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“I’m not an idiot, Jack,” she snapped, rolling her eyes. Then she sighed, her exhaustion showing. “Fine. Whatever you say, teacher. I’m too tired to argue right now.”
He shook his head at her, suppressing the amused smile that teased at his lips, despite the frustration building inside of him.
God, any other woman, he would’ve given up on her by now. But as he followed Eva to her bedroom to help her pack, he realized that very little would make him give up on Eva Fiorini.
Chapter Four
Eva
r /> New York might be the city that never sleeps, but at three in the morning, it was definitely experiencing a lull.
By the time Eva settled into the back of the cab—after packing then rousing Mrs. Miller, her neighbor across the way, to beg her to watch Sasha and Mutton for a few days—she felt like she could sink into the smelly pleather seat and hibernate for a thousand years. She almost fell asleep in the vehicle. She would have, if the cab hadn’t sailed through the near-deserted streets like a bullet train, making a trip that would’ve normally taken half an hour in mere minutes.
Thank goodness for small favors.
Aside from a skeleton crew of hotel staff, the lobby was empty. And though Eva knew the Plaza was like Jack’s second home, not a single person called out a welcome as they made their way to the elevator bank.
Another thing to be thankful for. She didn’t want to chat, or force a friendly smile. All she could think about was bed. Not even sharing a bed with Jack. Just beautiful, wonderful, life-renewing sleep.
She was still irritated with him for going full on alpha-hole on her at her place, but she couldn’t keep the smile from her face as they made their way to the elevators. Jack had insisted on carrying her bag, making her giggle when he pressed the elevator button and turned to her, holding a flowered Vera Bradley on his shoulder like it was his own. “Nice bag,” she said. “Brings out the color in your eyes.”
He patted it and pretended to show it off like a game show model. “You think?”
She snorted, too shocked by the playful display to make a more ladylike sound. Who knew Jack was so full of surprises?
She’d nearly had a heart attack earlier, when he’d suggested that she stay with him. Live with him, in his house, at least for the next few weeks. Jack was the quintessential bachelor and had medaled five times in the Avoiding Commitment Olympics. Even if the arrangement was all about the sex, wasn’t living with a woman against his code?
Did he feel so sorry for her that he was willing to alter his way of life to make sure poor little Eva didn’t get in trouble again? And if so, did she really want her first time living with a man to be because he pitied her?
“What the hell did you pack in here,” he asked, hitching the strap higher on his shoulder. “Bricks?”
“Books.” She lifted her chin, refusing to think about any more upsetting things tonight. Not until she’d grabbed at least a little sleep. “You know I don’t go anywhere without several things to read, and I couldn’t find the charger for my e-reader. You pushed me out of my apartment so fast, I didn’t have time to look for it.”
The elevator dinged, and they stepped inside. “I have books. And you know you and I share a similar taste in genre fiction.”
She studied him through narrowed eyes as she leaned back against the elevator wall. “I know, but if I recall correctly, you’re a slow reader. You were always telling me about this amazing book you were reading, and that you’d lend it to me when you were finished, then I’d have to wait ages to start it. You’d get me salivating to dive in, and then leave me hanging.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is there something wrong with wanting to take my time? Savor the experience?”
Her blush deepened. Why was it that everything he said to her these days seemed to take on a sexual connotation? “It was frustrating is all,” she muttered, as the elevator climbed.
He leaned into her. “Well. How about if I promise not to leave you hanging ever again?”
She swallowed, keenly aware of his scent—all man and all Jack—filling her nose. “Sounds fair to me.”
He studied her, humming lightly beneath his breath. “But what fun is fair? If I’m taking my time with you, Eva, it will be worth it, frustrating or not. Sometimes a little frustration makes the pay off at the end that much more…explosive.”
She shivered at the sensual promise of his words.
As he opened the door to their hotel room, she couldn’t stop thinking about her earlier lessons. He’d asked her to do everything so slowly. It had been almost painful for her to go at such a leisurely pace, when so much frenetic energy pulsed inside of her, but he was right—the payoff had been phenomenal.
She looked at him, trying hard to read his mind. What’s next, Jack? Where do we go from here?
“You can have the bathroom first,” he told her, setting her bag down on the luggage stand just inside the door before crossing to peer out the window overlooking the city. “I’m going to check my messages one more time.”
Eva gathered what she needed from her bag and slipped into the bathroom to change into her pajamas. As she put them on, she gazed at herself in the mirror, wondering if Jack would be disappointed. Likely the women he usually shared hotel rooms with wore kinky lingerie, or nothing at all. Eva’s sleeping wardrobe consisted of comfy pants and soft T-shirts.
Heck, when she first had the idea of seducing Jack, she’d spent hours in a naughty boutique, agonizing over choosing the right garter belt. The experience had been almost as embarrassing as buying her first box of tampons.
