Page 6 of His Prize (Make You Mine)

ChapterFive

MANDY

Ican’t really be considering this. I can’t be.

I stared across the table at the man that had suddenly become…charming. What the hell? I frowned down at my empty plate, hoping the curtain of my hair would hide said frown. Was I ill? Had being alone all this time driven me around the bend into utter insanity?

I could possibly actually be considering this? Could I?

Wash the dishes, I told myself and shot up out of my chair.

The dishes didn’t take long, and Brian was quick to put the cold side dishes back into the fridge before he started to dry the dishes I put on the drainer. I couldn’t believe he helped, but there he was, terrycloth towel in hand, wiping away. Maybe he wasn’t the degenerate I’d always taken him for.

He wasn’t the kind to wear suits, but he never had dirt under his fingernails and although his dark, wavy hair was down to his neck, it was always clean. I didn’t know exactly what he did for a living, everyone in town suspected. Most people thought he and his motorcycle club trafficked in drugs, and I tended to agree. I’d heard things here and there, in the club I worked at, and from other people I knew in the industry.

I’m not a saint, I know that, but I didn’t do anything illegal. Normally, anyway. This whole week with him might be considered illegal, if the cops ever found out about it, but I wasn’t telling. Who was I to judge?

Besides, I’d always been drawn to those on the fringes of polite society, who skirted the line between good and bad. Brian was definitely bad.

And an ass too, I reminded myself as I pulled the plug on the drain. An ass that I couldn’t stand. Even if he did smell like heaven up close. Even if those green eyes of his told me he’d fulfill every fantasy I’d ever had and then some.

I’d let myself be drawn to him while he stood close to me, wiping the last dish. I’d met his eyes, but I saw too much there that I didn’t want to see. Attraction, yes, but also the promise that he wouldn’t do anything I didn’t want him to do, even if I wanted him to make me want those things.

“I’m going to bed.” I spoke quietly, maintaining control despite how much my mind wanted me to ask him to come with me.

I hadn’t expected this attraction, not at all. Okay, the guy looks like a walking fantasy, but did that mean I had to want him? And how could you want to fuck someone that always brought the words ‘fuck off’ to mind? I knew I was slightly fucked in the head before, but now I had to wonder if I wasn’t completely messed up.

“Mandy?” he called out when I’d almost reached the stairs.

I stopped but didn’t turn around.

Ask me to stay down here with you. Ask me if you can come with me. Make me stay here. Make me kiss you and give myself to you.

But that wasn’t what he said at all.

“Sweet dreams,” he said with a straight face.

“Yeah, you too,” I replied, taking a deep breath silently, not wanting him to know that he’d won. Almost.

He’d wanted me to want him for ages now, but I’d managed to keep a wall between us. So, what was different now?

Was it the fact that I missed Lacy so much that I was desperate for any attention at all? No, I’m not that needy. I don’t think.

I brushed my teeth, went into the small bedroom with a twin bed and a huge, fluffy duvet and changed into my pajamas. I didn’t choose the silky, sexy gray short set, I chose the red and black fleece set since I was going to sleep on my own. There was a matching robe and I hung it on the door before I crawled into bed.

Alone. In the dark.

I could hear the slight pelt of snow falling against the window to my right in the tiny room but didn’t pay any attention to it. I live in Chicago; I’m used to snow.

I put on an audio book to help me fall asleep. I heard Brian’s footsteps around an hour later and held my breath. Would he stop at my door? It was the only one that was closed so he’d know which one was mine.

His footsteps went past my door and down the hall, to the room with so much space there was a corner hot-tub in there, as well as a king-sized bed, with plenty of room to spare. I’d almost chosen that room, but decided against it. The least I could do, if I wasn’t going to give him sex, was to let him have the nicer of the rooms in the place.

I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep until I woke up needing the bathroom. I fumbled for my robe, even though my pajamas were perfectly acceptable, and headed off in the direction I thought the bathroom was in. I was half asleep, fumbling around in the dark, and terrified I was going to embarrass myself when I fell over the belt of my robe.

“Mother fucker,” I muttered, hoping I hadn’t woken Brian up.

I pushed up off the floor, felt around for the wall and finally found the damned bathroom. I sighed with relief as I rushed in and took care of my bladder.

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