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Nathaniel “Snake Charmer” Hart. That should be his new nickname.
Maybe it is already.
And maybe this is his strength: making whoever he meets feel at ease, hypnotizing them with his charm and good looks to get whatever he wants.
His dry humor and air of power about him are all part of his performance too. He’s a showman in court; well, that’s what the tabloids say because he fights for clients who have been wronged by megacorporations: medical malpractice, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death; he plays big and plays to win. He’s a show trial lawyer.
Articulate.
Assertive and compelling.
Persuasive.
So persuasive. I’m convinced that’s how I ended up in his bed.
Although, I rack my brain for evidence of that and come up short.
Nothing.
He never asked me to come home with him.
Instead, he challenged me when I said I wouldn’t sleep with him.
Are you sure about that?His words whizz around my head like a washing machine on full spin.
Shit.
I came here on my own free will. Idowant this.
I want him.
Which is bad. Terrible.
I feel like a stranger in my own life.
Back at the bar, before I could unpack my thoughts, I kissed him. I made the first move because I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I couldn’t resist the way his lips tugged at the edges of his mouth, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me. Infuriating, really. Every syllable out his mouth kept mehanging on every word and rolled off his tongue like honey. His confidence had me captivated. I felt every cadence and inflection in his pitch and tone that sent shivers down my spine. It was too much, the pull toward him, like an atomic handshake or elemental attraction I don’t fully understand. I’m drawn to him, and I know he feels the invisible force between us too.
The tension, the flirty banter, every look he gave me told me he wanted me. It became unbearable, and I had to have him, needed to feel his hands on me. The ones that briefly brushed against my thigh, then my hand. And before I knew what was happening, my hand was laid over his as the next drink flowed, then I was pulling him outside. I didn’t stop him when he pressed me against the wall and he cupped my face with those big strong hands of his, all sinewy and dominating, and it was game over. His kiss was like nothing I’ve ever experienced, filled with passion and longing. The way his tongue touched mine with gentle dominance, like a maestro leading the orchestra. A perfect balance of control and emotion, igniting a thunderous crescendo of notes humming through my body. It was electrifying and left me breathless. With one flick of his tongue it was like he suspended time, holding me in place, building the anticipation.
While we waited for his driver to pick us up, I begged him—yes, begged, which is most unlike me—for him to take me home. I’ve never wanted a man as much as I want him. My clothes were off the minute I stepped inside his obnoxious penthouse, and I had my legs wrapped around him and was riding his cock before we even entered his bedroom.
There is something seriously wrong with me. It’s like I threw my morals off a cliff and waved at them as they crashed into the ocean below.
Who am I right now?
Oh, I know, I’m Ari “The Hypocrite” Donovan.
But this isn’t a romance. There will be no happy ending after I do what needs to be done to bring his family down.
For tonight, I’m choosing to be here. It’s just one night. And I’m guessing I made the first move because I figured that being in his apartment would work to my advantage, two-fold. First, I get what I want because it’s been far too long since I had sex. Second, being here means I’m surrounded by everything him, and I can maybe learn more about the man behind the power suit, possibly gain insight into his weak points, then use it to destroy his family’s law firm.
And, okay, having sex with him wasn’t part of the plan. It’s unexpected, and my shame clings to me like a vice, pressing against my skull, threatening to crack it open, and yet, I’m not leaving.
Can’t, because he has so much control over my body right now, I’m defenseless.
I should leave.
Stay; the sex is great.