Stare Me Down (Stare Down) (12 page)

Halting just before they reached the car, she asked, “You’re sure about this?”

“Positive.”

She was just about to slide into the passenger seat when she stopped and looked up. “Ramsey?” The moment she had his attention, she asked him the question she’d been dying to speak since his visit with Maggie Wednesday afternoon. “Why did you agree to this?”

His smile lit up the space between them and he answered, “You’ll see.”

*****

A few hours later, Aries waited until the last dinner dish was cleared before he answered Jaxx’s question. “How can you say I have an aversion to talking about politics and religion? I answered you, didn’t I?”

She laughed. A full throaty laugh that snaked through him like a sultry caress. “Yes, but you prefaced answering that rhetorical question by saying in the immortal words of Fred Flintstone as dictated by Batman.”

“That was meant to be rhetorical?” He deadpanned.

This time when she laughed harder, her head fell back and he didn’t deny the urge he had to examine her wonderful attributes.

He’d thought his monumental attraction to her stemmed from her Woody Allens, but he’d been wrong there, because tonight she wasn’t wearing them. And with her hair down and that short pencil skirt wrapped around her so sweetly? God, he’d sucked in a breath earlier when she got out of the car and walked in front of him. Being treated to that tantalizing horizontal pull across the tuck of her ass was exhilarating. Especially when he recalled the afternoon he’d smoothed the tape over her curves. He had all he could do to keep his hands off her before they were seated and now? All he wanted to do is reach across the table and drag her over it until they were close. Tight. Until he felt the warmth of her breath on his skin.

When she quieted and looked at him he grinned. “So, how about we smash every first date taboo and talk about soul mates? If as you say, romance is overrated, what happens to the prince and princess at the end of the fairytale?”

She didn’t hesitate, grinning right back at him. “There’s a reason they call it fiction.”

“A realist and a cynic.” He leaned back. “I dig it.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. How would you explain the happily ever after syndrome?”

He loved how she continually caved into her curiosity. Smiling, he popped his brows at her. “Since you asked. Magical vaginas.”

She inclined her head. “That’s a topic that sounds noteworthy.”

“It is, believe me—” he checked his watch, “—but we don’t have time. I promised Q I’d be back to pick the doctor up by midnight, and it’s nearly eleven now.”

“Eleven?”

He nodded.

“Time just seems to…”

“Fly?” He offered, because oddly enough it was the truth tonight. He’d been prepared to wade through the evening until it was time to initiate the part of the plan that entailed doing her a favor with a little “I’ll teach you something about yourself” session. The sole purpose he had in mind was to free her of the notion that she somehow needed Krum-head or whatever the German guy’s name was. If the idea that she was frigid was the only thing holding her up from finding a real relationship, well, he was going to magnanimously lead her to the promised land of smut, but then they’d sat down and everything changed.

No preconceived thoughts. No plans put in motion. It had been just the two of them in real time. In the moment without other distractions so they were free to talk about substantive stuff. Topics that were interesting and surprising. If she were a song, he’d say her river ran deep.

“Yes, fly is a good analogy.”

He motioned for the waiter and paid the tab. “Thanks. Keep the change. But could I trouble you for a cup, with a little water and lots of ice to go? Just tell Angelo that Aries wants to steal a glass. I’m sure he’ll be okay with it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Before Jaxx asked about the ice, he spoke, “Why are you so interested in figuring yourself out?”

“I am?”

He wasn’t going to let her duck out of the question. “Yes.”

“I guess I want to be like everyone else.”

“Why? Wouldn’t you much rather be unique? It’s your flaws that make you different. You should embrace them.”

“I think I do to a certain extent. There are just so many.”

When she couldn’t escape one way she tried to verbal escape another, but he’d already figured that out about her so he was prepared. “According to who? Maggie?”

“No.” She took her napkin off her lap and threw it on the table. He was surprised then that she eyed the exit instead of him while she admitted, “I have my critics. Mom, dad, Maggie—” she turned to look at him, “—my fifth grade teacher who told me I was a silly twit for Christmas treeing the middle school placement test.”

“I gather you wanted to be like all the other kids?”

