Forbidden Romance by Lena Lucas

4

Leo

When she told me she didn’t get attention, I nearly scoffed. How in the world did she think men didn’t notice her? When she first walked in, I’d seen a handful of assholes checking her out, which had pissed me off to no end, but they hadn’t spoken to her, so I didn’t let that primitive need to beat the hell out of them consume me.

I’d been surprised at myself for being so bold with her, asking her to talk with me, admitting I watched her. Although she’d clearly known the latter. I hadn’t hidden the fact as I’d held her gaze with my own.

But then some drunken asshole thought he’d touch her? Innocently or not, I felt white-hot rage and possessiveness fill me. He was lucky he backed off, because although I was not a violent man, I was finding that, with this particular woman, she was bringing out the very animal qualities in me.

Daisy Lowe.

Her name was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever heard, second only to her voice, that is. We’d been sitting at this back table for the last hour, nothing and no one so engrossing to me as she was. She sat across from me and was speaking of her job, how she managed books for a mom-and-pop restaurant in the city. I was absolutely enthralled with her, hanging onto every word, listening to every syllable, and cursing the fact that my erection refused to go down in the slightest. The fucker was getting bigger and harder the more time I spent with her.

“That’s really about it on the job front.” She shrugged and stared down at her champagne glass. She had two while we sat and talked, and I noticed her cheeks were this gorgeous pink. They got redder as the silence descended on the table because I was too fucking mesmerized to stop looking at her.

She glanced up at me. “I’m pretty boring, huh?” Her voice was low, slightly husky, and a shot of pure lust slammed into me, because I swore she sounded like that from arousal.

Or maybe it was wishful thinking.

“No one has ever fascinated me like you, Daisy. You could be talking about watching paint dry, and I’d hang onto every single word.” Yea, I just went right ahead and said that, but I was not about to sugarcoat anything. What was the point?

Her eyes flared slightly, and she started biting at her lower lip. A deep sound left me, one I hoped she didn’t hear, as I watched her nibble on that red flesh with her straight, white teeth.

Oh yeah… she was aroused. For me.

She was young, only twenty-two. No siblings. Parents who lived outside the city. And although I was twice her age—literally—old enough to be her father if I really thought about it, which I absolutely wasn’t, she held herself like a mature woman, intelligent and witty, classy, and fiery.

The fact that we were on the same wavelength, my need and hers so strong, so identical, that I found myself wanting to be fucking bold and ask her to my place. But shit, that was insanity. We didn’t know each other all that well, not in the traditional sense, although listening to her talk this last hour had me feeling like I knew her better than anyone else.

“So what about you?” she asked and picked up her glass to take a drink. I didn't miss how her fingers slightly shook. From nerves? For her desire? “I’ve been doing all the talking and haven't given you a chance.”

Fine by me. I could listen to her talk for the rest of my life and be content. But I could see in her face she wanted to learn about me, maybe with the same need I did about her.

No, not possible. She’ll never know or comprehend the fascination I have toward her, and it’s only grown in this short window of time.

I leaned back in the chair and brought my glass to my mouth, taking a long drink of the whiskey. I was on my second one, milking them slowly, because I wanted a clear head as I listened to the beautiful lilt of Daisy’s voice move through me when she spoke.

“I run financial analytics for a Fortune 500 company in the city.” I went on to tell her details of what I did, probably the most boring topic she’d ever listened to, but she held onto every word I said like she was genuinely interested in it.

“What about your family? Are you close?”

I shrugged, running my finger along the base of my glass. “My parents live in Florida, and I see them twice a year. No siblings, but my work keeps me busy enough that I don’t think much about it.” Liar. I’m fucking lonely, so lonely I haven’t been with a woman in the last decade. Yeah, you heard that right, Daisy. I haven’t dated, touched, hell, looked at another woman in the last ten years. I haven’t wanted to… until you.

She smiled at everything I said, asked questions about where I was from, my childhood, little details that normally people wouldn't care about… well, aside from me, seeing as I wanted to know all those things about her as well.

Before I knew it, they were announcing the countdown for New Year’s, and we were standing as glasses of champagne were passed out. Streamers, paper hats, little horns were also given away, grins on everyone’s faces, the big screen television showing Times Square and the big ball.

I was introduced to Fiona and her beau Braden, and vice versa, but I was focused on Daisy. Always on Daisy. And although Fiona and her man stayed near, they gave us enough space that I could imagine it was just Daisy and me celebrating this intimately.

I stared down at her profile as she watched the TV, a small smile on her lips as she brought her champagne glass to her lips.

And then there was the countdown.

Ten.

I kept staring at her.

Nine. Eight.

God, she was beautiful.

Seven. Six.

I wanted to kiss her so badly.

Five. Four.

I wanted to make her mine. Only mine.

Three.

Look at me.

Two.

I fear I can’t let you go, Daisy.

One.

And then she looked at me, this smile on her face that ended my heart and changed everything. Everything.

“Happy New Year!” everyone screamed, shouted, roared.

I didn’t stop myself as I curled my hand around her waist, pulled her against my chest, and heard her sharp inhale of breath. I claimed her mouth before she stopped me or I talked myself out of crossing these lines.

