Seth shrugs. “Around.” I can almost hear the smile on his lips. “I like to watch.”

Blade’s icy, blue eyes glower at Seth and then at me. “You sure know how to pick em’, Olivia.”

I manage a smile, inching closer to Seth—so close my breast rubs against his arm. “You’re proof of that.” I reply, remembering to breathe.

He steps closer and I stiffen. Seth would absolutely crush Blade and even though he’s a dick, I don’t want him to get hurt. A confident smile spreads over Seth’s lips, daring Blade to try something. Blade has his wits about him tonight because he doesn’t do anything to provoke Seth. Instead, he growls. “Don’t get too comfortable because we’re still together. We’re just having a disagreement.”

“No,” Selena interjects. “You’re finished.”

Blade storms away and we watch him until he disappears from the alleyway. Seth drops my wrist and I turn to Selena. She wraps her arms around my shoulders again, pulling me into her. She holds me for a little while. “Don’t worry about him.”

I withdrew from her and wipe my eyes.

“Do you want to go home?” She asks.

“Yes.” My night is ruined. There’s no coming back from this and more alcohol will only make it worse.

“I can take her.” Seth offers.

I open my mouth to protest, but Selena cuts me off. “How much have you had to drink?”

“One beer. I’m fine to drive. “

I step away from Selena and attempt to turn to Seth—attempt being the keyword. My shoe snags on something and I fall. I squeeze my eyes shut and brace for impact only it never comes. When I realize I haven’t hit the ground I become aware of Seth’s hand wrapped around my waist and the other that has a firm grip on my arm. He’s so close to me and his delicious scent makes my head even woozier. Selena is keeled over and laughing her ass off because I almost fell. Typical.

“...thanks.” I mumble as he helps me back to standing position. I look everywhere but at his face, which I’m sure is regarding me in amusement.

“You can take her. If she goes with me we’ll probably break both our necks before we get home.” Selena has a residual smile on her face and I widen my eyes at her, trying to hint that I don’t want to be alone with Seth. I can barely keep my shit together in public. If we’re in a car alone, God knows what I’ll do.

Selena rolls her eyes at me and kisses my cheek. “Thanks for coming out with me tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Selena, but—I—we—damn it!” She slips back through the club door and I’m stuck outside with Seth.

After a few seconds, I gain the courage to look at him. He stuffs his hands into the pockets of his jeans as his dark eyes follow my every movement like I’m going to fall again.

“Well,” he begins. “Your ex-boyfriend is a dick.”

“That’s putting it nicely.” I groan, running my hands over my face. “Can we go? I’m not really in the mood to hang around here.”

He pulls a set of keys from his back pocket and gestures for me to follow him. Compared to the air in the club, outside is cool and it blows refreshingly across my skin. My feet ache in my shoes as I trail behind Seth down the street and to his car. Who drives to a club anyway? When Seth unlocks and approaches a big, white four-wheeled drive I have to say that I’m surprised. I imagined Seth to drive a motorcycle or a sports car, or something completely dangerous and unnecessary. Instead, he drives a beautiful Range Rover. It’s big, safe and totally not what I expected. He opens the door for me.

“Thank you.”

His lips twitch suddenly upward, molding his mouth into a breathtaking, slightly crooked smirk, and I feel my chest constrict as I unsuccessfully try to tear my eyes away from his full lips.

“Don’t thank me,” he says when I’m comfortable in my seat. “It’s what boyfriends do.” His smirk widens into a full blown, cocky smile and he closes the door. My hands automatically fly to my face to cover my embarrassment. I never should have tried to provoke Blade. Now I look like the weirdo who goes around telling people Seth is my boyfriend when realistically we’ve only spoken a handful of times. He opens the driver door and climbs in. I take my hands away from my face, but I don’t dare peek at him as he speeds away from the club.

“I’m really sorry...” I apologize after a while. Honesty is the best policy, right? “He asked me if we were seeing each other and to spite him I didn’t deny it.”

