But for the life of me I can’t fight the crazy attraction I feel toward this man. And after the way he just came to my rescue back there, I’m not sure I want to anymore.

Xavier pulls me around the side of the building and then we cross the street, hand in hand, heading toward the parking lot. I open my mouth to start asking questions, but quickly close it because a lot of the things I want to ask—like who in the hell is that Deena woman—aren’t any of my business. After all, he doesn’t owe me an explanation, we’re still practically strangers, but I would like to hear how he knew what Jared did.

“How did you know Jared put something in my drink?” I ask as we weave through the tightly parked cars in the downtown lot. At first he doesn’t answer, he just keeps walking straight ahead, pulling me along, so I decide to try again. “Were you watching me in there?”

Xavier licks his plump lips, and my mind instantly goes back to the thought I had on the plane about those lips, and what they’d be like to kiss. “I was standing right beside him when he ordered, and I saw him slip something in it.”

My heart sinks a little. He wasn’t watching me all night like I secretly hoped. “I’ve read all about guys drugging women in bars just to have their way with them, so thank you for saving me from that experience.”

“With or without the drink shit, I wouldn’t have allowed you to leave with him,” he growls. “Whether you realized it or not, you were leaving that bar with me tonight.”

I know him saying that may be considered barbaric, and crazy, but my stomach still does a flip. The thought of him being jealous and possessive over me turns me on so much I can barely see straight. But I don’t want him to know that.

“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

We finally reach a matte black motorcycle wedged into a small corner space and he turns to face me. That magnetic stare of his, leveled on me, nearly steals my breath. Fire shoots through me from where our hands remain connected and suddenly I crave more of his skin on mine.

“You’re a good girl, Anna. I’m not going to allow some undeserving asshole to come in and take you away to hurt you. Not going to happen. Not on my watch.”

I bite my tongue, wanting to say a million things but only allowing myself to ask a simple question. “And are you deserving?”

His lips tighten into a line and he shakes his head. “I’m the most undeserving motherfucker in the world…which is why I’m best suited to protect you from pricks like me.”

I furrow my brow. He may come on a little strong at times, but from the few interactions I’ve had with him, I can tell he’s got a good heart. Today alone he’s helped me out three times.

“I think you’re wrong about yourself, X—Xavier.”

I stumble over his name, remembering the command he gave me earlier to call him by his full name. “You’re a good man.”

“You say that now because you don’t know me, but I know me, and I’m speaking from experience.”

I take a deep breath and shrug. “Guess you’ll have to prove me wrong then. I’m an excellent judge of character. I know a good person when I see one.”

He chuckles. “Are you always so positive?”

“Are you always so negative?” I fire back automatically.

“You know what they say about a positive and a negative together, don’t you?” Xavier teases as he grabs the handlebars of the bike and throws his muscular leg over the seat. Immediately my eyes are drawn to the way his jeans hug his legs, distracting me from the question he just asked. All I can think about is how powerful and strong he must be.

Before I know it I begin undressing him with my eyes, wondering if sex with a man like him would be as great as I’ve read about in books and seen in the movies I’ve snuck around to watch.

He smirks and hands me a helmet. “Looks like science is correct. They do attract.”

Blood rushes to my face as I realize he’s caught me staring at his crotch and I’m not sure how to respond. It’s not like I can deny it or anything.

I want to die.

I take the helmet from his outstretched arm and plop it on my head. “Where are we going?”

Xavier reaches over and buckles the strap under my chin, his fingers feathering across my skin. “I would say back to your place, but I doubt you’d let that fly, and quite frankly, I’m not up for being turned down again today.” I raise an eyebrow, and his lips pull into a lopsided grin. “That’s what I thought. Hop on, beautiful, and I’ll take you somewhere special.” He holds out his hand. “Trust me?”

“Yes.”

The answer slips out in a low whisper. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help this overwhelming feeling of safety I have when I’m with him. Like he can save me from anything. After all, he’s already proven that he can.

I slip my hand into his. “I trust you.”

That cocky grin of his turns into a full-on, heart-stopping smile. “Good.”

He gives no further explanation of where he plans on taking us, just grips my hand tight as I swing my leg over the bike and squish my body against his. My thighs wrap around his hips, and he positions my hands so I’m practically bear-hugging him. My fingers trace the hard muscle beneath his t-shirt and my entire body tingles.

I’ve never in my life been this turned on by a man. There’s something about him that makes me crave to be wild and out of control. He’s like freedom, wrapped up in one sexy package. A package that has me thinking about doing things that I shouldn’t.