Consume Me (A Burning Desire Novel) (8 page)

"What
is it then?" He said moving closer to me

"Because
I could tell you wanted me at least as much as I wanted you."

I could
hear the confusion in his voice.

"Well...
Hum..."

"Just
tell me Miss Dane."

We were
back at formal calling. I hated it, although he made my name sexy and appealing
the way he said.

I
gathered my courage

"Truth
is I've never done it before."

I
admitted feeling a little embarrassed.

Landon
stared at me with a frown.

"Never
done what before?"

I
couldn't say anymore and I didn't. I saw realization dressing his features.

"You
mean... You're a virgin."

He spoke
in disbelief.

"Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck."

I
flushed crimson. I understood it was shocking, but he didn't need to make me
feel like a freak. I looked down at my toes.

He slid
hurriedly to my side, held my chin up, and looked into my eyes. It felt like he
had the ability to see further through my soul. It was scary and enticing.

"I'm
sorry. I made you feel embarrassed." He brushed a feathery kiss to the
corner of my mouth.

Even
the smallest gesture made me shiver.

"I'm
really sorry
Clea
, I haven't been focused
lately."

He said
taking my hand in his.

"Why?"
I spoke to him; myself less anxious.

He
twisted his mouth and looked at me.

"It's
you. I haven't been myself since I met you Miss Dane."

I
blinked at his words. Me... He'd said me. But why?

Landon
Davis could have the most beautiful women in the world. He was just so uniquely
handsome. And as I'd discovered earlier, really wealthy and successful.

Why
would he want me?

"Trust
me." Landon intruded on my confused thoughts.

"I
didn't plan any of this, which I'm not accustomed to. But that defying look
aggravated what little control I'd left in me since yesterday night."

I
agreed.

"I
understand that. Truth is, you seem to have the same effect of my nerves."

I
admitted truthfully.

"And
that kiss...” He added.

"I
know." I acceded.

"More
than nice then." He smirked with a knowing look.

I just
kept silent; it was my way of conceding without giving out much.

Landon
stood up rocking his pair of exquisite loafers.

"I
should leave." He said.

I was
grabbed by a profound disappointment. I thought about his confession; it
must've been hard. I knew that men were never very forthcoming when it came to
their feelings. Sure, he played a lot, and in the few times I'd been with him I
could never make the difference between a mocking smirk and a good old laugh.

He had
that enigmatic aura that made him impossible to fathom.

Truth
was I didn't want him to leave.

"You
can stay. I can make you a plate if you want to."

I
blurted out the words wondering what had happened to the filter between my
brain and my mouth.

I
didn't want to be rejected. I thought that discovering the truth about me
might've been a deal breaker and it scared me and disgusted me at the same
time.

What if
he uncovered the other one?

Landon
stared at me for the longest time. Even out of words, the man looked edible in
his shirt. I was silently begging him to say yes.

"You
want me to stay?"

I
couldn't understand his surprised tone. It wasn't very unpredictable.

"I
mean... If you would like to, we can watch a movie or something."

He
extended an arm for me to stand up and pulled me to him in an embrace. It was
my turn to be surprised. I loved how his arms felt around me. It felt safe,
like I'd be untouchable. As if he could shield me from anything and everything.
I had no intention to rethink it.

He
pressed a tender kiss to my temple and pushed an unruly curl behind my ear.

"Or
something huh?"

He knew
what I meant. I wanted him to stay and kiss me.

"Oh
Miss Dane..." He breathed out and smiled at me.

"What
am I going to do with you?"

I knew
exactly what I wanted him to do with me and I was at a complete loss about it.

I
nuzzled at his shirt. He was still holding me in silence.

"I
think I'd better conform back to my initial plan." Landon said to my ears.

"What
was the initial plan?"

He
pulled from me and studied me.

"Dinner,
tomorrow."

I
preferred my plan a whole lot better, because I wouldn't have to wait. But I
decided that it might be a better idea. After all, he didn't reject me and I'd
been overdosing on pheromones for the last hour and a half. I'd be safer in my
bed all alone. I started a new job tomorrow and I didn't need any more
distraction for the night.

A frown
marred the space between his brows "Well?"

"Well
what?"

He smirked
at me twitching his mouth.

"Miss
Dane; will you do me the pleasure and have dinner with me tomorrow night?"
His voice was soft and it stirred an alarming languish.

"What's
in it for me?"

I'd
resented Landon for preferring to leave rather than spend a little more time.
I'd also resented myself for being such a tease, but in the end I'd said it
just in the hope of dragging the conversation for a little longer; I wanted him
enough to take a calculated risk.

A
blazing predatory glimmer sparked in his eyes as if I'd exposed my deepest
thoughts to him.

"What
are your expectations Miss Dane?"

He
didn't sound flippant, as if he'd known that I would be expecting something
from the dinner. And maybe I was.

"I
mean I need to guarantee myself an equal exchange during a date. I'm merely
questioning my earnings."

As
bizarre as the conversation must've been for him, his face remained impassively
unreadable.

"Can't
it just be a dinner for two at a nice restaurant?"

