In fact, I wanted to feel it somewhere else.
I looked out the window and noted the lights from the skyscrapers. London was a big place, but LA was different in many respects. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, never slowing down. I listened to the faint classical music in the background while we drove. When I felt his stare on my face, I looked at him.
“Have you thought about our relationship?”
“I’ve given it some thought…”
“Enlighten me.”
I didn’t understand the American phrase. “Sorry?”
“Tell me.” His voice carried the command of a Roman army.
“I don’t want to be in a relationship ever again. It’s not for me. I won’t change my mind.”
He didn’t react overtly, but his eyes widened. “That’s fine with me. I feel the same way.”
I wasn’t expecting his easy acceptance.
“Can we be exclusive?” he asked.
“I didn’t say I agreed to the arrangement.”
“Then what’s your hesitance?” He rubbed his fingers into my thigh.
“I’ve never slept with someone I wasn’t in a relationship with—or someone I didn’t love.”
His hand continued to move into my muscle, making me feel relaxed and aroused at the same time. “There’s a first time for everything.”
“I guess I feel kinda slutty.”
“You shouldn’t.” His voice was professional and calm. It didn’t seem like he showed emotion very often.
“And I don’t even know what—this—would be.”
“Hence, our date. Let’s talk about it.”
I didn’t know what to say. Since I’ve never done this before, I felt out of place.
He sensed my tension. “I’ll go first. I like to be open about my conditions. It leaves no room for misinterpretation.”
“You sound like you’ve done this before.”
“Many times.”
The idea of him having so many flings rubbed me the wrong way, but I couldn’t figure out why. What did I expect? But I also loved his honesty. It was refreshing to be with someone who said exactly what they were thinking. No bullshit. No lies. It’s exactly what I needed.
“We have to be exclusive,” he said. “That’s my biggest term.”
“Why?”
“I want to be the only one inside you.”
I wasn’t planning on hooking up with anyone else, but I was curious.
“I want you all to myself,” he said firmly. “I don’t share, and I certainly don’t double dip.”
“That’s romantic,” I said sarcastically.
He smiled. “You understand my meaning.” He rubbed his chin then returned his hand to my thigh. “No families, no friends, no introductions.”
“So you can’t be around my bandmates?”
“That can be an exception,” he said. “They’ve already seen me. But don’t expect to meet my friends.”
“So this is a secret fling?”
He shrugged. “It just makes it easier. I don’t want people to think I have a girlfriend. What’s one of your terms?”
“I didn’t say I agreed to this.”
“Which is why we’re talking about it.” He stared me down, the heat in his gaze was almost suffocating. I could tell he really wanted this to happen. But he didn’t want it as much as I did.
“No lies—ever.”
“Deal.”
“No attachments. I meant what I said. I don’t want a relationship—not a serious one.”
“I can work with that. We’ll end it when you leave at the end of the summer.”
I wasn’t leaving, but I didn’t tell him that. “Okay.”
“Anything else?”
I couldn’t think of anything else. “No.”
“Then do you accept?”
“No.”
His eyes darkened slightly. The frustration and desperation was evident. But he tried to hide it. “No?”
“I want to know why you want this arrangement.”
“If I answer, you have to answer the same question.”
That wasn’t something I wanted. “Then never mind.”
He nodded. “So, do we have a deal?”
“Can I think about it for a moment?”
He pressed his mouth against my ear. “What’s there to think about? You’ll enjoy it—believe me. I’ll make your toes curl. I’ll make you rip my sheets because you’ll scream so loud, and you’ll come more than you ever have in your life.”
Against my restraint, a slight breath escaped my mouth. Just hearing those words ignited a blaze between my legs. I imagined him on top of me, thrusting into me and making me shake. I involuntarily bit my lip, longing to feel him stretch me. That definitely made me reach my decision quicker.
“Is that a yes?” he whispered.
“I…maybe.”
He growled at me. He actually growled. “This will happen, Prudence. I will be inside you one way or another. You should save us both the time and frustration. The arrangement is perfect. No heartbreak, no lies. If you feel guilty for having loveless sex with me, you shouldn’t. We will build a relationship together, one based on trust and friendship, but there will be no obligation. Nothing could be more perfect. When you leave at the end of the summer, you will be a happy memory, nothing that will cause me pain. And you’ll feel the same way.”
I felt his breath fall on my skin. It took all my self-control not to run my fingers through his hair and press my mouth against his. I wanted to feel his tongue slide across me, penetrate me, and then do it all over again. When I didn’t speak, he stared me down, his anxiety becoming more prevalent. I was taking the control away, and I could tell he didn’t like it one bit. His frustration leaked out. And I liked making him wait.
He suddenly pushed me down into the leather seats then moved on top of me. The limo continued to drive through traffic, but I ignored the slight movement of the car and the music playing quietly. He separated my legs with his knees then placed his other leg on the floor. His hands gripped mine, pinning me down. I should have been scared but I wasn’t.
Cash hovered near my mouth, his lips almost touching mine. He grazed them as he moved, making my lips open involuntarily. He smiled when he saw the desire in my eyes. That cocky asshole. Then he sealed his mouth over mine, giving me a tender embrace. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Cash was so confident and calm all the time. I was expecting him to devour me aggressively, taking me like a caveman. But he didn’t. He caressed my lips like he loved me, kissing me like he adored me. His hand moved through my hair while he took my breath away, taking any restraint I had with it. He finally released my hands, allowing me to run my fingers through his strands. They were soft.