Page 4 of His Curvy Obsession

“Nothing seems broken, but there may be some bruising,” he said softly, finally looking into her eyes with concern. She saw the tick of his jaw as if he were upset. “I have an ice pack that should help reduce the swelling.”

He rose to retrieve it from a small refrigerator under an oak bar on one side of the room. Sitting beside her, he held it gently against her wrist.

Olivia protested. “Really, it’s fine, I’ve had worse paper cuts.”

His lips curved in a slight smile at her joke. “Humor me. I want to prevent any swelling.”

She was grateful for his help yet overwhelmed by his chivalry. Most men she knew were more concerned with what she could do for them, not the other way around. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. We don’t allow that type of behavior here.” He smiled at her, and her heart did a little flip flop. “We want the women to feel safe. I’m James, by the way.”

“Olivia.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Olivia.” He lifted her injured hand to his lips, kissing it gently. A spark of electricity shot up her arm from his touch.

Olivia blushed. Men did not treat her this way and it was new and exciting. “It wasn’t your fault but thank you again for rescuing me. You must be my knight in shining armor.”

Immediately she regretted the impulsive words. But that’s the way she was seeing him.

James grinned at that. “Does that make you my damsel in distress?”

Olivia laughed. “Hardly.”

“Oh, I don’t know. You’re more beautiful than any princess.” His voice was soft and low, like warmed caramel. Between that and his touch, her insides were melting.

“How does your wrist feel now?” he asked after a few more minutes had passed.

“Much improved, thanks to you.” The ice had reduced the swelling, but she mourned the loss of warmth from his hand as he removed it to exam her wrist again.

“The swelling seems to be going down,” he said with a nod of approval. “But keep icing it when you get home tonight. Or better yet, let me drive you home.”

Olivia immediately shook her head. His concern and interest took her off guard and of course those walls she kept around herself immediately rose. “Thank you, but I came with a friend. I’ll get home with her.”

He nodded, but she thought she glimpsed a flash of disappointment cross his face.

“Promise you’ll come back again?”

She knew the question was probably just so she wouldn’t leave the club a bad review. Not that she would—not when the eye candy behind the bar was so delicious. She was too shy and practical to assume his kindness signaled anything but gentlemanly courtesy. Heck, all the employees probably had to attend some type of workshop for occasions like this.

And, even if there was a little something simmering beneath the surface that made her pulse quicken in his presence, igniting it would require bravery she wasn’t sure she possessed.

His thumb traced slow circles over the inside of her wrist as he studied her face. “I must confess I’ve wanted to know your name the moment you stepped up to the bar.”

Olivia’s eyes met his, lingering on his mouth, and her cheeks flushed charmingly. “You did?”

“From the instant you first walked into the club. You captivated me, Olivia.” He lifted her hand to his lips again, planting a trail of tender kisses from her wrist up her arm.

She shivered at his touch, her lips parting on a sigh. “I don’t…usually…captivate…men…”

“You captive me.” Tilting her chin up, his mouth hovered just above hers, his breath hot against her mouth. “I want to kiss you.”

Olivia was shaking inside. This type of thing did not happen to her. But tonight was the night she broke out of her shell. Embrace whatever came her way. And a kiss with a handsome stranger…that was at the top of her bucket list. “Okay.”

He smiled, his features blurring as he moved closer. He pressed his lips to hers, the feel of them like satin fire. With expert ease, he traced the seam of her mouth, urging her to open to him.

James felt the slight uncertainty in Olivia as she opened her mouth beneath his, but he didn’t care. Her untutored response only added fuel to heat burning inside him and made his dick grow hard in his pants. The soft sound she made as his tongue slid inside her mouth made his body swell and ache. He wanted to lay her down on the sofa and take her. Not hard and fast, but so slow and easy that she screamed out his name, begging him to go faster.

Lust, thick and hot, swirled in the air around them.