The
heated gleam made my breath rush out of me. He was expecting something; I could
discern it for a second in his eyes. He was yearning.

"Not
with you, it can't." He was too demanding, too intense.

He
studied me for the longest time. He was challenged, or at least that was my impression.
He remained unreadable.

"What
about an exclusive tasting of French gastronomy?" He proposed suppressing
a smile.

He was
teasing me. He knew I wasn't talking about the food. It could've been a
drive-through burger place for all I cared.

"I
don't know. Remember we met in France, and I lived there for a long time. So
I'm pretty accustomed to French gastronomy."

"What
about some exquisite wine?"

He said
slowly and took a step forward.

He was already
so close. It was hard to concentrate while sharing breath with Landon Davis. He
was making it arduous.

"I've
drank my fair share of good wine, and bad, real bad." I smirked at him
remembering the days I couldn't afford more than a cheap bottle.

"It
still doesn't sound tempting. Not in the least."

I had
no idea where I'd gotten that confidence. After all, what was he getting other
than a dinner with a boring-virgin-bitch?

"How
about...”

He
closed the inches between us cocking his head to the left.

All the
air left my lungs in a beat.

"What?"
I breathed

"Me,
Miss Dane. What about me?" He brushed a kiss to my cheek, his voice only a
whisper, yet shaking me to my core.

He
continued trailing kisses along my neck.

"You
get me, feeding you the best truffles in town. You get me talking with you. You
get me kissing, and touching you."

I lost
all consciousness. My brain went blank like a computer screen.

“Does
that sound like a fair deal to you?"

I
moaned, because really? What could I say to that?

Landon
pulled from me and left me wanton. I didn't realize I'd shut my eyes. I blinked
to the intrusion of the suddenly too bright bulb.

"So
Miss Dane, will you be joining me?"

He was
so composed while I was almost dizzy with desire. How was it possible?

I
cleared my throat trying to collect my answer.

"I
guess that is tempting enough." I was surprised how self-possessed I
sounded to myself.

"Where
should I meet you?"

Landon
came close again. He was enjoying playing yo-yo with my hormones. He lifted my
hand to his mouth and nipped at my fingers making me yank my hand away.

"What
was that for?"

He
smirked, gripped it again, and kissed the ache.

"It
was just an attempt to assess your level of placidity."

As a
way to calm the fake hurt and avenge it I tugged my hand to my mouth and sucked
at every finger he'd bit.

A
burning desire gleamed in beautiful gray eyes and he sucked a breath without
flinching.

"I'll
punish you for that."

Landon
spoke slowly. He sounded hot. His promise, as absurd as it was, awakened something
in me.

"We'll
see about that." I said dispassionately.

He wore
an unfathomable expression and pressed a light kiss to my lips.

"I'll
pick you up at six."

I
frowned

"Isn't
it too early? I start a new job tomorrow and I finish at five thirty. I won't
have enough time to get ready."

"I'll
pick you up at work. Good night Miss Dane."

He just
walked out leaving me standing and stunned.

He just
ignored me and walked out. I was both sad and a little annoyed.

I was
sad that he'd left. It felt like a loss. I had an inexplicable pull to him, as
if he'd exerted a spell to which I was bound to concede.

I
brushed my fingers over every inch he'd trailed the touch of his lips upon; I
could sense them still, as if he'd marked an invisible path for me to remember
him. I cherished the agonizing delight; he was still in there even-though he
was gone.

I heard
a key chain turning and a door slam. I walked outside the living room.

"Ok
please know that I'm your best friend and I love you so very much but I couldn't
help feel a dash of envy."

Jenna
clasped my hand and dragged me through the kitchen door.

I
laughed at her comment.

"Slow
down Jen." I admonished her stifling my laugh.

"No
slowing down. I've been dying for the last hour. Tell me everything."

She said
looking around.

"Where's
the rest of that delicious Pomerol?"

"In
the fridge." I said climbing on one of the stools.

She
poured two glasses of wine.

"Mariée
dans l'année!" She exclaimed a French tradition that suggested if you get
the last of the wine in a woman's glass, she'd get married in a year.

I
scowled at her ridiculous wink.

"Tell
me everything, every teeny tiny detail." She urged.

I
sighed.

"My
god Jenna. He's too intense, too overwhelming. Whenever I'm around him, it's
like something shifts in the air and my insides just get all cluttered and
mussed. When I manage to talk to him, I can't help being defying and bitchy. I
can barely breathe when he's close. He just pushes my brain to shut down, I
feel like I'm falling down the rabbit hole and there's no way for me to
understand the rules without getting sucked in further."

I let
out a breath.

Jenna
eyeballed me.

"Whoa!
Slow down ma puce."

I spoke
without processing any word. I just blurted everything out.

I
guffawed nervously.

"But
what happened? Why did he come here?"

"Initially,
he came to invite me to have dinner with him."

"But..."
Jenna pressed.

"But
we ended up making out on the couch and I told him I was a virgin."

"You
what?" She laughed

"Ok
that dash of envy just switched to a pinch of jealousy."