Chapter 10: One-Night Stand
610 Words
Chapter 10: One-Night Stand
Tal didn’t move from his seated position on the sofa. Instead, he stared at me and said, “What about that iced water. Is it still for the taking?”
The beverage wasn’t, but I couldn’t find the strength to tell the handsome man otherwise and nodded. “I can get you that.”
“If it’s not a problem.”
“Of course not. Don’t be silly.”
I was gone for a few seconds and returned to his side. To my surprise, he had his T-shirt pulled off, rolled in a ball, and placed at his right side on the sofa.
I licked my lips and eyed up his solid and furred torso of ginger-colored hair. The view of his muscles, freckles, and designed dents on his chest was nothing less than impeccable. And the sight of his pert n*****s, which were massive and strawberry-hued, brought shivers of enticement to the nape of my neck, stinging my shoulders. With respect, and not sounding surprised, although I was, I asked, “Tal, you’ve misplaced your T-shirt.”
“It’s extremely hot in here. Is your A/C on?”
It was, and he knew so. The guy was toying with me, showing off his pumped guns, developed chest, and his almost flawless physique, which caused me to lick my lips a second time. In response to his question, I nodded, and added without thinking, “Your n*****s are hard.”
He rubbed a palm over both, grinned at me in seductive play, and said, “They are, aren’t they? How do you think that happened?”
I wasn’t going to mess around, or sleep, with him. I couldn’t mix business with pleasure like that, and wouldn’t. It was one of my rules, which I had never broken, and didn’t want to start breaking now. There was no reason to carry out a one-night stand with the man, even if I did find him rock-hard handsome. I had morals, ethics, and a job to get done. He was going to be my assistant, and someone important in determining Evan Sting’s killer. Playing a game of naked with the bar owner was not going to assist the case in any way. So I had to keep my desires for Tal Linear hidden and pent, and my mind on the case. One kiss or palm-brush against his chest could have ruined all that for me, and it was too much of a high risk to attempt.
“It’s getting late,” I said. “I’m sure both of us have long days ahead of us tomorrow.”
“Are you kicking me out?” Two fingertips caressed his left n****e, paused, and glided over the prickled flesh again.
“One in your position could think that, Tal, but I’m really not.” It was a lie, but whatever. I couldn’t keep my mind clear and my appetite for him pent with his half naked body seated on my sofa. I couldn’t breathe right. I couldn’t find any rationale to my own heartbeats. I couldn’t—
“You are,” he said, and stood, snagging his shirt in one palm. “I get it, and know you want to be alone. How about I stop by your office around ten tomorrow morning and we can get things started?”
“That sounds like a plan.”
“Plans are what I’m about. Don’t forget that.”
No, I disagreed with him on that, but didn’t admit so. Instead, I thought he was more about seduction and wanting to spend the night with me, inside my arms. “I’ll remember that,” I said, acknowledging his statement.
He was gone before I realized it, swinging his T-shirt at his right side, walking back to his parked pickup in the gravel drive. I wanted him to wave goodnight to me, but he didn’t. No, I desired more than that. Truth was I wanted him to have s*x with me, but he couldn’t, because I wouldn’t let him. Instead, he vanished like a stunning mirage in a vast desert, fading off and heading back to his bar and the apartment above it where he rested his body for the night in deep sleep. Gone.
- Writer
