Forbidden Valentine (Forbidden Series Book Four)

Chapter 3

WHEN RANSOM LEFT THE bathroom, having minty fresh breath and damp skin from a lightning quick shower, he found Dani sprawled out in the center of the bed, the buttons of his shirt undone to reveal a strip of creamy, pale skin stretching from her throat all the way down to a thatch of neatly trimmed bronze curls.

His mouth watered at the tantalizing image she made, and he took a moment to look his fill. Memorize every dip and curve. When his gaze reached the soft swell of one generous breast, he caught a hint of her dusky nipple peeking at him through the thin, white fabric, and the miniscule tether that still remained of his self-control snapped.

“I’m not sure you know what you’ve gotten yourself into,” he said with a thread of warning clear in his voice, “because when you leave my bed, I guarantee you’ll be walking funny.”

His vision laser focused on his prize, his cock swollen and heavy between his legs, Ransom strode toward the bed with purpose. He’d had a fair amount of meaningless sex since taking the high road, and all of it had been as dull as the blade of a butter knife, but this…He was confident that this was going to be the exception.

Dani had set off a spark he hadn’t realized was missing, and now every cell in his body was a lit fuse, ready to blow any second.

He had a feeling he’d be working out a lot of math problems in the near future.

Hooking his fingers in his boxer briefs, he shoved them down his hips and past his thighs, his cock leaping out as if it were spring-loaded. “I can’t wait to get between those silky thighs,” he said, his tongue poking out to wet his lips.

With one knee on the bed, Ransom reached out and grabbed one of her trim ankles, but the instant he gave it a tug to spread her open, he knew something was off.

“Dani?” Gaze darting up, he saw that she was in the exact same position she was when he left the bathroom—arms above her head, face turned away…every muscle slack.

“Dani,” he repeated more forcefully as suspicion grabbed hold of him. Climbing the rest of the way onto the bed, he crawled up over her, noticing how small and delicate she was along the way and thinking he must outweigh her by at least fifty pounds. Probably more.

That alone caused a flare of dominance to rise up inside him. And the position she was in wasn’t helping any. His hands itched to claim her wrists, to bind her beneath him as pounded into her.

At the mental image, his cock jumped, reminding him that it was still there—ready and willing. Which was impossible to forget, especially when he felt the sensitive head glide across the inside of her soft thigh, arrowing straight toward her vulnerable and very exposed flesh.

With a groan and a whole lot of self-restraint, Ransom ignored the driving need to get inside her and instead grasped her chin. Turning her face toward his, he found that Dani was, indeed, asleep.

Well fuck.

“Are you kidding me?” She didn’t so much as flinch. Dropping his forehead down to touch hers, he cursed under his breath. She must be exhausted from keeping vigil over him all night. He couldn’t really be upset about that. In a gesture that he chose not to analyze, he pressed a quick kiss to her parted lips and carefully extracted himself from the bed.

Standing over her prone body, taking her in one last time, he pulled the blankets up to cover her then got to work plotting the rest of his day

***

DANI WOKE WITH A start. Cataloguing her surroundings—large bed, white everything, modern everything, clean-as-a-whistle everything—it took her a moment to recall where she was.

She’d gone home with a man.

Who was named Ransom of all things.

A stranger.

A superhot, categorically out of her league hot man who had at least ten years on her.

A man who had promised her a kiss and so, so much more.

And she’d, apparently, fallen asleep before he could deliver.

Last night was so unlike her. She was the good girl. The responsible one. What had gotten into her?

Whipping the covers back, she scrambled from the bed, fastening the buttons on her borrowed shirt as she kicked her purse and shoes into a pile.

No panties.

Eyes darting around the room, she spotted them peeking out from beneath a discarded pillow and snatched them up, putting them on too.

Her shoes were next, a pair of enormously high heels that she’d bought on discount while shopping with Ashlyn over Labor Day weekend.

Ashlyn! She was probably worried sick.

Fishing her phone from her purse, she powered it on while poking her head out the bedroom door.

Coast clear.

