It was stupid, but five hours with the woman and he’d relaxed more than he had in years.
But he had a job to do. “I’ve had a few accidents in my time. Working construction can be hell on a man. Sometime I’ll tell you about the hole in my back. Man versus nail gun. Nail gun won.”
He fully intended to tell her that fabrication once he got her horizontal. There was no way to miss the bullet wound he’d taken during his SAS years, but the nail gun was a convenient lie.
Her eyes widened. “That sounds horrible.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, well, I got a body covered in scars, but then who doesn’t? If you don’t have a few scars, you haven’t really lived.”
She blushed again, her whole face turning red. If he had to bet, he would say she couldn’t lie to save her life. “I know how that goes. Thank you so much for the nice day. It was good to have someone to talk to.”
She was right back to where they’d been before lunch. Wary. Cautious. For a few hours she’d been open and smiling. At one point, she’d even held his hand as a wave of people came off the Tube at Holborn. They’d been standing by the tracks, chatting about all the places she wanted to see and the things she wanted to do while she was in London, and the Tube doors had opened, busy Londoners rushing past. They’d almost been separated. Her hand had come out, seeking his, a nervous look in her eyes as though the crowd frightened her.
He’d been taken over by the oddest emotion. He’d pulled her close as the crush engulfed them, his left hand covering the back of her head and pulling her into his chest.
And now she was dismissing him without so much as another date? That wasn’t going to happen. “The day isn’t over yet.”
She frowned. “What do you want from me?”
He hadn’t expected that. He’d expected a coy invitation to come inside or a little angling for another date. “I like you.”
“You don’t really know me, and I’m not blind. There are far prettier women just walking down this street. I’ve been thinking about it all day, and I can’t figure out what you want. If you would please tell me, I’ll see if I can give it to you.”
He stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out her game. “What are you talking about?”
She sighed as though trying to find a way to say what she wanted to say. “I don’t have a lot of money but if you need some, I can give you a little.”
He crowded her, anger starting to take root in his gut. What exactly did she think he was? “You tell me what you’re talking about and you do it now, girl.”
Damn, but he’d almost lost it and gone into his Irish accent.
She trembled a little as he backed her up against the building. Her eyes flashed from right to left, looking for a little help, but everyone ignored her. Liam was counting on that. It was a big city. Unless she just flat wanted to scream for help, everyone would ignore their little scene. It was time to start showing the sub who topped whom.
“You have an idea about me, Avery, don’t you?” He was well aware his voice had gone deeper than she’d heard all day. It was the voice he used when training a sub. Hard. Unrelenting. Dominant. “Put it in plain English. I’d like to hear it.”
“You’re scaring me.” She put her hands up as though that could possibly stop him.
“And I think you’re insulting me.” He came up with two ideas she could possibly have about him. Both of them insulting. Neither of them right. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but do you think I’m indigent and need a handout?”
She huffed, her eyes on her hands. “No. Obviously not. You’re very well dressed. You obviously have money.”
So it was door number two. “And you think I get it by hustling women out of cash. You think if you invite me upstairs, you’re agreeing to have sex with me for money. Tell me something, little girl, just how much would I have charged?”
The sub thought he was a hustler, did she? The thought didn’t sit well. Somewhere in the back of his head he knew he should be laughing this off, but it just made him angry. She was so sweet and innocent, and he was just a nasty, disgusting brute. It hit way too close to home.
“Does it help if I thought you would be worth a lot, and I was worried I didn’t have the money?” Those big eyes looked up, wide and slightly afraid, but there was a hint of sass to her words.
He pressed his advantage, crowding her until their bodies came together. “Well now, Avery. If a man is going to get accused of being a prostitute, the very least you can do is accuse him of being an expensive one. And no. I wasn’t going to charge you, but I was damn straight going to get in your pants.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” she started.
But he was done talking to her. Talking to her all day had just made her think he was so dumb he couldn’t find work that didn’t involve his dick. The fact that she was his work and she definitely involved his dick didn’t matter. All that mattered now was making a damn good impression on the lady.
Before she could get another word in, he swooped in, lowering his head and pressing his lips to hers.
He’d already planned their first kiss. He’d viewed it like a coach planning a football play. He’d gone over every instant in his head, each move meant to gain maximum trust from Avery. Gentle. Soft.
All that careful planning was blown straight out of the water the minute his lips touched hers. He was overwhelmed with the need to dominate. His hands came up, tangling in that soft cloud of hair and forcing her head back so he could take her mouth. His lips pressed to hers, molding over that bee-stung bottom lip. He sucked it into his mouth, drawing his tongue across it. So plump and firm. He wanted to suck on it and give her a little nip. Yeah, she might like a little bite of pain. God knew he did.
“Open your mouth for me,” he demanded. He could force her to do it, but he wanted her submission. He wanted her willing. He fully intended to walk away, but he wanted her hot and desperate first. He wanted her thinking about him all fucking night long.
“I don’t think…” She sounded breathless. Her hands were still on his chest, but she wasn’t pushing at him. In fact, her hands were moving against his chest almost restlessly. “God, I need to stop thinking.”
She turned her head up, and it was all the invitation he needed. He took her mouth, those sexy lips opening for him. His tongue surged inside, and she was every bit as sweet and hot as he’d thought she would be. He slanted his mouth over hers, coaxing her tongue with his.