Page 3 of Boss of Me

He goes completely still, staring at me with an arrested look that sends my heartbeat into maximum overdrive.

I stand rooted to the spot, staring back at him until the door opens behind me, the arrival of more bar hoppers snapping me out of my daze.

I swallow thickly and will my feet to move forward, weaving my way between the densely packed tables as Dawson watches me. My stomach is flipping over and over, turning somersaults like the ones Ember and I used to do on our front lawn as little girls.

As I draw closer to Dawson, I’m ensnared by the blueness of his eyes. They’re so dark they’re almost navy. They remind me of the color of the sky at twilight. Stunning. Potent. Seductive.

He stands as I approach, his dark gaze sliding over my body like a burning caress. It leaves me hot and quivery, nipples hard as diamonds.

“Hi.” My voice is barely a breath. “I’m Marlowe. You must be Dawson.”

The corner of his mouth quirks up ever so slightly. He’s much taller than I expected, with long legs and thick thighs wrapped in tailored dark slacks. Beneath his dark blazer, his shoulders are breathtakingly broad and his chest hard with muscle. His white button-down shirt highlights the healthy glow of his tanned complexion. The first three buttons are undone, exposing his strong throat and a triangle of smooth skin.

He’s hotter than I could have ever hoped for. Hotter than I could have imagined in my wildest fantasies. On top of that, he smells absolutely amazing.

He moves to pull out my chair, but I’m so nervous that I sit down before he reaches me.

Those deep blue eyes glitter in the low light before he returns to his seat across the table.

Up close, I notice a faint dimple in his chin beneath his five o’clock shadow. He has the sexiest mouth I’ve ever seen, a firm upper lip with a full lower one that has a slight dip in the middle. I want to slide my tongue over it, suck the cushiony plumpness into my mouth and hear him groan with pleasure.

I realize that he’s watching me and feel my cheeks warm. Clearing my throat, I nervously tuck my hair behind my ear and offer what I hope is an alluring smile. “Please tell me you haven’t been waiting long.”

“I haven’t.” His voice is a dark rumble, liquid sex poured over hot gravel. It sends a lick of heat twisting through my stomach.

I don’t remember him sounding so orgasm-inducing on the phone. Seriously. I could come just from the sound of his voice.

“What’re you drinking?” he asks.

I usually order a margarita or a vodka cranberry, but I’m feeling adventurous tonight. “I’ll have a whiskey, neat.”

Dawson lifts one eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching toward a smile. I can’t tell if he’s surprised or impressed by my selection.

As he signals the waiter, I sit back in my seat and cross my legs, holding his gaze across the small table. “So . . . come here often?”

His lazy white grin sucker punches me between my thighs. “C’mon, beautiful,” he drawls. “You can do better than that.”

I laugh as my heart does a funny skipping dance. Jesus. You would think he’s the first man who’s ever called me beautiful.

When the waiter appears, Dawson orders us both a neat whiskey. I find myself watching him, drinking in his darkly handsome features. The heavy eyebrows, the square jaw, the mesmerizing blue eyes framed by a thick fringe of lashes as black as his hair.

He exudes raw sex appeal, a savage magnetism that oozes from his every pore. It’s nearly overpowering.

I don’t realize the waiter has left until Dawson speaks to me, interrupting my fascinated perusal of him.

“Um, sorry.” I blink like I’m coming out of a trance. “What did you say?”

There it is again, that slight twist of amusement that curls his mouth. His sexier-than-sin, please-suck-my-clit-till-I-scream mouth.

“I asked how you like living in Texas,” he says. “Hot enough for you?”

I laugh. “Well, I’ve only been here a couple months, but the weather definitely takes some getting used to.”

His eyes gleam. “Too hot for you?”

“A little,” I admit.

When he smiles, my breath snags in my throat. God, he’s gorgeous. How can he possibly be single?