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Though maybe just this one time...
No.
Okay. I needed to get my shit together and focus on the things that mattered: work, friends, finding my sister. I didn't need to waste brain space thinking about a non-relationship that had absolutely no potential to become a relationship.
So yeah.
That was the plan.--Nine and a half hours later, I felt marginally better. I threw myself into work. I hit the gym for a good, heart-pounding workout, spending most of the time running on the treadmill. First, because it was great cardio. Second, because it was a good way to focus because I hated it so much. Third, it worked off some of the stress and sexual tension.
"Running like you think you can actually outrun your problems," Shane Mallick, the gym owner, and also, apparently, the loan shark, commented as I made my way toward the doors afterward.
"Hell, maybe if I commit hard enough, I can."
"Wishful thinking, sweetheart," his voice followed as I walked outside.
And, well, I knew that was true. But still, I felt alright as I pulled into my drive and went into my house. I went up and took a shower, watching the tattoo cover-up run down my body after scrubbing with a loufa. It even lasted through a sweaty workout. That stuff was amazing. I imagined if my bruises didn't start fading, I was going to be using it for a while.
I had just slipped into a very unappealing outfit of oversize sweats and a roomy, ratty tee when my doorbell chimed. I ran down the stairs, blindly pushing on my glasses as I fiddled with the locks.
"Oh," I said, jumping back slightly at the image of Paine standing on my front steps. Not only was he standing there, but he was cleaned up. Meaning, that he had on black slacks, a tailored, tucked-in black button-up, a black belt with a nice solid silver buckle, and a watch on his wrist that years of watch buying for my father told me cost at least five grand. "Um... hi," I fumbled, realizing I had been staring.
"Hey babygirl," he said, doing an inspection with an amused smile.
"What are you doing here?" I blurted out.
"Taking you to dinner," he said, slipping his hands into his front pockets.
"You're taking me to dinner? Now?"
"No, next Thursday. I got dressed for the fuck of it."
"Why?" I asked, brows drawing together.
I had pretty successfully managed to convince myself Paine was a thing of the past over the past few hours. So him standing at my door, all cleaned up and asking me on a date, yeah... I was a little confused.
"Gotta eat. I can do it alone. I'd rather do it while looking at a gorgeous face. I left an hour for you to get yourself together. Don't know how long it takes you to slip into a dress and heels, but judging by how long it takes my sisters, we'll probably still be late for our reservation."
I shook my head, trying to clear it of the fog. "I, ah, I'll be done in half an hour."
"Miracle," Paine said, rocking back onto the heels of his black dress shoes. "You forgetting something, babygirl?"
Forgetting something? What could I be forgetting seeing as I hadn't expected him in the first place?
"You gonna kiss me or not?"
"Oh," I said, feeling a silly smile pull at my lips as I stepped into the doorway, leaned up, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.
"I don't know what the fuck that was, but it wasn't a kiss," he complained as soon as I went down on my flat feet.
My lips twitched. "Maybe you need to show me what a kiss is then," I challenged.
Before I could even finish speaking, his hand was at the back of my neck and he was simultaneously moving into the entryway and slamming me back against the wall as his mouth crashed down on mine. There was nothing tentative or gentle about the kiss. His lips seared into mine, claiming them, branding them, guaranteeing I would feel him there for hours afterward.
Just when I felt like my body was going to melt into a puddle of need, he pulled away, released my head to push my glasses back up my nose a little. "For future reference, that was a kiss. Now go get into something that shows off those pins of yours; I'll occupy myself for a while."
I moved off the wall, nodding, a bit too dazed from the kiss to say anything. As he crossed toward the living room, he slapped my ass hard enough to make my step falter. When I looked over my shoulder at him, he was smirking.
Before I could run across the room and jump him, I hurried upstairs to get myself put together. He didn't tell me where we were going, but judging by the way he was dressed and the request for dress and heels, I imagined it was somewhere nice.
