Denial (3 page)

The clouds part and the cool light of the full moon is making everything brighter, which is great because I can see him better but sucks because now I’m basically sitting in a spotlight. That cocky smile drops away as his lips part. Five years falls
off of his face and he looks so young, maybe even as young as I am. I assumed he’d be older. My heart races. Do not be stupid enough to think that he genuinely likes what he sees. I swear his pace quickened though.

“Maya?” That is one sexy voice. I should answer him because that is in fact my name but the most I can muster is a nod. “I’ve been waiting for you.” He’s not as frightening as I thought he would be. He’s not as anything as I thought he would be. “I’m Isaac.”

“Hi.” I’ve got nothing else.

Obviously he expects me to say something because that last breath wanted to be the start of a laugh. “How long have you been sitting out here?”

Exactly 38 minutes, but there’s no way I’m telling you that
. “Not that long.”

“Then why have I been watching you from my window for more than a half an hour?” he asks.
Busted.

I look up at him sheepishly. “Why did you ask if you already knew?”

His perfect lips roll together as if he’s trying to stop himself from smiling.  “You’re not coming inside, are you?”

“What makes you say that?”

“You look… terrified.”

I am.
“This is weird.”

“Not for me.”

“I know. That just makes it weirder for me.”

“Fair enough,” he laughs. “I’m not going to hurt you.” The irony of his statement makes me grin and the one he’s been failing to suppress gets bigger. He is
ridiculously cute. I still have no idea what to say back to him. “Those people you’ve been watching come to my house, dressed like they just stumbled out of a sex dungeon…” He glances back at the house, clearly not amused. “They are not supposed to be here.”

“They aren’t?”

“No. I suspect my idiot brother invited them to a party that he isn’t here to host. It might get crazy soon.”

“Oh. Okay.” Why am I
disappointed? I’ve been scrambling for an excuse to get out of here and this one is perfect. “I guess I should leave then.”

“No.” He answered back so quickly. Don’t be flattered. “I mean you can go, of course, if you want. But I’ll be leaving soon anyway and then you can have my undivided attention.” That is way more appealing than it should be, but I have absolutely nothing to say and it looks like he still does so I’ll just shut up and wait. “This might sound a little strange, but I’m just going to let my guard down and ask. I need a favor.
”

“
I think I’m supposed to do whatever you tell me to do.”

“Good point, but…” he trails off, tapping his fingers against his thigh. “C
an I get in your car?” My heart starts beating so hard I can feel it in my ears. “I need a place to hide, too.”

“I guess.” This is probably a bad idea. He strolls around to the passenger door. An excitement I don’t understand lifts the corners of my mouth when he flops into the seat next to me, smelling as good as he looks.
But he doesn’t actually say anything. Or look at me. Isaac’s lips part and his brow furrows as more freaky people pull up. The expression reminds me of the freshmen I tutor when they get overwhelmed. “Am I supposed to be doing something?”

“No. I just need to sit here for a little while.”

“Why?”

The thumb he was nervously tapping stops he glances over at me like I
’ve confused him. “Because these people are never supposed to come here and I need to see who else shows up.”

“So why did you let them in?”

“I didn’t. Did you happen to see who did?”

“Probably this guy in his forties with reddish hair in a gray suit. The door opened soon after he walked up.”

Isaac pulls out his phone, skimming his finger across the screen as he flips through pictures. Even his hands are hot. I wonder what they can do. “This guy?”

The picture is a standard issue head shot of a middle aged businessman. “Yes.”

“Fuck,” he mutters, tucking his phone away and covering his face with his hands. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” When he pulls his hands away, I’m taken aback at how angry he looks, clenched jaw, narrow eyes, his mouth hardened into a straight line. He nearly growls as he sinks lower into the seat. “I can’t believe he has a key. I am going to strangle you, Preston.”

“Is that your brother?”

“Not for much longer,” he snaps, pulling his knees up and running his hand through his perfect hair.

“Hey! Get your feet off of my dashboard,” I exclaim without thinking. Shit. I was not supposed to say that. “Sorry. Am I supposed to call you Sir already?”

“No, it’s okay.” He stops fidgeting and rolls his lips together as he puts his feet back on the floor where they belong. “How new to this are you?”

“
Luke says I’m pretty bad at it. Hence the submission crash course.”

“In other words, you have no idea what you’re in for.” Locking eyes with me,
he brings his knees up and resumes defiling my dashboard. At least his shoes are relatively clean. I stick my tongue out at and his eyes widen as he struggles not to laugh.

“Why won’t you let yourself smile?”

His lips finally curl upwards. “Stop distracting me from how pissed off I am.”

“Why are you so angry?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“You are going to be extremely difficult to work with, aren’t you?”

“Not purposefully. I can’t help it.” Our eyes meet and my heart starts racing again. I can’t believe
Luke is letting me fuck this guy. “Please put your feet down, Isaac,” I peep. He inhales sharply, his expression softening as he does what I ask. “Thank you.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“I won’t.”

As the minutes tick by in silence, more freaky partygoers appear, each arrival making him that much more uneasy. His eyes darken as that tapping thumb gets faster and faster. “Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he whispers unconvincingly.

“So what happens now?”

“I’m not sure. We were supposed to have dinner and discuss boundaries.”

“Boundaries?”

“Did he tell you that you had no input?”