She shrugged. “It didn’t matter. My grades landed me in those AP classes in the new school so my little defiance that I was caught in, was for nothing.”

“So why are you smiling?” Her smile made him want to smile too.

“For a kid who was purported to be smart I was a complete ass when it came to that test. I took the term Christmas treeing it literally. It’s no wonder I got caught. I put a star on top of the darn thing.”

An image of her taking the time to do that made him laugh.

“Yes, well, enough about me. Are you going to tell me about the magical vagina?”

With the check paid, his ice on the way and forty-five minutes to spare before he had to be at Q’s, he’d be cutting it a little close taking her to heaven, but what the hell. “All right. Do you read romance novels?”

The waiter arrived and handed him the glass.

While he waited for her to answer, he wrapped his hand around the tumbler to gauge the temperature, because the colder, the better. He was fully expecting her to deny it. That’s what most women did, but then, she wasn’t most women.

“Of course.”

He grinned. “Then you should know the prevailing fantasy theme. Invariably the hero is usually tamed by the heroine’s ‘magical vagina,’ which makes him want to give up his bachelorhood and dedicate himself to paying homage to that special vessel for the rest of his life as it completes him.”

There was that laugh again. Genuine and totally seductive, because he could tell she didn’t know how great it sounded and that, more than anything, piqued his interest. Not that his interest needed piquing. He was on a mission. Hence the ice, but after spending these few hours with her, the little goodnight interlude he’d had planned was expanding. Rapidly.

“Ha, that’s a good one.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back to study her. The candlelight did awesome things to her skin and made the lavender color in her eyes stand out. “You don’t agree?”

She tossed her head in a shake. “No. But I do give you credit for coming up with an eloquent definition of a guy being pussy-whipped.”

“Oh, that wasn’t me. The credit goes to my buddy, Shawn Alff. He’s an up-and-coming writer out of Tampa Bay and whenever he’s in town we shoot the breeze over world changing shit like this. The conversations are riveting. Shocking. Mind-blowing even.”

“Oh, I bet.”

He eyed her and decided. Since she said the ‘P’ word first, to his mind, she was now fair game. Time to see how deep her river ran. He leaned forward and held her gaze. “Do you like pussy-whipped guys, Jaxx?”

“I’m not going to answer that.”

He waited for her to cross her arms and settle back to glare at him before he asked, “Why not? It’s a simple question. Do you like a soft man? Or would you prefer a man like me?”

“You’re not so hard.”

“I can be, and we both know it. Answer the question.”

“I don’t think I want to.”

“Sure you do.” He was relentless. He knew she wanted to look away but he wouldn’t let her. Instead, he challenged her. “Do you like a man who knows where he’s going? A man who commands his space? A man who cares for the things he loves?”

She uncrossed her arms and leaned forward. “Put like that, I’d be crazy not to say yes.”

Now he had her. “Yeah, but that kind of man comes with a price. I’m that kind of man.”

Silence.

“Come on, Jaxx.” He reached out and took hold of her hand. “I know you’re dying to ask.”

Energy crackled between them until she chickened out, closed her eyes and whispered, “What’s the price?”

“Loyalty.”

Her eyes snapped open and she frowned. “Loyalty?”

“Absolute. I want one hundred percent fidelity and I demand a steadfast commitment from my woman. I’m possessive. Selfish. And totally single-minded in my pleasure of her.”

She gulped and unfortunately for her, he saw it. The hunt was on.

“Do you think you could handle that?”

A full thirty seconds past before she stammered, “I, ah‌—‌are you asking?”

He nodded. Not quite sure how they’d gotten here, but now that they were in the thick of things, he was going with it.

“Why?”

It was his turn to frown. “Why what?”

“Why me? Why now? Just…” She shrugged.

He had no ready answer. He certainly couldn’t tell her that his original plan was to show her she wasn’t frigid so she didn’t have to waste herself on a dried-up old genius. “I don’t think I have an answer, other than to say, life. I wasn’t looking to start a relationship now. Far from it, actually. And I don’t think you were either, correct?” She nodded. “But sometimes what we want and what we get are two different things. As in this case.” He squeezed her hand. “I think a start of a relationship found us.”

