The Pleasure Series: Complete Box Set by M. S. Parker Read Free Book Online

dates don't order cheeseburgers is because they're not generally on the menu.”
    “Ah,” I said. “Too good for regular people food?”
    He rolled his eyes and I almost choked on my hamburger from trying not to laugh. Sitting across from him, looking at the smear of ketchup on the corner of his mouth, watching him make the kind of face I'd seen guys in college make with their friends, I thought I could see a much younger version of Rylan Archer.
    “What?” he asked.
    I pointed to the side of my face. “You have some stuff on your cheek.”
    He picked up a napkin and brushed at the wrong side.
    I shook my head. I knew he was messing with me. His expression was serious, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. He dabbed at his cheek higher up and I knew what he was trying to bait me into doing. I bit, and reached for the napkin. He let me take it, his fingers brushing against mine. I was ready for the possibility of a touch this time so I didn't flinch or pull away. Besides, we were in a public place, which did give me a bit of a safety net.
    I used the corner of the napkin to clean off the ketchup, and it was harder than I expected to pull away without touching his face. I was itching to know how the stubble on his cheeks and chin would feel against my fingers, if his lips were as soft as they looked.
    I dropped my hand. “There, all better.” I resisted the urge to rub my hand on my pants. Usually, after this much time had passed since I'd met a guy, we'd either gone our separate ways or were already tearing each other's clothes off. And there was never any of this kind of light flirting.
    When we were done here, I would need to get laid, just to get things back to normal.
    I finished my cheeseburger without another word, keeping my eyes on my plate. I felt his gaze on me, but didn't look up to meet it. As attractive as I found Rylan and as good as the food was, I was ready for this... whatever this was to be over. This was why I didn't date. Too much of a risk of some sort of personal connection. Better just to fuck and flee.
    “Is something wrong?” Rylan's voice was worried.
    “No.” I shook my head as I glanced up at him. I regretted it immediately. Damn those eyes. I was used to having men either disgusted with me or visually undressing me. Not looking at me with interest and concern. Something inside me sparked and I shoved it down. I wasn't going there. I needed a distraction. “So, Mr. Rylan Archer, CEO, how did you explain that shiner to your employees?”
    He laughed and let me change the subject. He brushed his fingers across the deep purplish bruise beneath his eye as if just remembering it was there. “I considered trying to cover it up with make-up, but then I realized I'd look kind of silly trying to figure out how to match my coloring.”
    I smiled in agreement.
    “So I just told them the truth.”
    “Seriously?” I stared at him.
    “I told them I was mugged by a three hundred pound biker.”
    I laughed, and the tension that had been building eased.
    “Actually, I didn't offer an explanation and no one asked,” he admitted. “It was a little embarrassing.” He quickly clarified. “Not because you're a woman, but because I over-stepped by touching your arm.”
    “I over-reacted,” I said. “It was my fault.”
    He waved his hand. “Neither here nor there. It's over. No need to discuss it.” He popped the last bite of his cheeseburger into his mouth.
    “So we've had our apologies for our behavior,” I said. “And we've both finished our meal...”
    “In that much of a hurry to get rid of me?” The question was asked as a joke, but I sensed the undercurrent of seriousness in it.
    “More like I just have somewhere I have to be,” I lied. Well, only partially lied. I was planning on finding myself someone to fuck, but I wasn't sure that constituted a place I needed to be.
    “I see.” He nodded. He didn't look annoyed, but there was a mixture of frustration and disappointment in his