He chuckles. “It’s no big deal. I’m just glad I was there to help you out of that shit storm.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“I don’t blame him for being pissed though.” He runs a hand through his hair quickly, glancing at me before turning his attention back to the road. “I would’ve pulled you off that guy myself if your ex hadn’t showed up.”

I scoff. “You would have, would you?”

“Damn straight I would have. That guy was a fucking douche bag. You’re too... I don’t know—good to let a guy like that put his hands all over you.”

I’m annoyed by his words. I hate when people act like they know me... but, at the same time, I’m awed and I can’t stop the stupid warmth from spreading through my stomach. “Good?”

He nods. “Yeah, I mean that dress is a little on the bad side, but I can tell you’re a good girl at heart.”

He can tell? So far all I’ve done in his presence is stare at him, touch him and let a guy dance with me in a club. That doesn’t exactly scream ‘good girl’. I cross my arms and decide not to continue the conversation because for one, I’ll probably say something stupid. Two, I feel like vomiting and three, because any man that makes you want to take your clothes off and allow him to do anything to you within the first few minutes of meeting him is definitely the kind of man you want to stay away from. ‘BAD NEWS’ doesn’t come any clearer than that. Seth is sexy as sin and that makes me take the ‘Satan in a Sunday hat’ term more literal.

The rest of the drive is quiet and I peek at him sideways every now and then. His eyes are always glued to the road and one of his hands grip the steering wheel so tight his knuckles become white. The journey isn’t long and I’m so painfully aware of his presence I barely notice the streets and houses whipping past. Thankfully, the car eventually comes to a swift stop outside my house.

“Thank you.” I say without glancing at him. I open the door and slide out of the car. Behind me, I hear his door close too and my stomach clenches. What the hell am I meant to do now? He follows closely behind me as I go up the stairs and unlock my front door. I delay turning around for a few seconds, but when I do I’m face to face with Seth. My belated sensor light flicks on and illumines his features—the black hair, dark eyes with tiny golden rivers and finally a set of luscious lips, and all of them are inches away from me. My body knows it too. Everything inside me is tight and on full alert just waiting for me to give them the signal to let go. I step a little closer to him, encouraging him.

He’s looking at me, his eyes dancing while his mouth remains curved in a lopsided smirk. I have a sudden, wild urge to reach out and press my fingers to his perfect lips.

“I meant what I said.” He says. His voice is low and it draws my attention from his lips to his eyes. “You’re too good for guys like him...and me.”

I frown, defiantly. “Who says I’m good?”

Seth leans into me and my breath catches in my throat. He’s so close the scent of him tears through me and desire swells between my thighs. The cologne he’s wearing makes me want to close my eyes and inhale as deeply as I can, but I don’t because that would be creepy. I can’t be plain, boring and creepy. His eyes are focused on me as his hand slides firmly around my waist. My pulse hits overdrive and my skin prickles all over. I want to lick his chest and kiss his lips. I want to feel his rough hands all over my body. Oh God. I want it. It’s so wrong—so unlike me—but I can’t stop the pure, animalistic desire in the pit of my stomach.

“I know you’re good because you flush whenever I get close to you.” He leans in and I can feel his hot breath on my face, causing my pulse to skitter uncontrollably. “Your breathing either speeds up or disappears completely. And—” He slides a firm hand between my legs. I gasp and instinctively squeeze them shut—trapping him. His eyes continue to dance with devilish amusement as they taunt me. “Let’s just say, I can tell by how you react to me.”

I find myself incapable of speech as I remain frozen, completely entranced by the thick, rough hand trapped between my thighs. My breathing is deep and quick. I can feel the warmth of my blush beginning to spread down my neck and across my chest, and it feels as though my very skin is burning. His hand feels so good where it is and I don’t want to let it go.

“And if I wasn’t good?” I reply, slightly breathless. “What would happen tonight?”

“Nothing. If you weren’t good I would’ve had you in the shower room two days ago.”

