Alex rolls off the bed and stretches his glorious naked body. I bite my lower lip and soak up his sexy masculine form. He reaches across the bed, pulls my lip from my teeth with his thumb, and gently sucks my lip into his mouth. A slow burn flames until he releases me. He's gorgeous and arousing without even trying.
He stands back up, and the boyish grin reappears on his face. "I'm starving. Let's get a bite to eat in town."
I frown.
"What?" he asks.
"I don't feel like getting all dressed up tonight," I respond, and crinkle up my nose.
"I have been known to eat at places other than five-star, fine dining establishments, Miss Tate. So, here's the deal—good food, relaxed atmosphere, totally casual. Promise." He raises his eyebrows, a childlike pleading in his eyes. "Come on. I want to show off my girlfriend."
"Fine." I roll my eyes and feign a perturbed attitude, but a smile creeps across my face. Deep down, I love the thought of being Alex Stone's girlfriend. I know it's dangerous, but I need to believe he's mine.
I head into the closet to find something to wear, and Alex comes in behind me and grabs clothes off the shelves.
Staring at my clothes hanging next to his, I have a desperate need to know more information about all the women who came before me. It's a dangerous can of worms to open at this point. We just made it through a relatively exhausting discussion, and I'm leery of heading back down that road. And once I get the information, I may not like it, and it will be impossible to un-ring that bell.
But my curious cat gets the best of me, and I open my mouth before my better sense can talk me down. "Where did you...have relations with other women?"
Alex slides his gaze over to mine. "Why do you want to know?"
"Well, you've said that I'm the first woman to come here, spend the night, et cetera, et cetera..."
Alex takes a slow, steady breath. "I own property in town. I have a place at one of the apartment complexes that I used exclusively for that."
"Oh." I know there have been many women before me. It's not surprising that he has a place dedicated to that activity, especially given he's never had a relationship with a woman past one night.
"And you still have the apartment?" Subtle, Kylie.
"I haven't been there since I met you on the side of the road. In fact, I haven't even thought about it. But yes, I still have it." Alex pulls his pants on. He doesn't look at me, but an uncomfortable tension radiates from him.
"Where is it—the building?" I'm trying my best to sound nonchalant, and I'm sure I’m failing miserably.
"It's not important. I won't be holding it in my portfolio any longer."
I place my hands on my hips, certain he's kidding. "You're going to sell an entire building because we're dating?"
Alex raises his eyebrows.
"Sorry, in a committed, long-term relationship," I restate.
He smiles and saunters toward me, full-on sensual seduction. He grabs me around the waist, pulls me against him, and gazes into my eyes. "I'm selling it because I don't want or need memories of when I wasn't with you. That life is over—forever." He kisses me and returns to dressing. "Besides, I don't want you wondering every time we walk into one of my buildings if it's the one."
I consider this for a moment and realize it's useless to disagree. "Good call."