When she didn’t say anything, he let go of her and sat back. “Unless I’m the only one feeling the attraction.”

“No.”

He was glad she was quick on the draw with that denial. “Great.”

“But…”

“Yes?”

“I may only be feeling this attraction to you because of external forces. Newly discovered ideas that have me curious. I want you to be aware of this just in case it doesn’t…‌and then I have to…‌I just want to be totally honest and above board.”

“External forces?” He was thinking about her imminently arriving German sperm donor. Was this what she was referring to?

“Books, to be exact.”

“Excuse me?”

“You have cited the magical vagina as the traditional fantasy theory in a romance, but I’m afraid women’s lib has demanded that fantasy be met and trumped with the onset of mainstreaming kink in stories. Currently, anyway, and I’m also afraid I’ve been swept along for the titillating ride.”

He had no idea what she was saying, but whatever it was it was killing her, because her face was as red as the rose in the bud vase. “I’m not sure I’m following.”

“The magical balls.”

He blinked.

“It’s true.” She nodded. “When I read the kind of romances I do‌—‌BDSM, by the way‌—‌it’s the hero’s bold and less-than-heroic actions, for the sake of the heroine’s pleasure, that gets my pulse beating.”

“Ah, I see.” Did she know what she was admitting to him? Was she that savvy or completely naive? He poured the water with the additional melted liquid out of his ice into another glass until there were only cubes left. Time to see. “You could have just told me you’re into consensual non-consent. I’m rather a big fan of that myself.”

“I said no such thing.” She picked up her purse and clutched it against her belly. “I was just merely stating—”

“That a real guy should have the balls to give his woman what she wants, even when she doesn’t know what that is?”

“No, that’s not—”

“That a real man has the strength to face his woman’s fear and help her walk through it?”

She frowned. “Well, no, but that does sound sort of reasonable.”

“How about that you want a real man who won’t let guilt rule you because he rules you. He makes you, so if there’s any guilt involved, it’s his. Only he doesn’t have any, because he’s selfish and single-minded in his dealings with you.” He stood and held out his hand. When she stared at it, he whispered, “Take it.”

Nothing but her eyes moved as she looked up at him.

“Come on, Jaxx. It’ll be fun. Your magical vagina up against my magical balls. While they duke it out over supremacy, you and I will be enjoying ourselves. I promise.”

“This is crazy.” She might have said that, but she still took his hand.

“Trust me.”

She hesitated, and he held his breath. After a charged moment she nodded, and the air escaped his lungs. He was relieved. Ecstatic. So when she pointed to his glass and changed the subject, his relief increased tenfold. “You dumped out all the water.”

Time to mess with her. “I sure did.”

“Don’t you need it?”

“No.” He didn’t add, not for what I have planned. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Eight

Jaxx was trying to keep it altogether. Which hadn’t been hard until the end of their dinner, when they’d veered off quick-fire topics of the day into more intimate subjects. She’d just about slid under the table when he’d asked her if she could handle a guy like him. Handle him being possessive and single-minded while dealing with her.

Dealing? That word was fraught with all kinds of titillating ideas. Each one of which got her tingling. “I thought the restaurant closed the maze at ten?” she asked. This was not the place to go, especially at night, when the only guides were cozy gas lanterns swaying from tall Sheppard’s hooks that towered over the ten-foot-high manicured ivy walls. “I got lost in here once with my dad. Are you sure you want to chance it?”

Ramsey didn’t answer. He just pulled her along.

“If we need to pick Maggie up soon, this isn’t a good idea.”

He didn’t even slow down. He made a right, a right, a left, no a right again. Jesus.

“Ramsey?”

He stopped so abruptly she nearly walked into him. “When are you going to call me Aries?”

It wasn’t until that moment, as he looked down and she looked up, that she realized how tall he was. Oh, she’d known it, but she’d never seen it. Really seen the discrepancy and how it related to her. Maybe because like he’d said, a relationship had found them, so now things like that mattered. She needed to pay attention to them. “You’re a giant.” That thought came out of her mouth unedited.