The boy-girl gods must be looking out for me, because while I ogle the pimp, he’s looking down into a drink he’s clutching. Something with orange juice—possibly a screwdriver?
I blink at him, waiting for him to look up. Waiting to set the tone between us. A jab of humiliated panic stings my chest, but I ignore it. When did I become so concerned about what other people think of me?
Lizzy takes a seat beside Hunter, and that’s when Marchant snaps out of his daze. His eyes slide over me, and then he does a double take, his eyebrows shooting up into his hair.
“It’s you,” he says, in that soft, deep, sexy voice. My body reacts with goose bumps and a roller-coaster feeling in my stomach.
I give a little wave that is only slightly awkward and force my legs to lower me into the seat.
Lizzy’s sharp blue eyes inspect the space between us. I can feel the curiosity oozing out her pores. She can tell that something’s up. She’s probably desperate to pounce on me, but she won’t do it in front of Hunter and Marchant. Instead she presses her lips together and looks from me to Marchant, like a school teacher awaiting a pupil’s answer.
I turn to Marchant— No, to Marchant Radcliffe. That’s how I need to think of him. With some distance. I give him a smile I hope is generic. In doing so, I’m forced to look at his face. Kaa-pow! It’s like bumping an electric fence. He’s just so…handsome. The kind of handsome that’s sturdy and square-jawed. Rugged. Like a cowboy. It’s strange. He’s supposed to be a pimp. Someone on the fringe of society. Someone weird. Perverse. Instead, he makes me think of Superbowls and sports cars. And sex.
I jerk my gaze away like he’s a flame and I’m a wax girl. Edgy energy rips through me, making my fingertips shake; making my stomach feel empty. Just ignore it. I cross my legs at the ankle and set my purse on the floor beside my chair. By the time I’m looking up again, Lizzy’s gone full-fledged detective. She’s sitting up straighter in her seat and leaning forward, looking from me to Marchant like a bloodhound on a scent.
“I thought I knew the answer to this question, but…do you guys know each other?”
I open my mouth, but Marchant beats me to it. He grins at me. “I hit on her earlier, in the casino.”
He gives me an exaggerated wink, and Hunter groans. “Leave her alone, man. Suri’s not your kind of girl.”
Except I am. Obviously I am his kind of girl. I just made out with him in the bathroom. More than made out. What is it we did? Second base? Third? I’m so out of practice, I don’t even know.
I slide a glance at Marchant and find him swallowing back some of his screwdriver, wiggling his eyebrows conspiratorially. Like something happened. Damn.
I’m racking my mind for a change of subject when the intercom spits out static, and a deep, drawling voice lets us know we’re preparing for takeoff.
“The flight to El Paso will take approximately one hour and forty-three minutes, guys and gals. Please fasten your seatbelts and leave ‘em on until we are in the air and the fasten seatbelt light goes off.”
I feel grateful that the intercom has helped the subject of Marchant Radcliffe and my acquaintance pass. Then he looks over at me and runs the tip of his tongue along his lower lip. His totally bitable lower lip.
My face heats up. My throat constricts. My eyes even water just a little.
This is nuts.
I glance first at Lizzy and Hunter to see if they notice my bout of temporary insanity. Both of them are looking at me. Looking at me like they know, or looking at me like I’m sitting right in front of them? I can’t tell. I take a deep breath and look down at my feet.
Even from this angle, I’m tempted by the man whore next to me. His pants leg doesn’t quite reach his slouching black sock, so I can see the barest swatch of thick, hair-dusted shin. Ridiculously, it heats me up.
Maybe that test was wrong. Maybe I am ovulating today. Clearly, my hormones are insane.
This guy owns a brothel, Suri. Where women—and men!—sell their bodies. Do you approve of that?
I actually shake my head as I argue with myself.
I think prostitution is disgusting. Damaging. And I think that whoever runs those sorts of shows is taking advantage of vulnerable women—and men.
An inconvenient memory flits through my mind: me, with my head thrown back and Marchant Radcliffe’s hand down my pants. Me, wanting to mess around with a dangerous stranger because I thought it might give me a feeling of control. Me, making the choice to give myself away for free.
I could blame it on him. On his sex appeal. On that tux. I could say he tugged me into his orbit, because sex is his profession—but that would be a lie.
As the plane begins to taxi down the runway, I’m hyper aware of how much space he takes up in the seat beside me. His shoulders spill into my space, and I have to take a deep, measured breath to keep myself cool and collected.
The plane’s wheels bounce off the runway for the final time, and we’re airborne—just barely. Marchant sprawls his legs out in front of him, as if he’s stretching. His left leg touches my right one. Heat spills through me. I dare not look down.
I blink straight ahead as Hunter pulls out an iPad and Lizzy pulls out a Kindle, and they lean their heads together, talking about how bright the screens are—or aren’t. I catch a WTF widening of Lizzy’s eyes at me, and I divert my eyes—to Marchant’s leg, now pressed against mine.
I feel empty and achy in between my legs. I feel all tingly and weak. Sexed up…
Oh, God.
Using his Super Pimp powers, Marchant Radcliffe senses my moment of lust and goes in for the kill. He throws his arm around my shoulders, pulls me nearer to him, and rests his head on top of mine, inhaling. I can feel his hard, warm chest puff out. Can feel his face stroke my hair.
“Mmmm. You smell f**king good.”
I’m frozen. A mouse being batted between a cat’s paws.
He loosens his grip, and I can feel him looking down at me. “You’re Trent Dalton’s daughter.”
I give a half nod without meeting his ridiculously pretty brown eyes, which he has pointed at me in some kind of Super Pimp seduction stare. “That’s me.”
“No one told me how f**king hot you are.”
I force myself to look up at him, to meet his eyes. To keep breathing, even as my gaze retreats down to my lap.
I haven’t been called “hot” since, I don’t know, freshman year of college? But I’m blushing, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be if this was anyone but Marchant Radcliffe.