Fighting Solitude (On The Ropes #3)(56)

Me: Are you sure about this? I mean…this is weird.

Quarry: I’ll pick you up at seven. Be naked. Better?

Me: Aaaaaaaanddddd…I’ll dress warm. K. Thanks.





I SPENT THE DAY RUNNING around to get everything ready for my date for Liv. She was going to absolutely hate every single minute of it. Which was precisely why I was so excited. I hadn’t been lying—I did have somewhere special to take her, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was only going to be special for me. I could live with that though.

With my hand poised in the air, I stared at the second hand on my watch until it clicked to seven o’clock. After knocking, I nervously shoved my free hand in the pocket of my slacks.

“What are you doing?” she asked when she pulled the door open. “Did you lose your key?”

I smiled wide as I took her in. Liv was beautiful. I was well aware of that. But, that night, knowing she’d gotten dressed just for me, I felt things I hadn’t expected.

“What the hell, Liv!” I growled, extending the bouquet of white roses her way.

“Um…thanks?” she replied, hesitantly taking them from my hand.

“I’m offended!” I tugged at the collar of my dress shirt and then straightened the lapels on my suit coat.

She bit her lip to stifle a laugh. “It’s the jacket. You know how it cuts off the oxygen to your brain and all.” She giggled, but I found not one thing funny.

“You’re wearing jeans and a sweater.” I made a show of raking my eyes from her head to her toes and back again.

Liv looked undeniably gorgeous. The dark skinny jeans were tight, and the tall, black heels elongated her already-long legs. Her pale-purple sweater hugged her tits perfectly. I was sure it would have given a spectacular show when we walked into the cool October night air. However, the fact still remained that she was wearing jeans and a sweater.

She lifted the roses to her nose, hiding the wide smile she was sporting. “You didn’t tell me I needed to dress up. You just said dress warm.”

“Douchebag Boatshoes got a dress,” I stated simply.

“Douchebag Boatshoes didn’t tell me to dress warm.” She twisted away from me, her ass swaying seductively as she made her way to the kitchen.

Maybe those jeans hadn’t been a bad choice after all.

“I’m in a suit,” I announced as if she hadn’t noticed.

“Congratulations!” she shouted over the running water as she filled a vase.

I scratched the back of my head. “I’m not sure they’ll let you in the restaurant in jeans. I guess I could always call to check.”

Her eyes perked. “Really?”

“Yeah, really. I’m worth millions, Liv. You think I’m taking you to a drive-thru?”

“Ah,” she replied in understanding. “My best friend once told me about douchebags like you. I’m not particularly interested in money. I siphon enough off my boss to keep me set for years.”

“Your boss should fire you. But your best friend sounds brilliant.”

“Meh. He’s okay,” she teased. “So, where are we going?”

With a proud smirk, I joined her in the kitchen.

She stared up at me nervously as I wrapped my arms around her waist and tugged her against me. Her breathing sped when I nuzzled my cheek against hers. Switching to the other side, I nipped playfully at her neck. A breathy moan encouraged me further, so I raked my teeth against her flesh before pulling away.

“It’s a surprise,” I whispered.

Gripping her hips, I lifted her to sit on the counter.

Her fingers went to the top button of my shirt. It wasn’t a nervous gesture. It was heated and sexy as f*ck.

“Is this the suit from the Gala?” she asked before licking her lips.

“Mmm,” I mumbled while staring at her mouth. “It’s my most successful outfit from the Liv James collection.”

“Technically, that would be your boxing trunks, but this is a close second.” She smiled. Then it disappeared, taking the woman I so desperately wanted with it. Her pink cheeks paled, and her hands fell away. “Give me a minute and I’ll change into a dress.”

Lifting her legs around my waist, I inched closer, not stopping until her denim met my zipper. “What just went through your mind? You were flirting and then you shut down.”

“Nothing,” she moaned, shifting away, but I refused her the space.

I cupped the back of her neck and forced her eyes to mine. “What. Happened?”

She tried to shimmy off the counter, but I blocked her.

“Can we just go?” she huffed.

I sighed and closed my eyes, pleading for patience. None was found.

“Are you going to spend the entire night trying to put distance between us?”

Her head snapped back, and attitude filled her masked eyes. “Maybe.”

“It doesn’t matter what I do, does it? You’re going to shut me down, aren’t you?”

She disconnected her legs and leaned away. “I am if you don’t stop acting like a dick.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I shrugged. “Nothing to lose. Fuck it,” I mumbled.

“What’s that supposed to—”

I crushed my mouth over hers. Swallowing her surprised cry, I went to work coaxing her tongue into a rhythm. It only took seconds for my Liv to reappear.