maybe even to a matinee on Broadway, but I don’t have much—”
“Alec, I’ll cover the cost of whatever we do.”
“That doesn’t feel right. I know it’s a new century, but I want to at least pay my own way.”
“When do you have to have the car back?”
“Sometime tonight. Edgars doesn’t need it until tomorrow, and I have access to the parking lot, so there’s no deadline or anything. We can hang around the city as long as you want.”
She hadn’t finished her salad, but she pushed her plate away. “I don’t want to hang around the city.”
“But you said—”
“I want…” She paused and lowered her voice. “I want to get a room.”
Alec almost came in his pants.
3
MOLLY’S FACE FELT HOT, but she’d said the words. Not elegantly, not seductively, but clearly.
Alec’s brown eyes turned almost black. “You’re propositioning me,” he said, his voice hoarse.
“Yes.” She gripped the edge of the table as she waited for his answer.
“I’d be a fool to turn down an offer like that. But if you’re thinking of this hotel, then I’m afraid the cost is beyond my—”
“I’ll pay for the room.”
“No.”
“Listen to me.” She reached over and grabbed his hand. Now that she’d started down this road, she wasn’t turning back. She’d never grabbed a man’s hand before in her life, but from the way Alec gripped her fingers, it was the right move. “Taking a room here is the perfect solution. No one ever has to know about it.”
He captured her hand between both of his. “I’ll feel like a gigolo, Molly. Believe me, I love that you asked, but it’s like you’d be paying me for sex.”
“I would not!” She was thrilled with the masterful way he’d taken over the hand-holding business, but she didn’t want his ego to get in the way of what she had in mind. “I’m only paying for the room so we can be alone together.”
“Same thing.”
She had to admit that if she paid, the balance of power was in her favor. For a—what had Benjamin called her? A cautious introvert?—assuming that power was a huge step. She needed to do it in order to lay claim to the sexual adventurer buried deep in her soul.
But first she had to convince Alec to stop being so macho. She thought of how she’d handle him if he were a character in one of her books. In order to get him to change his mind, she’d have to introduce new information. It worked in fiction.
“I need to let you know something,” she said.
“Shoot.” His tone was casual, but a pulse was beating rapidly in his throat.
“Josh is wrong. I’m not an X-rated video star. I’m not in the movies at all.”
He gripped her hand tighter. “You sure look like you could be.”
“Thank you. But looks can be deceiving. I’m almost the opposite of that.”
He drew in a quick breath. “A virgin?”
“No.” Was that a gasp of excitement or anxiety? “Would that matter to you?”
“Molly, that kind of thing always matters. But to be honest, if you’d gone all this time without having sex, I’d be a little worried about you.”
“Well, I’m not going to pretend I’ve had tons of experience, either.”
The lines of determination softened, and he smiled. “That’s okay.”
“I’m not normally this bold.”
His grip on her hand loosened enough for him to stroke her palm with his thumb. “That’s what I thought, but Josh gets an idea in his head and he can be very convincing.”
His touch was subtle, but erotic all the same. She’d chosen quickly, but she’d chosen well. Alec would definitely expand her sexual horizons. Her heart thumped crazily as she imagined what the afternoon might bring. “The thing is, I don’t think I’ve ever reached my…my full potential, sexually speaking. But I’m hoping that if the setting is right, and the man is right, I can learn to let go.”
He swallowed, his gaze welded to hers.
She forged on. “The setting I’ve always imagined is a luxurious hotel room, an escape from the world where it won’t matter who we are.”
“Like this place.” His voice rasped with tension.
“Exactly like this. Alec, I’ve been dreaming about you for months. Spending a few stolen hours in a room in this hotel with a man like you would be a fantasy come true.”
He took a shaky breath. “That’s a lot of pressure. What if I disappoint you?”
“I’m more worried that I’ll disappoint you.”
“Not possible.”
“Sure it is.” She faced her worst fear. “Maybe I’m wrong about myself. Maybe I won’t be able to let go and be wild and crazy.”
“Have you ever…um…had an—”
“Yes. Everything works.” And each time, she’d been left with the feeling that it should be easier, better, more world-shattering. “But I’ve never been…well, turned inside out.”
He blew out a puff of air. “Now I’m intimidated. No way am I going to sit here and promise you that I’ll be able to do that.”
“I’m not asking you to.” She quivered with anticipation. “I’m only asking you to try.”
AS ALEC LOOKED into Molly’s eyes, he reminded himself to breathe. What a rush, knowing she wanted him so much, but the prospect was scary as hell, the possibility of failure huge.
He’d always wanted to sky-dive, but hadn’t had the money or the opportunity. Or maybe he’d used the money problem as an excuse because he’d been too damn scared and couldn’t admit that, even to himself. He imagined his first jump would feel something like this—adrenaline pumping, fear mixed in with wild anticipation and the knowledge that he’d never forgive himself if he chickened out and didn’t jump.
He still didn’t like the financial arrangements surrounding this episode, but he understood why she’d want the fancy, anonymous hotel room. She planned to pretend she was someone else for a few hours in hopes she’d lose her inhibitions. He was the lucky guy who’d been asked to assist in that.
That put a lot of pressure on his ability to perform, but he’d have to get over that. Somehow. He was glad she wasn’t an X-rated