Her phone had a seizure in her hand as it loaded updates and informed her of multiple notifications, but she was only concerned with the dozen or so missed messages from her friend.

The last one came in less than an hour ago.

Where r u? We’re gonna be late!

She checked the time. Damn. Ashlyn’s parents were in town and she’d promised to go with her to meet them for breakfast.

Selecting her phone number, Dani pressed the phone to her ear as she hurried in what she hoped was the direction of the front door, all the while keeping an eye out for Ransom. As soon as she heard her friend pick up, she started talking.

“I’m sorry! I’m a terrible friend and I totally understand if you hate me forever. But I want you to know I will make it up to you.”

“Yes, you will,” Ashlyn’s humorless voice answered.

“Meet you in twenty?”

“I’m at my sister’s.”

“Then I’ll come there.”

“Fine, but be prepared to explain yourself. I want every detail.”

“I promise.”

“And bring donuts. And lattes!”

Dani chuckled and hung up without confirming one way or the other. They both knew she’d deliver.

“Leaving without saying goodbye?”

Startled, Dani let out a yip as she spun on her heels. “You scared me!” she shouted, pressing her hand to her chest.

Standing there in a pair of black wash jeans and a royal blue button-down, he was busily tying his tie as he stood behind the kitchen counter regarding her with serious eyes.

How had she missed him standing there?

Feeling as if she needed to say something, Dani cleared her throat. “I um…I need to go. I’m meeting a friend.”

He nodded once, then his gaze traveled over her, creating a maelstrom of feelings that Dani wasn’t prepared to deal with so early in the day.

“Don’t you think you should put some clothes on first?”

Glancing down at herself, her cheeks heated. She had to admit, it was the walk of shame to end all walks of shame. Women usually went home at least wearing what they left the house in. She was going home in a man’s dress shirt and panties.

“What do you suggest I wear?” she asked, cocking her brow to remind him that her current state was entirely his fault.

Finished with his tie, Ransom picked up a glass of orange juice from the counter and carried it to her, his hand extended for her to take it.

She did, but only because she didn’t want to be rude.

“Normally, I’d suggest you putting on the clothes you wore last night, especially since they’ve been laundered. But I prefer this look on you so, instead, I’m going to offer to drive you home.”

She thought of her clothes and how she’d had to pitch them in the trash with a touch of regret. But there was no help for it, so she moved on. “I thought you left your car at the bar last night.”

“A friend returned it this morning.”

Wow, nice friend. Considering his offer, Dani couldn’t really see how she could refuse. It was a choice between standing outside for everyone to see her lady business while she hailed a cab, or preserve what was left of her dignity and take his offer.

“How long before you’re ready to leave?”

“I’m ready now. Just let me grab my briefcase.”

A man with a briefcase. Definitely older. “What do you do for a living?” she asked as they headed out the door together.

“I teach.”

Short, simple, and to the point. Dani liked it, but she also found herself wanting to know more. “What do you teach?”

“Art history. After you,” he said as they reached his car—a sharp, silver BMW that made her salivate—and he opened the door for her.

Impressed by his manners, Dani happily slid down onto the buttery leather and got settled thinking that of all the guys she’d known and dated, Ransom stood out. He carried himself with an edge of collectedness and confidence that none of the others possessed.

Must be a sign of maturity.

Once inside the car, she directed him where to go and tried for a little idle chitchat, but quickly learned that Ransom was not a man of many words. But that was okay, too. She just used her imagination to fill in the blanks.

She cast him as a school teacher to a classroom of high schoolers. He’d be the young, hot teacher that all the girls fawned over and all the boys emulated. He’d be popular not only because of his looks, but because he was fresh, eager, and unspoiled.

“This is it,” she told him as they slowed to a stop in front of an old brownstone covered in graffiti.

Arching forward, Ransom stared through the windshield at the monstrosity with the same kind of judgment in his eyes that she’d had the first time coming there.

“I know, it looks like it belongs in an eighteenth century meat packing district, but it’s actually pretty awesome once you get inside.”

“You live here?”

“No, this is my friend’s sister’s place. She’s the starving artist type, except she only lives like she’s starving. She’s actually banking some pretty nice profits from her paintings.”

