The Wildcard

Chapter Four

“You have two seconds to find him – if that’s what you need to do,” he was growling out against my lips – I could feel the affect of this kiss on him too. No longer cold, and aloof, his erection was rubbing against the tender skin on my inner thigh – and his voice had dropped to a dark, and savage growl.

I murmured a no – I could text Ryan, and I was pretty sure I’d just clocked him stalking one of the Spanish waitresses into a dark corner ten minutes earlier, so no doubt, if I went looking for him I’d see more than I wanted to.

He pulled back from me then, running his index finger down the curve of my cheek and untangling the errant strands of hair that had clung to my lip gloss.

“You’re a little puzzle,” he muttered softly, his startling eyes following the path of his touch against me, as he whistled softly with a curve of his tongue behind his teeth.

My pulse quickened – spiralling into a world of fantasy just at that nonchalant, careless sound. I barely registered the young, blonde waitress that approached the table – had no idea where she came from as she smiled and looked at Cayden with lust shimmering in her dark eyes.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Gates?” she asked chirpily – but there was an innuendo behind the words.

Hell, there probably always would be where this man was concerned.

“Tell Adam to bring my car around, we’re leaving.”

He was a man used to being heard – every tone of his voice was a hard command – no pleases, no thank you’s.

He was captain of industry, Alpha male – I didn’t know who he was at all. Cayden Gates – a man every woman would fall to her knees for, that much was obvious. A hard, ruthless man that had just reeled me in on the end of his line – that too.

Hell, living on the wild side didn’t get any better than this, did it?

He stole his lips away from me – draining the last of his scotch – the ice cubes clicking against his teeth – and stood. Bewildered, I followed suit, clasping my clutch in both hands.

I knew, somewhere in my subconscious, what I was doing – giving myself to a man like this – and tomorrow would bring pain – self-recrimination, regret. I knew it would.

What would be wrong with giving him my phone number? Meeting some other time? Getting to know each other?

But I knew I’d never hold the attention of a man like Cayden Gates – I could never be the uncomplicated, untroubled, free spirited woman that he was obviously looking for.

That men like him were always looking for.

And if I didn’t do this now, I would never have him.

So, when he offered me his hand – large and strong, peppered with dark hairs over the back of it – I took it, and I walked away from Pearly Gates without looking back.

Outside was a limo – a handsome young man in a black suit with a chauffeur’s hat holding open the door for me.

He was discreetly averting his gaze from mine – obviously attuned to the nuances in Cayden’s seduction – don’t look them in the eyes – it’s like a mirror reflecting it all back to them. If they see themselves in your eyes, they might see themselves through them.

My subconscious was going for the jugular as I climbed gracefully into the back seat – tormenting me with the idea of my own image. Every patron at Pearly Gates had just seen me arrive with one man, and leave with another.

I’m not an idiot, I knew what they’d be thinking of me.

He folded himself into the seat next to me – one strong thigh beneath the tailored slacks so close to my own that I could feel the electric connection between our skin even through the fabrics. Sometimes these things are just chemical – it’s all about blood and flesh and biology.