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Zephyra POV

My hands trembled as his blue eyes heated up, and though his big body seemed coiled tight, he didn't move, possibly sensing my nervousness.

"Yes? You didn’t have any more questions for me?" he challenged. "You weren't curious about the man you were planning to leave with? Who I am, what I do?"

I licked my lips, acknowledging that I should be more curious. Those were the things I should want to know before doing anything with this guy. But at that point, unless he confessed to being a serial killer, would any of it make a difference? I was sick of thinking about it. I just wanted to have sex with this man who, from the way he talked and acted, seemed like he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Let’s not pretend we’ll ever see each other after tonight," I stated, trying to act mature. "You don’t strike me as the more-than-one-night kind of guy.”

He inclined his head, an almost mischievous glint in his eyes. “Does that bother you?”

“No," I breathed. "Yes. I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m not used to this.”

A corner of his mouth tipped up. “I can tell,” he said with a slow, seductive smile. “Do you need me to convince you?”

His raspy voice sent shivers through me. I licked my lower lip and nodded, hoping that hearing precisely what he planned to do to me would calm my nerves.

“You want me to tell you why you should come back to my hotel room right now?”

“Yes,” I whispered breathlessly.

He reached for my stool, pulling it closer, placing my knees between his thighs. Leaning forward, he tucked my hair behind my ear and whispered, “Because when we’re alone and once with my tongue, when I’ve buried my cock inside you and I’m driving you toward your third orgasm, I’m going to tell you exactly how sexy you are, exactly how hard I am for you, and exactly how incredible your pussy feels when it’s squeezing me. You’ll forget there was ever another man inside you, and when I finally let you, you’re going to come, screaming, all over my cock.”

He leaned back, eyeing my dilated eyes, and smiled, drifting his knuckles over my burning cheek. “Convincing enough?”

My mouth was dry, my heart pounding. This was the craziest, most reckless thing I had ever contemplated. I was tired of being responsible. I had had too much to drink, but I was clear-headed now. Tonight, I would be reckless for once. I met his gaze. “Very convincing.”

A flare of satisfaction brightened his icy blue eyes. “What’s your name?” he asked, his fingers drifting down my throat, setting off butterflies in my stomach.

“Zephyra. What’s yours?”

“Lirael,” he said, studying me with an odd intensity, as if learning his name might make me change my mind.

Strangely enough, I was reluctant to carry on with our small talk after agreeing to have sex with him. Like most things in my life, once I had decided I wanted to do something, I was committed to making it happen as soon as possible. I was still nervous, but there was a sense of anticipation swelling within me that I couldn’t ignore. A need to fulfill a part of me I had been holding back.

When he asked if I was ready to go, I nodded, took a final sip of water to wet my dry throat, and slipped off my stool.

Lirael put his hand on my lower back and guided me toward the exit, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what else his hands would soon do to me. I couldn’t stop the vision of his sweat-slicked body moving over mine.

My feet stuttered to a halt, and I couldn’t go any further without confessing the truth to him. This might have been more than he bargained for. It was possible my virginity could be a deal-breaker for him, and he had a right to know what he was getting into. 

“Wait. There’s something I need to tell you first.”

Wariness tightened his features, and his brows rose as he waited for me to explain my hesitation.

“I . . . um . . . I actually haven’t done this before.”

“I think it’s pretty obvious that going home with a man you’ve just met at a bar isn’t typical for you.”

I lowered my voice. “No. I mean, I haven’t done . . . it . . . before. At all.” A crease formed between his brows.

“I’m a virgin,” I hissed when he failed to respond.

Surprise flared in his eyes. “How old are you?”

His obvious disbelief made me raise my chin. “It’s not like it’s that uncommon.” I held my breath, wondering if he would change his mind.

His eyes ran over me, and something I couldn’t identify glimmered in them. A hint of a smile curled his lips. “Uncommon enough.” He shook his head, still with that half-smile on his face, then took my hand. “Let’s go.”