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But she opened the door anyway. Her heart stopped at having him so close, at the sight of the hopeful smile on his face. Just like that she wanted to melt. She wanted to run into his arms and tell him he was an asshole in the same breath that she wanted to confess she missed him.
Yeah, she had it so bad she didn’t even want to fight it anymore. She’d turned into a complete glutton for punishment.
“Stace.” He smiled and the sight of it took her breath away. “Go put on your sexiest outfit. I’m taking you out.”
“Eric.” She leaned against the door and frowned, crossed her arms in front of her. She wasn’t dressed to impress in plaid pajama bottoms and a faded red T-shirt. And she wasn’t about to change clothes for him. At least, that’s what she told herself. “We can’t pretend what happened between us is suddenly swept under the rug.”
Lifting her chin, she watched him warily. She needed to stand strong and stick to her guns and all those other clichés that pertained to their current and ridiculous situation. She could not let him take advantage of her.
No matter how much she wanted to.
“Stace.” He stepped closer, and she didn’t step back—only because she didn’t have a choice, being pressed close to the door and all. She let him crowd her like he so enjoyed doing and she enjoyed it as well. She couldn’t deny it. Having him so close, smelling him, it was too much of an aphrodisiac to ignore. “I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me.”
She stared up at him, her knees going weak when he grabbed her hands and cradled them in his. “Eric…”
“I mean it. Please forgive me.” Leaning in, he brushed his mouth with hers. Her lips tingled at the brief contact, and she wanted to scream in frustration.
“I absolutely, one hundred percent shouldn’t forgive you,” she whispered just before he kissed her again.
“Please.” His fingers drifted down her cheek, along her jaw as he stared at her. The arousal simmering in his gaze set her blood ablaze. “I don’t like to beg, but I’ll do it for you.”
“You’re not groveling enough,” she joked, then gasped when he fell to his knees right before her. “Oh my God, get up.”
“I’m begging you, Stace. Give me another chance. I know you’ve given me way too many chances already but I want to make it up to you. I’m desperate to make it up to you.” He clutched her hands in his and sent her a pleading look. “What do you say?”
“I should say no.” Her heart flipped over itself. She was so not saying no. And she really should. “You’re nothing but a pain in my ass.”
He smiled and shook his head. “I know. I totally agree. Just…let me take you out tonight. Let me prove to you I can give you what I want.” He got to his feet. “Let me show you how much I want you.”
She catapulted. Just like that. He looked at her with those pu
ppy-dog eyes and his promises and her feelings got the better of her. She was hopeless. “All right…”
The smile turned into a huge grin, and he reached behind her, giving her butt a light slap. “Go change. And hurry. You’ll want to see what I have planned, trust me.”
Trust me…
Those words rang in her head as she hurriedly changed into a simple black dress and stiletto heels. As she stared at herself in the mirror, yanking the brush through her hair with furious strokes before she put on makeup. And still she heard the words drifting through her thoughts as they drove to his planned destination, as he glanced in her direction and smiled. Reached out and took her hand, then rested his wide palm her thigh.
Trust me…
She wanted to with all her heart. But it was hard. So hard when he’d done nothing but proven to her time and again he couldn’t be trusted. Certainly not with her heart.
And yet—beneath the exterior of that bad-boy attitude and blackened heart was a vulnerability she couldn’t resist. He was hurt. He’d been hurt, and she knew exactly how. Somehow, some way, he believed she could be the one who was strong enough to heal him.
Stacy knew this because he kept coming back to her. Time and time again, as if he couldn’t resist.
This time, she planned on making it extremely difficult for him to walk away.
He finally pulled into a large parking lot in front of an even larger building. There was no sign out front and she knew they were downtown. “What is this?”
A mysterious smile curled his lips as he cut the engine. “You’ll see.”
They walked toward the entrance and as they drew closer she heard the low throb of music. It had a heavy bass, a quick beat and she wondered if it was some sort of underground dance club.
“Eric,” she started but he shook his head as they walked up the cement steps that led to the blacked-out glass double doors.
“You’ll find out when we get inside. I promise you’ll love it.”
