could judge all he wanted, I said I didn’t need a coat, and I’d made it without complaining, hadn’t I?
Being inside the car definitely took care of one issue. He had the ignition on and the heat blasting simulating a tropical day in Hawaii before we’d even pulled away from the curb. Although since I was no longer preoccupied with regulating my temperature it brought a whole other set of problems. Namely being in a confined space with Jared.
Wow, he was hot.
Unlike mine, his arms weren’t covered in goosebumps. Instead I was treated to the subtle flexing of his muscles as he steered and changed gears. Those strong, toned legs were working the clutch and the gas, my eyes having a hard time knowing where to focus. How had I ridden in a car with him so many times before and not climbed into his lap? And more to the point, how was I going to stop myself from doing it now?
Look somewhere else, I begged, forcing my head to turn and stare out the side window. Better. I mean, I could still smell that intoxicating mix of shampoo, soap and deodorant that made my hormones go haywire for no apparent reason, but at least if I wasn’t looking at him directly, I had a chance of controlling myself.
“Are you too hot?” I heard his voice rumble from the other side of the car, not bothering to turn. That would’ve been a bad move, we didn’t have that much farther to go and I could definitely hold out a little longer.
“I’m fine,” I deadpanned, studying the sidewalk we were whizzing past like there was going to be a test on it later.
It wasn’t until he cleared his throat that I noticed my hand fanning myself. My intention to keep my steamy thoughts to myself manifesting themselves in what could only be described as sabotage courtesy of my body.
Knotting my hands in my lap so they could no longer continue their mutiny, we finally pulled into the staff parking lot at Diablo. It was one of the amazing benefits of the site, the large area backing onto shrubbery, giving my staff plenty of space to put their cars and trucks and not have to fight for prime real estate on the street.
He cut the engine, his intention to sit in the club all night fairly clear. And while it was something he’d done a million times before, it was feeling a whole lot different this time around.
The door beside me opened, his exit from the car taking place while I was strategizing how I could keep my distance from him and not look like a freak. I had a job to do which should have made it easier, and it would’ve been perfect if I didn’t like to spend the majority of the time on the floor. The last few nights I’d been holed up in my office and I needed to be seen, so I guess I was going to have to get creative in ways to circle the club and not get distracted by his sexy body.