Chapter 5 Too commanding

Benny's beautiful brown skin looked marvelous against the pale yellow shirt draped onto his muscled frame. Confidence poured out of Benny in every aspect of his life. Totally optimistic. I wish I could be more like him. I was giving it my best shot, but let's just say my best shot at it sucked.

"So this Ethan bloke is trying to get all up in you, huh? I saw how he watched you, Brynne. He never stopped looking," Ben muttered, "not that I blame him." Benny's always been sweet like this. My go-to guy when I need a shoulder. He's nosy, though. I'd tried all night to keep the conversation focused on his photography and gallery show, but he kept steering the talk back to Ethan.

"Yeah, well he has a way of getting the upper hand, and I don't like it, Ben." I dipped my French fry that I refuse to call a chip into some ranch dressing and popped it in my mouth. "And thanks for making an honest woman of me tonight." I ate another fry. "I told Ethan I had plans, which was a total lie until you called."

Ben pointed a fry at me and smirked. "So that's why you nearly jumped me through my mobile." I took a swig of my Sheppy's cider, no longer hungry for the burger and fries.

"Thanks for the invite, my friend." Even to my ears I sounded like a bore.

"Well why don't you go out with him? He's hot. He wants you badly. He can certainly afford to show you a good time." Benny picked up my hand and pressed his soft lips to my skin. "You need to have a little fun, luv. Or a good shag. Everybody needs to get some once in a while. How long's it been?"

I snatched my hand from him and took another swig of Sheppy's. "I am not talking about the last time I got laid, Ben. Boundaries much?" He gave me a patient look even after my kinda rude response. "You definitely need an orgasm, darling."

I ignored his comment. "He's just so well ...... he's the man who looks so dangerous His words, the stuff he does, the raised brow, those blue eyes-" I pointed my finger at my head like a gun and pulled the trigger. "I can't think when he starts in with the commands." I noticed Ben had pushed his plate away too. "You're ready to go, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Let's get your sexually frustrated vagina home. Maybe you can have a date with your vibrator and that will help." I kicked Benny in the foot under the table as soon as he said that.

During the cab ride to my flat I thought about last night in Ethan's car. I obviously felt comfortable enough to fall asleep. That had been a total shocker. I never did stuff like that. Ever. With my history, letting my guard down with strangers was not on the menu, especially the sleeping thing. So why had I done so with Ethan? Was it his gorgeous looks? I'd only really seen his face, but I could tell he was built underneath the silk suit. The man had the whole package working for him. Why me when he could certainly have anyone he wanted?

"So you're booked for a studio shoot tomorrow at Lorenzo?"

"Yeah." I hugged Ben. "Thanks for the referral, honey, and the dinner. You are the best." I kissed him on the cheek. "Vaya con Dios, you sexy man."

"Love it when you speak Spanish to me, darling!" Benny motioned with his hands toward his chest. "Keep it coming! I want to impress Ricardo next time he's in town."

I left Ben in the cab with a smile on his face, blowing a kiss. I headed up to my little flat that I love and adore, was in my shower in under five minutes, and in my pajamas another ten after that. Every thing was moving on smoothly but when I'd just put my toothbrush in the holder

my phone went off. I looked at the display. Crap. Ethan. I hit accept and gathered the courage to speak. "Ethan..."

"I like when you say my name, so I suppose I'll forgive you for hanging up on me today." His slow, elegant Brit voice settled over me, heightening my awareness of his maleness and the promise of sex instantly. "Sorry about that." I waited for him to say something else, but he didn't. I still hadn't agreed to go out with him, though, and we both knew it.

Finally he asked, "So how were your plans tonight?" I could just picture that mouth of his in a firm line of annoyance.

"They were fine ..... good. I just got in actually... from dinner."

"And what did you order at your dinner, Brynne?"

"Why must you know, Ethan?"

"So I can learn what pleases you" And just like that he did it again! Taking my defensiveness away with a few small words and dripping of sexual innuendo as always. And making me feel like a cold bitch.

"I had a garden burger, fries, and a Sheppy's cider." I felt myself relax a little and softened my tone.

"Vegetarian?"

"Not at all. I love meat- l mean .... l eat meat... all the time." Dear Lord. The brief feeling of relaxation vanished instantly and I was back to tripping over my words like a teenager.

Ethan laughed into the phone. "So a good selection of meats and Sheppy's on the menu will do it for you?"

"Hey, I never said I would go out with you." I closed my eyes.

"But you will." His voice did something to me. Even through the phone, without sense of sight, he compelled me to want to agree just to see him again. To look at him again. To smell him again. I groaned into the phone. "You are killing me here, Ethan."

"No," he chuckled softly, "we've already established that I'm not a serial killer, remember?"

"So you claim, Mr. Blackstone, but know that if you do kill me, you'll be number one on the suspect list."

He laughed at that and the sound of him made me smile. "So you've been talking about me to your friends then?"

"Maybe I keep a secret diary and wrote about you. The cops will find it when they search my flat for clues."

"Miss Bennett has quite the flair for the dramatic. Did she take acting lessons in school?"

"No. She just watched a lot of episodes of CSI."

"Okay, I am getting the whole picture now. Meat, Sheppy's and Crime & Investigation Network. A nice eclectic mix you've got going for you... among other things." He said the last part very softly, the suggestion in the words hitting me directly between my legs. "So where do I collect you tomorrow after your photo shoot?"

"It's a studio shoot, so the Lorenzo Agency, tenth floor of the Shires Building."

"I'll find you, Brynne. Send me a text when you're finished and I'll be there. Goodnight." His voice changed, sounding more abrupt. I heard a click and then the dial tone, realizing that Ethan had ended the call this time. Payback for earlier? Maybe. But as I got into my bed and rehashed our conversation in the dark, I became conscious of the fact he'd gotten his way again. I had a date with Ethan tomorrow night, and I'd never really agreed to go.