Hard to Fight (Alpha's Heart, #1)(17)

I grin and stare down at his lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t even know you.”

He grins, presenting two perfect dimples that I want, really badly, to lick.

“Same place at the same time over and over,” he murmurs, lifting his hand and gripping my jaw. He turns my face back toward the crowd, and his lips find my neck. I shudder. “That’s no coincidence. You wanted me from the first time I put you against that wall, Gracie.”

I shiver.

“You’ve been going out of your way since then to show up wherever I am. Now, are you going to admit it—or do we need to play a little longer?”

I pull his hands from my body and spin. I lean in really close, my breath puffing out against his lips. “A little longer.”

I go to spin away, but his hand lashes out and curls around mine. He spins me back toward him, pressing my body against his. I gasp and let myself enjoy the feeling of being in his arms for just a moment.

“You owe me a drink. I’m done with this game. You’re goin’ to give me what I want.” With that, he turns us and pulls me through the crowd. When he reaches the bar, he waves a hand and orders two beers. When they’re served, he scoops them up and leads me outside into a small gardenlike area.

We sit down, and I can’t help but smile as he hands me a beer. I want to cheer with joy, but I keep it under wraps. “Are you pleased with yourself?” I’m grinning again.

He smirks at me. “Absolutely. I’m not the kind of man to dance around what I want. You’ve intrigued me—now I want to know more.”

I lean back, taking a sip of my beer. “And what exactly do you want to know?”

He stares at me, his expression unreadable. “What are you going to tell me?”

“Well, that all depends.”

His eyes drop to my lips, and I have to swallow to keep myself from launching forward to taste him. I really want to taste him.

“I have an idea,” I say in a tight voice, making his eyes move back up to mine.

“What’s that?”

“Let’s play Twenty Questions.”

He curls his face in disgust. “No.”

“Aw, come on, it’ll be fun. You say you’re over the games—well, so am I,” I breathe. “I want to know more, too.”

He frowns. “Lady, it won’t be fun.”

“Will, too.”

“I have a better idea,” he says, putting down his beer and reaching for me. His fingers curl around the back of my neck and he pulls me close.

I suck in a breath and hold it as he brings himself in so close, our lips are only millimeters apart. “Kissing is out of bounds,” I breathe.

His lip quirks. “Any reason for that?”

“Yes,” I whisper, staring at his lips. “You haven’t answered my questions.”

He leans back a little so his eyes can search my face. “Let’s make this interesting, then. You ask a question and I answer it, I get a kiss.”

I gape.

“But if I don’t answer it, then I don’t get a kiss.”

I’m the one smirking now. “That doesn’t seem like a fair game.”

He leans back in. “Take it or leave it, lady.”

“Fine, I’m up for the challenge. Question one—” I bite my bottom lip, thinking about what I want to ask him. Could I slip in some investigative questions that might just help me? Maybe. But I won’t make it too suspicious from the start. “—how many women have fallen for your charms in the past?”

He grins. “Twelve.”

My brows shoot up. “Only twelve?”

He puts a hand over his heart. “It hurts me that you think I’m easy, Gracie.”

I snort. “You’re a womanizer—it’s written all over you.”

He winks at me. “I answered, so it’s a kiss for me.”

I brace myself, holding my breath as he leans forward. My heart rate picks up and my skin prickles. God, his lips …

He tilts his head and presses a kiss to my neck. I shudder and my jaw clenches in disappointment when he pulls back, grinning still. “I never said I was goin’ to kiss your lips, lady.”

“You’re horrible.”

His eyes twinkle with amusement.

I like this side of him. “Okay, next question,” I breathe.

He nods.

“Tell me about yourself as a boy.”

He flinches. “That’s not a question.”

He’s right, dammit. “Okay, what was your favorite memory as a boy?”

His eyes search mine, then he answers, “When I got my first puppy.”

I smile. “You had a puppy.”

He nods.

“What was his name?”

“That’s two questions, and I haven’t got my kiss yet.”

Right.

He leans in again, running his fingers up my arms. My entire body is aware of him, and I’m getting more and more desperate for this kiss. He’s teasing me, and while I like it, I just want to taste him. He leans in and his lips capture my earlobe. I whimper as he moves his mouth from my earlobe over to my jaw. Then he pulls back.

“That was two,” I whisper.

“His name was Tiger.”