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She scrutinized the club. I knew it was her attempt at changing the subject.
“Look, I’m not expecting anything from you.” I held up my hands and sat back, raising my voice so she could hear me. “I will be a perfect gentleman.”
A flash of disappointment crossed her face. I knew without a doubt Everly Parker wasn’t very experienced with men. Definitely not a virgin, but not well versed in dating or relationships. Her disappointment was definitely a stroke to my ego, but I wasn’t going to push. She might think she wanted it, but when the time came to deliver, I had a feeling she’d run with her tail between her legs.
“That’s good because I didn’t plan on giving you anything tonight.”
I smiled. She always had a snarky retort. I liked that. She didn’t care about impressing me, seducing me, or making me think she was sex incarnate.
“I’m only here because I need to go out with someone…like you.”
I knew she believed every stereotype there was. Dirty. Heathen. Immoral. Misogynist. Slut. All right, well, that one was sort of true.
“Exactly what do you think I do on a date?”
There was zero hesitation in her delivery. “You take out a woman, woo her with your money and good looks, and then take her back to your place, which is pretty convenient…” She pointed upstairs, referencing my penthouse. “And then you’ll make sweet lovin’ they’ll never forget.”
She was…mocking me. She thought it was funny. To Everly, Max Levin was a fucking joke.
“What if I don’t want to sleep with you?” I shrugged and shook my head. She definitely wasn’t my type, but that didn’t stop me from wanting her. “You’re really not my type.”
Despite the darkness of the club, I saw the shadow fall over her eyes.
I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. Fuck if I didn’t want to throw her over my shoulder and take her to my bed. But I couldn’t. Everly Parker was good. Genuine. Smart and classy. She didn’t deserve to be fucked and forgotten. She deserved…someone better than me.
She recovered quickly and did her best to show me she didn’t care. But I saw it. I’d deflated whatever ego she might have had. I had done that with my thoughtlessness and arrogance.
“Then maybe I should have asked you to set me up with one of your actors. At least then I’d be guaranteed they know what to do with a woman’s…parts.”
“Who do you think taught them?” I winked. Even in the dark club, I saw the flush of crimson color her cheeks.
If I had any chance of getting this girl to loosen up, I needed to get her out of her own head. And if I couldn’t fuck her cares away, there was only one other option.
“How about a dance?”
“Um…” She pulled her bottom lip with her teeth and looked over to the dance floor. “I’m more of a sit-in-the-corner-and-watch type of girl.”
“Not tonight.” I picked up my drink and downed it. Urging her to do the same.
She shook her head, but I held up her glass and waved it in front of her. “It’s only one. Take the edge off.”
After a few moments of hesitation, she did as I’d asked.
I grabbed her hand, loving the feel of her soft skin against me. Weaving us through the sweaty bodies, I stopped in the middle, hoping we’d get lost in the crowd.
We started off face-to-face. I moved from side to side. I wasn’t the greatest dancer, but I held my own. I could at least keep the beat. And let’s be honest, dancing in this club was really just grinding and gyrating to the rhythm. No skill required for that.
I placed my hands on her hips. She looked from side to side, gauging the crowd. Scoping out who was paying attention.
“Relax,” I whispered in her ear. Her hair smelled fresh, like citrus. “No one’s watching.”
I stepped closer, letting my pelvis touch her stomach.
She looked up. I saw her throat contract with a hard swallow.
I swiped her hair back, exposing her face—her beautiful, unassuming face. So different from the faces I looked at every day. There was an innocence there. Sweetness. It was the face of a life unlived.
If I was honest, I wanted nothing more than to press my lips against hers and take that sweetness away. Bury it, along with her focus, and bring her to a place where only pleasure existed. Because that’s what I did. Indulged in pleasure. It’s what I had been conditioned to do. But I tamped down the overwhelming need to claim her. Tonight was going to be different.
