Chapter 3

Jade

I rushed to change, my mind racing with thoughts of Michael. As I entered the main hall, I spotted him waiting, his gaze locked onto me. My heart skipped a beat.

He flashed that devastating smile, and I smiled back, feeling a flutter.

"That was more than fifteen minutes," he said, standing up.

"You were counting?" I teased.

Michael's smirk hinted that he wasn't the type to wait for anyone, making me feel flattered.

"Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm.

We walked to the parking lot, where a sleek black Mercedes awaited, complete with a driver.

As we settled in, Michael patted the space between us. "I don't bite."

You're not the problem, I thought. I needed space to keep my head clear.

"I'm pretty sure I could take you," Michael said, his eyes scanning me.

I suppressed a shiver. This intense attraction was uncharted territory.

"What makes you sure that I don't?" I asked.

Michael's reply sent a spark through me: "I'm pretty sure you'd let me."

The driver's presence was a timely reminder to keep things in check.

"So, where are we headed?" I asked, attempting to sound casual.

"Perry Lane," Michael replied, naming one of the city's poshest hotels.

As we arrived, Michael opened the door, his eyes never leaving mine.

In the elevator, tension built. I felt like I was melting into his gaze.

The luxurious suite left me breathless. Michael's world was far removed from my simple life.

"Our food should arrive shortly," Michael said, watching me explore.

I joined him at the bar, where he expertly mixed drinks.

"Trying to get me drunk before dinner?" I teased.

"Why would I?" Michael countered, his eyes sparkling. "I want you sober for what's to come."

"Food and conversation?" I asked.

"Maybe ten questions," Michael suggested.

My mind whirled. Could I kiss him?

Michael asked his first question, catching me off guard: "How often have you thought about kissing me since you walked through that door?"

I almost choked on my drink.

"Maybe twice," I lied.

Michael smirked. "Liar."

Now it was my turn.

"How many times have you thought about kissing me?" I asked.

Michael's gaze locked onto mine, his voice low. "As often as there are surfaces to lay you down on, or against, whatever your preference."

My heart pounded.

Michael's phone buzzed, breaking the spell. "Dinner's here."

We sat down, and the aroma of roasted vegetables and grilled meat filled the air.

As we ate, our conversation flowed easily. I learned about Michael's passion for art and his love for old movies.

The evening wore on, and I found myself lost in Michael's eyes.

"Next question," Michael said, his voice husky.

I smiled mischievously. "What's your biggest fear?"

Michael's expression turned serious. "Losing someone I care about."

His vulnerability touched me.

"My turn," Michael said, his eyes sparkling. "What's the wildest thing you've ever done?"

I blushed, thinking of a suitable answer.

As the night unfolded, our questions grew more intimate.

The connection between us intensified, until it felt like we were the only ones in the world.

As the clock struck ten, Michael walked me to the door.

"Thanks for dinner," I said, feeling a pang of disappointment.

Michael's eyes locked onto mine. "Anytime."

His lips brushed against mine, sending shivers down my spine.

"Goodnight, Emerald," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Blue Eyes," I replied, my heart racing.

As I stepped into the elevator, I knew this was just the beginning.

I hated how he looked so composed when I was about to combust in my seat, but I couldn't help but imagine what he was saying. One of those surfaces was this very counter; if I leaned in, I could get my first kiss right here and now. I looked at his lips and involuntarily bit mine, imagining him doing it to me.

"My turn," he said, bringing me back to planet earth. "Would you let me?"

I didn't hesitate. "Yes."

He smiled and removed his arms from the counter to stand up straight. "Good to know."

I was speechless as I watched him walk to the door to let someone in, wondering why I hadn't heard anything. Probably because I was too busy thinking about kissing the hottest man I had ever met. I waited while Michael and the waiter set up our dinner table and only joined him when we were alone again.

He held the chair out for me, and I sat down first, smiling at the feast set before us. It was much more than two people could finish, but I was determined to at least try a little bit of everything because everything looked so good.

"You are not allergic to anything, are you?"

"Does that count as question three? And no, nothing. If I am, we'll find out tonight."

“I’m not sure if mouth-to-mouth resuscitation works on allergies, and it’s the only first aid skill I have,” he replied, making me laugh.

“Somehow, I doubt that. You look like one of those annoyingly good at everything people.”

“You’re right. I’m pretty much perfect.”

I shook my head and started preparing my plate. “You are terrible at being humble.”

“I hate it when people pretend to be modest.”

I usually preferred to eat in silence, but with Michael, I just wanted to keep on hearing his voice and know more about him.

“What else do you hate?”

He took some time to answer as he finished his bite of food. “Long donuts, public gyms, and liars.”

“That’s a mixed bag,” I laughed with a shake of my head. “What do you have against long donuts?”

“Ring donuts are better.” I laughed again, and he pointed to my plate. “What model eats as many carbs as you do?”

“One who is hungry and has a high metabolism. My turn.”

He distracted me as he took a sip of wine, drawing my attention to his lips.

“What’s your favorite dessert?” I finally asked, earning a smile from him.

“Thinking about dessert already? We haven’t even gone through the second course yet.”

“Just answer the question.”

