Darren leads me to his parked car, almost directly in front of the establishment, after settling our drinks. I'm captivated by the beauty of the sedan and let my fingers glide over the burgundy paint, while my companion's hand rests on the small of my back.
- It's an Alfa Romeo Giulia, he informs me, puffing out his chest.
I nod, knowing absolutely nothing about cars. I have no idea of its value, but judging by the pride with which he mentioned it, I assume it's valuable. He opens the passenger door for me, like a true gentleman, then goes around and gets behind the wheel. He revs the engine and quickly starts, pulling onto the road. I take advantage of these few minutes of the ride to send a brief message to Leslie and Noah, informing them briefly about how my evening is unfolding.
Leslie congratulates me, while Noah urges me to be cautious and to send him the address I'm heading to.
The car comes to a stop in front of a luxurious hotel in Manhattan. I type its name and approximate location and send it to my best friend.
- Do you live at the hotel? I ask.
I'm taken aback by his burst of laughter, as if I had said something foolish. He doesn't seem affected by my somewhat irritated response.
- Did I say something funny?
- No, it's just that I don't bring women to my place, he replies simply.
It's strange, he must be hiding something, and when I say something, I mean a woman, and perhaps even children. I really don't want to get caught up in that kind of situation. I don't know what he's sensing in my behavior, but he places a hand on my shoulder.
- I have nothing to hide; I just want to keep my home to myself.
A somewhat twisted explanation, but I believe him. He inspires trust in me, or maybe it's the three glasses of alcohol I had earlier that make me less suspicious. Yes, that's probably it. He steps out of the vehicle and hands the keys to a valet with a look that I interpret as "a scratch on the car, and I'll kill you." Ah, men and their cars, a great love story.
The passenger door opens, and Darren extends his hand to help me out. I take it, and a long electric shock runs through me. I look up at him to see if he felt the same thing. His face is impassive, but there's something in his gaze that makes me believe he did.
I get out of the car, and Darren places his hand on my lower back, just like before, and we make our way into the grand lobby. Everything here is very luxurious, with marble floors and countertops, crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and impeccably dressed staff. I really feel out of place in this setting, so I hang back as the handsome man I'm with heads to the reception.
- Have you lost your voice? he teases as he steps into the elevator.
- It's just that I'm not very comfortable in this kind of place, I admit.
The elevator opens directly into the room, or I should say, the suite. It's divided into several rooms, with the first one, where we are now, serving as a living room. This living room is almost twice the size of my apartment. Three large gray canvas sofas are arranged around a low marble table with golden legs. There's a huge flat-screen TV on the wall in front of us, and enormous floor-to-ceiling windows offer a high-rise view of the entire city. On the right wall, two bars frame a double door that likely leads to the rest of the suite. The decor here is much more modern than in the lobby.
- Please, have a seat, Darren suggests as he advances and removes his jacket, letting it fall onto one of the sofas.
I wasn't wrong earlier when I said he had a well-muscled upper body. His white shirt tucked into black suit pants accentuates his physique, and he seems to have absolutely perfect buttocks.
- Avoid doing that if you don't want me to take you right away, he warns me.
I furrow my brow, not understanding. I hadn't even noticed that he had turned around. He approaches dangerously close to me and places his hand under my chin, tilting my face slightly and caressing my chin with his thumb. With it, he frees my lower lip trapped between my teeth.
The Adonis invites me to sit on one of the sofas and returns with two empty champagne flutes that he fills in front of my eyes before handing me one.
- Am I going to have the pleasure of knowing your name before I put you in my bed?
- Maybe, I reply. But maybe I'm just enjoying your champagne before I leave.
He brings one of the two glasses to his mouth and drinks from it. I'm, like before, mesmerized by his Adam's apple, and I force myself not to bite my lip.
- You can lie to yourself, but deep down, you know you want it.
He places his glass back next to mine on the coffee table and faces me, closing the gap between our bodies. The palm of his hand rests at the edge of my skirt, and his face moves closer to mine, his blue eyes locked onto mine.
- You're very receptive to my words and my gestures, every one of them reverberates here, he whispers, tapping my thigh.
- On my thigh, I joke.
His hand immediately moves up and rests on my intimate area, already wet. My breath catches as he gently caresses my c******s through my panties. Under normal circumstances, I would be offended and run away, but the sensation of his gaze and the warmth of his touch dissuades me.
- Right here, and you can't deny it, I have proof at my fingertips.
I'm breathless, he's audacious but incredibly exciting. My nerve endings are on edge; I'm just a bundle of pleasure ready to explode.
- Now, if you want me to stop, he murmurs as he slowly caresses my crotch without taking his eyes off me. You just have to say the word, and I'll let you go.
I'm now hypnotized by his lips moving slowly. My God, how I'd love to taste them and feel them all over my body.
- Savannah, I reply, breathless. My friends usually call me Ana.
- I'm not your friend, Ava, he states firmly."