Shower room? Did he come down the hallway to specifically find me? Had he honestly expected me to spread my legs for him in the shower room at my father’s gym? He’s confidence levels are annoyingly high. Reluctantly, I open my legs and he takes his hand back, but not before sliding his finger right across the center of my warmth. A half moan, half gasp falls involuntarily from my lips, but I’m too aroused to be embarrassed. He blinks for a second too long and his jaw noticeably tightens. I can see he’s trying to decide what to do right now and I pray that it’s not treat me like I’m good. His hand grabs the front of my dress and tugs me into him. I don’t have time to react appropriately before he grips my hips and presses the lips I’ve so desperately wanted to kiss, to my own. Something snaps inside me, and with a surge of hot arousal, I run my fingers through his hair and kiss him back with wild abandon. His tongue glides across my bottom lip, coaxing me into opening my mouth. I do and he wastes no time in darting his tongue inside. I’m not going to stop here—no way—in my little world, I’m way past the point of redemption. I want him and I want him right now. He tastes delicious and it’s amazing considering he was drinking beer not too long ago. Seth crushes his body against mine and his hands slide up my delicate curves and into my hair, urging me harder against him. My heart is racing and the desire between my legs grows stronger. Blade is in the back of my mind the whole time. I feel guilty, but I’m too aroused to stop. I have to tell myself over and over in my head that I’m not Blade’s. He isn’t my boyfriend. I’m my own person.

I’m free.

Seth’s hands leave my hair and wrap around my thighs as he lifts me like I weigh nothing. I surround his hips with my legs and grow a million times more aroused at the thought of his muscles being squeezed between my thighs. He speaks against my lips.

“We’re not doing this. Wholesome girls like you have no business being with boys like me.”

“Shh.” I crush my lips forcefully to his, not hesitating for a moment as I suck his bottom lip into my mouth before plunging my tongue between his lips. I don’t want to be good right now. I want to be bad. He opens my door and I’m glad I left the lights on before I left for the club otherwise I’ll miss the whole show. A small groan releases itself from his throat sending shockwaves of pleasure through my stomach. He lowers me onto the couch and his body, comes with me, pinning me hard against the cushions. I can feel every inch of him and the rough denim of his jeans cause goosebumps to break across every inch of the exposed flesh of my thighs. His obvious arousal presses firmly against my core as his mouth hungrily consumes mine. I moan against his lips as his rough hands reach under the hem of my dress and grasp my bare hip. His hand lingers there for a few seconds before he runs a finger along my stomach and then lower along the edge of my underwear. I shudder, rocking my hips against him. I want him to touch me there and I want him to lick me there. I want him to do anything and everything. His eyes flicker onto mine and fireworks explode inside of me.

“Easy.” He breathes, his voice dripping like melted chocolate. “I just want to touch.”

He grins victoriously as I nod and his finger sides against my inner thigh and slips under the fabric. Strange ripples shoot through my body as he caresses my smooth center. He groans low in his throat, and the sound spurs me onward as I thrust my hips harder against him. Seth shakes his head, dropping it onto my chest. He nips at my neck and slides his finger between my creases. I grip his shoulders and sink my teeth into my bottom lip to block a whimper. His breathing is hard and labored as he lifts his eyes to my face. “I want to do so many things to you, right now, but I can’t.” He pulls his hands from between my legs and exhales “I can’t.”

He catches my bottom lip with his teeth and I groan in protest as he lifts himself off of me. This is not happening. I’m too aroused, too far gone to stop now. Beside, I’m the one who just broke up with her long term boyfriend, aren’t I meant to be the one freaking out and putting a stop to sex with a stranger? I’m the one who’s supposed to get the sudden attack of morality, not him. I pull myself into a sitting position and watch as he makes his way to the door.

“Seth, where are you going?” I can’t keep the annoyed, disappointed tone from my voice.

He opens the door and leans his head against the wood. He opens his mouth to say something, but his phone rings, cutting off whatever he was going to say to me. Sadly, I think it has something to do with me being good. God damn it! Immediately, he pulls it from his back pocket and brings it to his ear.