“I can’t decide between tiramisu and good old-fashioned chocolate cake.”

“Chocolate cake? Look at you, being ordinary like the rest of us,” I teased.

“My turn. Can you let down your hair?”

I was surprised by the question, which was more of a request. I had met a few jerks in my life who had asked me if the curtain matched the drapes, a usual but creepy fascination with my red hair. But the way Michael asked me and the look in his eyes made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. My red hair was the only thing I had inherited from my mother, with my sister being the lucky one to inherit her looks. I had grown up loving my hair because my mother had it too, and she looked like a princess, but my reality hadn’t been the same. I had been teased relentlessly growing up, and when I became an adult, most of the comments from guys were just the usual stupid and lewd one-liners.

I put my fork down and reached for the few pins in my hair, pulling them out and letting my hair down. “Not sure I should be doing this at the dinner table, but as you wish.”

He chuckled and reached for his wine again. “We can do whatever we want, even eat naked.”

This man would be my death before the night ended, but I had already decided. Just for tonight, I was going to be the confident vixen and enjoy our time together. Michael reminded me of the arrogant Alpha type I usually avoided in favor of the sweet, nerdy guys, but he made me feel so sexy and excited for what was to come. I genuinely enjoyed his company, and this sexy banter between us was hot.

“We could even skip to dessert,” he added before pushing his chair back and standing up.

I remained glued to my chair until he walked to my side and extended his hand. He helped me stand up and put his hand to my face, caressing my cheek.

“Final question,” he said, moving his hand to my hair and gently touching it.

“Is it my turn or yours? I’ve lost track.”

How could I remember anything when he was touching me like that, his scent clouding my senses?

“I’m going to kiss you,” he almost whispered.

I smiled. “Was that a question?”

He smiled and finally did what we had both been waiting for all night. Michael’s lips were soft and warm and tasted like sweet, red wine. He took charge of the kiss, and I drowned in him, grabbing his shirt to anchor myself to reality. It felt like I had never been truly kissed before this, before Michael, and the teenage excitement I had felt during my first kiss was nothing compared to this. His tongue met mine, and I tasted more of him just before he abruptly broke the kiss. He was breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon, and his dark eyes reflected the lust I felt.

“I want all of you,” he said.

I could only nod, and Michael swept me off my feet and carried me to his bed. I watched as he undressed completely, showing the toned body I had felt during our kiss. A light dusting of hair ran down his rock-hard abs and straight to the massive evidence of his arousal, and it was all mine to enjoy. I reached for the hem of my t-shirt, but Michael’s commanding voice made me halt.

“Don’t.”

I looked up at him as he closed the small distance between us.

“Let me.”

It was my absolute pleasure to surrender to him; he didn’t disappoint me. He kissed every inch of my skin as he slowly exposed it until I was completely bare. He went straight for my core and tortured me with his mouth, not having any mercy until I shook with pleasure. I moaned his name when it became too much, and he slowly kissed his way up my body again. His strong hands felt like heaven against my skin, and when his mouth finally reached my chest and licked the erect nubs begging for his attention, I moaned his name again. He licked and teased me until I begged him for release again, and only then did he finally have mercy on me.

He swallowed my moan in a kiss as he finally joined us, his size filling me to perfection. Michael was a magnificent lover, kissing me as he moved his body in a way that satisfied me. Every cell in my body was humming in the pleasure radiating from where we were joined most intimately, and pretty soon, I felt like I was about to explode again. I dug my nails into Michael’s back, trying to meet his every thrust as I chased my climax. He got the message and increased his pace, his thrusts deeper than before. I held on for dear life and screamed his name one last time before I drowned. For the first time in my life, I understood why it was called the little death because, at that very moment, I died. I felt Michael kiss my shoulder sometime after before pulling me into his arms, but I failed to open my eyes. I allowed sleep to claim me in the arms of the most incredible man, half convinced that I had probably dreamt all of this up.

When I finally woke up, I wasn’t sure how long I had slept, only that it had been the best nap of my life. Michael looked adorable as he slept, perfect even now. It was annoying how he didn’t drool or have an ugly sleeping face like he didn’t know how to be normal like the rest of us. I smiled as I reached to push his hair back, thinking I should have probably asked if he had been created in a lab.

A light caught my attention, and I looked behind Michael to see my phone flashing on his dresser. He must have brought it in because I didn’t remember carrying it from the dinner table. I got up to get it, my heart stopping when I saw Tammie’s message and several other notifications from her. I quickly opened them, and they were all more or less similar. Where was I? Why wasn’t I responding? Grandma Rose wasn’t doing any better, and Tammie needed me to come to the hospital.

I felt like an awful friend as I quickly dressed and grabbed my bag to leave. My heart was pounding as I went downstairs and got into a taxi. My thoughts were only on Tammie and what she was going through, and I quickly sent her a text to let her know I was on the way. It was only when I finally made it to the hospital that I remembered that I had left Michael without a note or any way to let him know where I had gone, and because we had been so lost in each other, we hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers. But the man of my dreams would have to wait. For now, I had to be here for Tammie.

I couldn’t help but wonder if I had left a piece of my heart in that hotel suite.