She was warm and soft, purely feminine with her gentle curves and womanly shape. She fit against me like she was made solely for me. I swiped my tongue along the seam of her lips, groaning as she opened for me. “Auld Lang Syne”played overhead, but all I could hear was Daisy’s increased breathing, the soft moans that vibrated against my mouth. All I could feel was her hands gripping my biceps, her breasts pressed to my chest.

This woman is special.

This woman is everything.

This was crazy, intense. This was right and exactly what was supposed to happen.

When we pulled away, we both breathed hard, the chaos still ensuing around us. My hands were still around her waist, hers curled against my biceps. I wanted to kiss her again, looked down at her mouth, and was about to do just that, when her friend Fiona bounced up. She pulled Daisy into a hug, and I nodded politely at her beau Braden, before doing the same to Fiona when she smiled at me. And when Braden went to move toward Daisy, presumably to give her a friendly New Year’s Eve hug, I found this possessive side stepping up and inserted my body between the two.

Braden’s eyes flared in acknowledgment, and thankfully Fiona was busy saying something to Daisy, so neither saw my act of ownership right there. But Braden saw. He knew. And he inclined his head as if silently conceding he wasn't about to go near Daisy, let alone touch her—friendly or not.

We milled around for another half an hour before Fiona and Braden said they were heading out and asked if Daisy wanted a ride home. She glanced at me, and even though I wanted to tell them I'd see her home safely, I didn’t want to overstep bounds. I sure as hell wouldn’t let her walk out of my life, but I did need to move slowly. Last thing I wanted was to scare her off by being overbearing and territorial.

“Um…” Daisy said and kept staring at me.

“I can take you home,” I said, feeling like maybe she was hoping I’d offer—which of course I did.

“Really? I don’t want to impose.”

I was already shaking my head. “Absolutely not imposing. It would be my pleasure.” Fuck, it would really be my pleasure. Then maybe I can lay you out on the bed and feast between your thighs for the rest of the night.

Once Fiona and Braden left and we were left alone, we grabbed our coats. I helped her into hers and gestured for her to lead.

I held the door open for her to exit, my focus on her—always on her—as she buttoned up her red wool peacoat. God, she looked good, so good. Fresh as the snow falling all around us. She tipped her head back, and there was this little smile on her face as she watched the snow swirl around the streetlamp across the road.

“I love when it snows,” she said softly. “It seems so magical, doesn’t it?” She closed her eyes for a second, her cheeks pink from the champagne, the tip of her nose red from the cold. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered when she opened her eyes.

“It is breathtaking,” I murmured, and she glanced at me, her smile slowly fading as she realized I was staring at her and her alone.

For long moments, we just stared at each other, the snow falling in a light flurry around us, and despite the chill in the air, my body was on fire. For her.

“I’ve never felt this way,” she said softly but loud enough I heard her. “Never felt… anything like this.” Little puffs of white clouds came out of her pink lips when she exhaled. “Please tell me it’s not just me.”

I slowly shook my head. I didn’t trust my voice. I didn’t trust anything about me right now. I was so far gone for this woman that all common sense and rationalization went out the fucking door with my human nature, it seemed.

“It’s not just you,” I answered honestly. “I knew from the very moment I saw you walk through those doors that you were something special.” She was breathing harder, those white clouds moving out of her mouth even faster. I couldn’t stop myself as I stepped closer, and closer still. She craned her neck back to look into my face, her breath hitching, her mouth parting. Oh yeah. Fuck yeah, she was right here with me.

I should have stopped myself. But I didn’t. I wouldn't. Instead, I curled my hand around the nape of her neck, leaned down, and sealed my mouth on hers.

At that first contact, I groaned harshly, this fire licking over me, my heart speeding up, my cock throbbing. She gripped the lapels of my jacket to pull me in closer, rising up on her toes so she could get even closer to me. Another feral sound left me, and I crushed her to me, worried I was hurting her by holding her so tightly, but when she moaned, that concern faded.

We kissed for long, drugging moments, our tongues sliding over the other, our breath coexisting as one. I didn't want to break the kiss, didn’t want to stop touching her. But it was cold, and the protective side of me wanted to get her someplace warm, to learn all there was about her. I didn't want this night to be over with.

Our mouths were still pressed together when she made another needy sound in the back of her throat, and then my entire body froze at what she whispered against my lips.

“I don’t want the night to end.”

Me neither. Fuck, me neither.

“Take me to your place,” she murmured against my mouth, and I broke away, staring down at her with what was probably surprise.

“We have all the time in the world. I’m not in a hurry, Daisy, and I don’t want you to feel like there’s a rush.”

She slowly shook her head. “There isn’t a rush, but I know what I feel, and what I feel seems right on every level… from the moment I saw you. I want you, Leo. I want you to take me to your place, to kiss me more, touch me, hold me… make me feel things I’ve only ever dreamed about.” She stared into my eyes, her amber-colored ones seeming sincere and desperate as her arousal claimed her… just like it was me. “Show me what I’ve been missing.”

I closed my eyes and groaned again, wrapped my arms around her waist to pull her in close, and nodded slowly. I won’t be able to let you go. I want you to be sure.

“I’m sure, Leo,” she answered my unspoken question, and when I opened my eyes and looked into hers, I knew this woman was my weakness. I’d gratefully fall to my knees and worship the ground she walked on, level cities to give her whatever she wanted, and take down anyone who tried to keep her from me.

I’d known before, but it was now cemented, that this woman would be my everything.