“No, but he said I just need to listen because you already know what I’m supposed to do.”

“I bet he did,” he snorts bitterly.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No.” That tapping thumb stops as he turns towards me. “Don’t worry about that yet.” My throat tightens when he reaches forward. I brace for something unpleasant, but his fingers gently trace along my jawline and across my lips as my heart slams into my ribs. “I’m sorry that I’m distracted by this clusterfuck. Don’t be afraid of me.”

“I’ll try.”

“Do you want to do this, Maya?”

“I’m not sure.”
I wouldn’t mind thinking it over while I look at you.

“Can we go to the apartment they got for us, just to talk? Or a restaurant, if you’d feel better staying in public?”

“I don’t want anyone to overhear us.”

“So you’ll go with me to the apartment? You don’t have to stay.” He waits patiently for an answer that I can’t give him. “If you don’t trust me, trust
Luke. He wouldn’t send you off to your death, would he?”

“There are worse things that can happen to person than dying.”

“There are.” That tapping thumb starts up again. “But I won’t do any of them to you unless you agree to it. I promise.”

That shouldn’t be comforting, but it is. And I am just so
frigging curious. And a little aroused because I can still feel his fingers on my lips. “Okay. I’ll go. Just to talk.”

He gives me a mischievous grin, one of the corners of his mouth lifting higher than the other. Why did the scary sex master have to be so hot and approachable
? It is really complicating this decision. Disappointment flashes across his face and that tilted smile drops away when I move my hand toward the ignition.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he lies.

“Just tell me.”

“I… it’s not your problem. Start the car.”

“No. What’s wrong?”

“This is about the easiest order you’re ever going to get. Just listen to me and start the car.”

“No. I haven’t agreed to this yet, so I don’t have to listen.”

“Are you always like this?”

“Why do you think I’m here?”

“I’m actually rather curious. Why are you?”

“I’ll tell you if you say whatever it is you’re trying not to say.”

“You are assuming that I’m withholding something.”

“No, I’m positive that you’re withholding something,” I correct him. His lips roll together. “And now you’re trying not to laugh again.”

“You think you’re so clever.”

“Clever enough not to let you change the subject.”

“Fine,” he chuckles. “I left some things in my room that I would have taken with if I’d known this many people were coming over.”

“What types of things?”

“Objects of significant monetary and sentimental value.”

“So go inside and get them. I’ll wait.”

“I can’t leave you here alone because I don’t know who else is going to show up.”

“Oh. So I’d have to go inside with you.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Do you study body language and facial expressions or something?”

“It’s more like a hobby.”

“Well, it’s part of my job and I know that you’re scared, but I am very tempted to take you up on the offer.”

“I’m not so scared I won’t go inside.” Am I?

“The majority of the people in there are completely harmless.”

“What about the minority?”

He tentatively places his hand on my shoulder. “I won’t leave you alone with anyone, I swear.”

“You’d better not be tricking me. People other than
Luke will notice if I disappear.”

“I assumed as much. Hopefully we won’t have to talk to anyone. We’ll go in through the back.” He starts unbuttoning his white shirt, exposing a torso that belongs on a statue. The tips of my fingers tingle. “Unfortunately, we’ll need to blend in and the girl next door look doesn’t make the cut.”

“This is exactly what I was told to wear.”

“I know. Things change. Flip into the backseat and put on the shiniest, skimpiest thing you can bear to be seen in. I won’t watch you change and I’ll loan you my jacket. Quickly.”

“Okay,” I peep. Before I let myself think about it, I’m crawling between our seats but he grabs my wrist.

“Wait.” His gaze meets mine. “Your turn.” My face is so close to his that I can feel the heat of his breathe on my lips. I lick mine as my eyelashes flutter. “Why are you here?”

“Because I’m actually rather curious,” I quote him.

His lips roll together as his head cocks to the side, his thumb stroking my palm, sending a shiver up my arm into my chest after he lets me go. I’m rummaging through my suitcase for the little silver dress that barely covers my ass.
Luke likes it so much that I’m not supposed to wear it out.

“Ditch the bra, if you’re up to it.” My face flushes. An image of my boyfriend surrounded by the women I’ve seen walking into this place pops into my head while my fingers undo the clasp. “Ready?”

Not even close.
“Yes.”

3

Isaac is already out of the car as I struggle to emerge from the rear passenger door. Looking down at my practically naked body, I pull the hemline down but it doesn’t help very much. It isn’t as tight as it usually is and my legs look scrawny. When I look up, Isaac is staring at me with a surprised expression, his lips slightly parted.

The moonlight accentuates his chiseled features, throwing shadows in the hollows of his cheeks and across his eyes, making them appear even brighter. I have never seen anyone this gorgeous in person, not even close. Thankfully a cool breeze just picked up so I have an excuse for why my nipples are hard.

He looks me up and down before his gaze settles on my… eyes. That’s not a good sign. “You look great.”
Yeah, right. I’ve spent nearly the last hour watching the kind of women you’re always around and I’m not even close
. I fight the urge to roll my eyes and look down. He is subtly adjusting himself. My throat tightens as his fingers raise my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his. “I’m serious.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to overdo it. I’ll go in with you anyway.”

He shakes his head dismissively. “I can’t tell if you’re being modest or if you honestly don’t know.”

“I don’t look anything like those girls I’ve seen go inside.”