The Seduction(9)
Author: Carly Phillips

Get off me. No. No. No. Her hands over her head as she curled into a tight ball. The memory made me gag. So did her long, rambling recounting of what he did to her. Those had been the first words she’d spoken in years. Nothing since. And they were enough to drive me to make things right.

Somehow, he will pay. I will make him suffer the same pain I’m in every time I think about my beautiful sister. I know I need to break someone he cares about, but those people are too few and far between. His fiancée is protected. I can’t get near her. There’s only Chloe, who doesn’t deserve what I have planned.

A nice guy would stay away.

I can’t.

But Chloe’s strong. She handled me pounding that bastard into the ground without too much female hysteria. Which makes me believe somehow she will bounce back from what I have to do.

Chapter Four

The next night at work, Tank gathers the waitresses together for a talk. “We had an incident in the parking lot.”

I tense. Tank knows about my car since it stayed in the lot overnight. I play it off. He asks if I saw anything or anyone and I deny it, telling him that by the time I walked outside, my tires were slashed. It’s the truth as far as it goes.

“Just want you girls to be careful. If you need me to walk you out, say so,” he says in his gruff voice.

He doesn’t mention the guy we left in the parking lot, and neither do I. I’m sick about it but let it go.

That same night, I ask Zach, and he assures me it’s been handled. There won’t be any blowback on him or me. I don’t know how that’s possible, and I don’t want to know. He obviously knows how to handle himself … and other things. It’s something that makes me feel protected when he’s with me and nervous about him when he’s not.

He’s with me often.

Over the next few weeks, Zach steps up. Just not in the way I hoped. He’s my bodyguard. My shadow. I’d even call him my friend. He meets me at my dorm before work and follows me in his car. After a couple of times, I gave in, and now he just drives me to The Tavern. He walks me inside and sits at my station now, and I serve him drinks. He always waits for me to get off work and escorts me to his truck, his hand warm and sure on my back, setting off fireworks everywhere in my body.

I want him to make a move, but he never does.

Does he not want me? It’s easy to think that’s the reason, but I see how he looks at me, like he wants to devour me. At this point, I wouldn’t say no.

I sigh and bend to retie my sneaker.

“What’s wrong?” Callie asks. “You seem distracted and down tonight.”

Am I that transparent? I lean against the bar. It’s halfway through the night. I have hours to go, and I’m feeling frustrated with him and with myself. “I don’t understand what’s going on with him.” I refuse to look over at Zach. Callie will know who I mean.

“Problems with your shadow?” she asks.

“Why does he do that? Hang around and not make a move?”

She shrugs, but her perceptive gaze rakes over me. “Maybe you and your sweet self intimidate him?”

I blow out an annoyed puff of air. “Why do you say that?”

“You can’t change who you are. Not even a sex tape can take away from who you are deep inside.” She wraps an arm around me in a brief hug. “It’s not a bad thing,” she assures me.

“Then why does it feel like one right now?”

“Because you want him. Which means you’re going to have to make the first move.” She waggles her eyebrows and makes me smile. “Trust me, he’s not going to turn you down.”

“Ladies, get back to work!” Tank yells from across the bar.

Callie winks at me. “You can do it.”

Nerves churn inside me at the prospect of taking Callie’s advice, but I will. I’m so primed and ready from being around him all the time that I’m surprised my lips haven’t found his by now.

The good news is the next few hours fly quickly because I now have a plan. I’m finally finished, but I pause in the bathroom to freshen up before I head out. Just in case things go the way I want them to.

I step into the darkened bar. Tank has shut off the front lights.

“Ready, Princess?” Zach asks.

I’ve grown used to the nickname, and I like the sound rolling off his lips. I collect my bag and nod, and we walk out the rear exit, his hand against my back. I try not to shiver, to read too much into the now-familiar touch.

“You don’t need to do this every night. I’m pretty sure you made your point and nobody will bother me again.”

I want him to at least admit there’s something more between us before I make a complete fool of myself. My hands are sweaty, and I wipe them together as I wait for his reply.

“I thought we talked about this already. I want to,” he says as we reach his truck.

I turn to face him. I can’t rise onto my tiptoes to get closer to him without my intentions being obvious. Still. I lean into him. “Why?” I ask.

He looks startled. “Why what?”

“Why do you want to? Because you feel sorry for me? Because I don’t need to be your charity case.”

He frowns. “Where is this coming from?”

I sputter with frustration. “Where did you come from?” I challenge right back. “One day you’re here at the bar. A few weeks later, you save me. And after that, you’re my constant companion. I keep asking what your deal is, and you give me all these compliments. So either you’re in desperate need of a friend or—” I gather every ounce of courage I possess.

“Or what?” he asks, his tone dangerous.

“Or you want me.”

His eyes narrow. His cheekbones pull tight. “You’re the one pushing me,” he says. “Unbelievable.”

I straighten my shoulders and meet him head on. “Well, someone has to make a move. I can’t do this anymore. Either you’re in or you’re—”

He cuts me off by pressing his mouth against mine. Pretty darned effective if you ask me. I’m stunned, and then I’m just in the moment. His lips are warm, his taste minty. He’s gentler than I would expect as his lips move over mine. Soft and supple, he’s tasting me and it’s heaven.

Every time I inhale, I breathe him in, and it’s delicious. He’s delicious, but he’s still hesitant, and I can’t imagine why. I dart my tongue out and lick the seam of his lips.