And she was rambling.

“Well, my friend is probably wondering what’s taking me so long. Thank you for the ride.”

Turning those incredible ebony eyes her way, a small smile twitched at his lips. “My pleasure.”

Dani stared at those lips, wondering what they might have felt like if she’d gotten the opportunity to kiss him back at his apartment. He had an amazing mouth. Thick and sculpted, evenly balanced with round, smooth lines. Just looking at them heated her up inside, which got her thinking. And once she started thinking, she couldn’t stop.

Which was why the next thing that popped out of her mouth wasn’t a good-bye, but a “We should do it again sometime.” Then she suffered a flashback, knew by his expression that he was thinking the same thing, and hastily amended the offer. “Not the vomiting part. Just the kissing part. Not that we actually kissed, but we could. I mean, if you wanted to. I wouldn’t want to force you to kiss me.” She cringed, realizing she was rambling again. “I’m just going to go now.”

She reached for the door, readying to make her escape, when she felt his hand on her knee. The light touch was electrifying.

“How about tomorrow evening?”

Pinning her bottom lip between her teeth, she turned back in her seat to face him. “I’d like that.”

They exchanged numbers and before Dani knew it, she had a date planned. Who would have thunk it? Less than seventy-two hours after having her heart ripped out and stomped on, she was going out with a man easily twice his caliber.

Talk about an up-spin!

Her moment of elation popped like a balloon meeting the wrong side of a needle when she walked into the fifth floor studio apartment and found Ashlyn lying in wait, her judgy stare shining on her like a thousand suns.

“Took you long enough, and you came empty-handed.”

Dani held her narrow-eyed stare as she approached and copped a squat on the barstool beside her. “I believe I’m a tad early, and, in case you failed to notice, I’m not exactly decent for public viewing.”

Her quick perusal left no doubt in Dani’s mind that she had, in fact, noticed. “You went bar hopping with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb last night. I just assumed the floosy getup was part of the dress code.”

Dani was not amused. “It wasn’t, and must I remind you yet again that they’re nice. What did they ever do to you?”

“Um, let’s see,” Ashlyn said, craning her head back as she gathered what was sure to be a lengthy list. “They’re ditzes. They behave like ditzes. They give women everywhere a bad name. They major in fashion. They’re man-hungry. They skate by on their daddy’s bank accounts. They don’t know the first thing about loyalty. Their noses are so far in the clouds their snot is probably ninety-nine percent rain. Need I go on?”

“First, majoring in fashion isn’t a crime. It’s actually pretty challenging, which lays waste to your claim that they lack intelligence. Second, you’re man-hungry. And third, they’re nice. You really ought to give them a chance.”

“I don’t rub elbows with that spectrum of society,” Ashlyn sniffed. “And for your information, I did give them a chance once, back when we were freshman, and it was the single most regrettable time of my life. I’m still saying Hail Marys at church every Sunday to make amends. Besides, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one here. Why can’t you see them for what they really are?”

Just because she’d graduated high school a couple years early and fast-tracked it through college, Dani was always fielding questions like hers. She couldn’t do or say anything even remotely questionable without someone questioning her intelligence. Frankly, it wore thin a long time ago. She wasn’t about to justify herself or her life’s choices again, and certainly not today. Ruining the emotional high she was riding would be a travesty.

Dani rolled her eyes and let the topic drop. There was no sense in arguing with her when she clearly had her mind set. “So are you going to ask me where I was last night and whose clothes I’m wearing?”

“Where were you last night and whose clothes are you wearing?” Ashlyn asked with false enthusiasm.

“Well, with that kind of attitude, just forget it.” Dani moved to leave her stool, smiling when Ashlyn reached out to stay her.

“Don’t you dare! You promised to dish the dirt, and since you didn’t bring me my coffee and donut, I demand dirt. Heaping piles of it.”

Settling back on her seat, Dani grinned so wide her cheeks ached. “I met a guy last night.”

Ashlyn’s eyes shot open wide. “Screw the coffee! Tell me everything!”