Page 17 of Glorious Sinner

Christ, she really wasn’t getting it, was she? I sat back, making my body relax when my shoulders were tense as hell. I glanced at her. “There’s nowhere I need to be and nowhere I’d rather be tonight than with you.”

She blushed again.

I looked away. I knew I could be intense, especially when I wanted something, and I sure as fuck didn’t want to intimidate her. I was rewarded with the sound of her shaky exhale.

Stephanie

I climbed out of the shower and carefully selected my outfit. The emerald green dress was short and low in the front, hiding nothing, but I wasn’t trying to be subtle.

Tomas had done a lot for me, was still doing a lot for me. I owed him my life. No, he hadn’t asked for anything in return, but I didn’t want him seeing me as weak, as damaged goods.

My worldly possessions didn’t amount to much. I had nothing of value I could give him, and it wasn’t like the man need money. But everyone knew that Tomas Mendoza didn’t do anything for free. I didn’t want to be the exception for a lot of reasons, but more than anything I didn’t want him to pity me.

I stared at myself in the mirror. Once again, the only thing I had to offer was me.

Tomas wanted me. He’d made that much clear.

“There’s nowhere I need to be and nowhere I’d rather be tonight than with you.”

So tonight I’d give him what he wanted.

Nerves assaulted me and my knees actually went weak, and not in the good way.

You can do this.

I hadn’t had sex in a long time, and the sex I had had…I didn’t want to think about it, or Ryan. But, for Tomas, I would get through it. I’d just close my eyes and blank my mind.

I fluffed up my hair, grabbed the little sample of lube I’d gotten from a magazine ages ago, curling it in my fist, slid on my heels, and headed down.

I could hear him talking in his office when I reached the ground floor. His door was open, and going by the one-sided conversation, he was on the phone.

“I don’t care. Turn the fucking city inside out,” he said. “And don’t call me again, not until you have something.”

I knew he was talking about Ryan, that he had men searching for him. He was doing so much for me. I hated that he had to. That me being here had forced him to rearrange his life, that it had to be costing him. Those men he had out searching weren’t doing it for free. How would I ever repay him for everything he’d done for me?

I looked down at myself.

This was a start.

He talked for a few more minutes, and as soon as I heard him finish his call, I squared my shoulders and tapped on the door. He looked up as I walked in, his dark gaze moving over me from the wild hair to the short skirt, and he stilled.

I was no expert at seduction but I was a dancer, which meant I knew how to move, so I put some extra swing in my hips and, fighting down my nerves, strode toward him until I was standing right in front on him.

Tomas looked down at me, his eyes searching mine. “You need something, Angel?”

I smiled in a way I hoped was seductive and prayed he didn’t see how badly I was shaking or how terrified I was. I dropped my hands to his belt buckle and started undoing it. It wasn’t easy with the pack of lube in my hand, but I managed it. “Yeah, I need something,” I said, keeping the smile on my face, and hoped like hell it didn’t look as frozen as it felt.

“You want me to fuck you?” he said bluntly, without pause, voice unreadable.

I swallowed and dipped my chin, and worked at keeping my hands from shaking as I pulled his belt free.

His head tilted to the side. “Why?”

I blinked up at him. “What?”

“Why do you want me to fuck you, Stephanie?”

I dropped my hands away from the button of his pants and curled my trembling fingers into fists, my nails digging into the palm of one hand, the little packet making a crinkling sound in the other. “Why does anyone want sex?”