Page 87 of Dangerous Men

I find myself watching Sebastian a lot lately. The way he watches everything, without seeming to. The way he sits, the way he eats.

I catch the way he looks at me, sometimes, when he thinks I won’t notice. Always assessing. I like to think I’m just doing to him what he’s doing to me. If he can watch me, judge me, belittle me, then why can’t I do the same thing to him?

A taste of his own medicine.

When eight finally rolls around andI turn off the lights, waving goodbye to Jade and closing and locking the shop door behind me, Alec is already waiting.

I’d know the black town car idling in front of my shop was his, even if he weren’t leaning against it watching me close up the shop. Cars like that aren’t common in this part of the city.

Seeing him there waiting for me, I feel a little nervous. He’s so gorgeous, in a suit that probably costs more than our store makes in a month. My little sundress feels incredibly childish in comparison.

But when he looks up at me, all those thoughts vanish.

Alec stares at me, taking me all in, from the top of my head to my feet in a way that makes my heart flutter.

When his eyes finally reach mine, I go molten under the heat of it.

“I missed you,” he tells me in a husky voice.

I give him a shy smile, trying not to think about the last time he saw me… tied up on my couch, with his best friend playing me like a fine instrument.

“I’ve missed you, too,” I manage to say.

He opens the door of the town car, helping to guide me inside, and climbs in after me.

The interior is just as nice as the outside. Soft, supple leather seats with plenty of room. The cabin is partitioned, separating us from the driver and giving us privacy. I wonder if this is the same car that drove me home from the banquet. The moment the door shuts behind Alec, we take off, pulling smoothly away from the curb.

“Where are we going?” I ask, trying not to sound too eager.

Alec stretches his arm on the seat behind me, moving against me until our thighs are touching. Even that little bit of contact with him is enough to make my blood heat.

“You’ll see,” he says, smiling cryptically.

Fine. I can be patient.

“How was your work trip?” I ask instead. He places his hand casually on my knee. The sundress I’m wearing today, freshly rescued from the back of my closet, is bright yellow with a floral pattern and buttons up the front. It’s a little short, ending just above the knee, leaving my legs bare. His palm is warm against my skin, his touch electric.

“Productive,” he tells me, after considering the question. “Though some meetings were less productive than others.”

His eyes sparkle when he says it, and it takes me a second to remember.

Oh. Right. He was in a meeting when he’d called me that night, probably had only wanted to say goodnight during a brief respite in his day.

“I, uh…” I glance away, blushing. “I hope you weren’t mad.”

Alec stares down at me, lips pulling down into a slight frown.

“Mad?” he asks, sounding genuinely confused. “Why would I be mad?”

“I mean…” I hedge. He can’t be serious, can he? “That Ash and I were…” I clear my throat, unsure of what to say.

“I bought you those toys for you to enjoy yourself,” Alec says, voice gruff. “And for you to explore what you might like. So my question is, did you enjoy yourself?”

I swallow and nod.

His hand moves a little higher up my leg.

“And did you learn anything from Ashton about what you might like?”