Chapter 2

I'm pretty sure I must be dreaming, but no matter how many times I blink or discreetly pinch myself, I don't wake up and the hottest man I've ever seen doesn't disappear.

Nope, Jared is still standing in front of me, holding me captive with dark blue eyes that match the navy blue tie he's wearing. He must be over six feet because I have to tilt my head back to meet his eyes, and I'm not particularly short at five foot five, either.

His jawline is sharp enough to cut, and even in the formal suit he's wearing, when he moves, hints of muscle stretch at the white shirt and arms of his suit jacket. I'd bet my best pointe shoes that he's got a six-pack hidden under the businessman guise he's got going on.

God. No, Juliet. Don't go there.

I run through all the reasons that I absolutely should not find him insanely attractive. One, he's like eighteen years older than me. Two, he's my best friend's dad. Laura told me her parents had her young at eighteen, but I've only ever met her mom until now. He has the same dark curly hair as Laura, accompanied by the unfairly dark long lashes she has, too.

And he's asking me…to dinner.

I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from screaming yes immediately, trying to find some reason in my mind. My body sways towards him without my permission, inexplicably drawn to him. Maybe I'm just so exhausted from all the rehearsals and tonight's performance and that's the reason I'm half a second from literally falling into him.

Yeah right. Who am I kidding? I'm just in a trance from the sheer level of attraction I have toward this man.

There's no room in my head for reason anymore.

"Dinner?" I repeat back to him, willing myself to stop acting like a drooling idiot. "Um, yeah, that sounds nice. I mean, if you're sure."

Jared smiles at me and holy hell, I think I'm melting into the damn floor.

"Of course I'm sure," he answers smoothly.

He's probably just being nice, I try to tell my foolish heart as it thuds away in my chest. Jared leads the way out of the reception and to the car park, and my mind is working as hard as my feet to catch up with this situation.

His daughter, my best friend, introduced us. There's no way in hell, no matter how much my desperate delusional brain wants to believe otherwise, that he sees me as anything other than his kid's friend that he doesn't want to have to be left alone when everyone else is celebrating.

He probably just feels sorry for me. That's all.

The reality check helps calm my nerves a little as he holds the passenger side door open for me, and I thank him while I slide inside. He drives us ten minutes away to a nice neighborhood restaurant, and I try very hard not to stare at the way his forearms flex with his grip on the wheel.

Again, Jared holds the door open for me, and within seconds, the hostess leads us over to a corner booth. The air is warm here, and candles give the place a cozy ambiance. Everyone else is dressed up in suits and nice dresses and heels, making my after-performance outfit feel wildly out of place. Jared doesn't seem to care, though, and we settle into our seats quickly.

He orders us two mocktails, and I'm thankful for the fact he's taking the lead here since I'm still floundering with my own feelings. I have to read the menu like three times to figure out what anything is, so distracted by glancing up at Jared every second.

More than once, I catch him staring back at me, too. There's an entire colony of butterflies living in my stomach by the time our first course arrives.

"So, Juliet," Jared says while I chew my first bite of delicious chicken, moaning as the flavors explode on my tongue.

Considering I live off packet ramen and crackers because they're easy and fast to make between the chaos of academic classes and practical ones, as well as extra rehearsals when we have a performance coming up, this food tastes like heaven. Jared's eyes darken, his jaw ticking, and I blush, realizing the sound I just made. He clears his throat before continuing, "How did you get into dancing? Clearly, you're incredibly talented."

His voice is smooth and rich, and my thighs clench together in response. He's Laura's DAD! I remind myself, but my body doesn't care one bit. Instead, the idea that this is so freaking wrong only makes me squirm more. There has to be something wrong with me.

I distract myself by giving Jared the story of how I started dancing at four, fell in love with it, and never looked back. In return, he tells me what he does for work—some sort of insanely complicated finance job that I can't even pretend to understand. Numbers and me are not friends.

Our conversation flows easily, like we've known each other for far longer than an evening. More than once, our legs brush under the table, and every time, sparks fly through my body at the contact. The last time it happens, neither of us move away, and though the contact should be innocent, it feels anything but.

When Jared offers me a bite of his gooey chocolate brownie, I can't resist. Him or the dessert. His deep blue eyes hold mine as I lick chocolate off my lips, humming happily. My mind feels fuzzy even though I'm entirely sober. We've only had non-alcoholic drinks, and the air between us feels heavy with unspoken tension.

Jared pays, tipping generously, and offers me the crook of his arm to hold as we walk out. Somehow, touching him like this feels so much hotter than anything else ever has. So simple, so modest, and yet…my entire body feels tingly.

"It's late," Jared says as we exit. "Let me drive you home."

I protest automatically. "You really don't have to. I don't live far, I can walk."

Jared pins me with a stare that makes me want to roll over and do whatever he tells me to. "If you think I'll let you out of my sight until I know you're safe inside your home, you're sorely mistaken, little fairy," he murmurs darkly, sending shivers over my skin.

"Fairy?" I whisper back as we get into his car again.

He flashes that smirk at me. "You dance like you have wings," he explains simply, making my heart flutter rapidly. "And obviously, you possess some sort of magic."

It's a wonder I can form enough words in the wake of that compliment to give him my address, but I manage it, and in five minutes, we're pulling up outside my apartment. He parks and gets out, surprising me yet again.

I don't argue when he walks me inside and up the stairs to my door because all my self-control has melted away to a puddle under his attention and compliments. I'm in so deep that I don't even care to try to resurface again.

I pause at my door, fumbling with my keys in the lock. My door swings open with a click, but I can't make my feet move inside, away from Jared.

Instead, I turn my head to look up at him, tugging my bottom lip between my teeth nervously. Jared's eyes lock on me, and he takes a step closer, so close that when he bends his head, his warm breath tickles my cheek.

For a minute, neither of us speaks, just sharing the space with hitched breaths and tension bubbling up between us. Then he murmurs something that sounds like fuck it, and all the air leaves my lungs, his mouth crashing against mine.

Sparks explode through my body like a firework has gone off between us, and I stumble backward into my apartment, clinging to his shirt to drag him with me, our lips pressed together. He kisses me like he's starving and I'm the only thing that'll ease the ache, and I kiss him back with just as much desperation.

I've never felt the way I do as Jared's arms wind around my waist and the front door shuts behind us. He tugs me closer and I gasp, making a breathless mewling sound against him when I feel the hot, hard press of his arousal against my lower stomach.

My panties are soaked, and no amount of clenching my thighs together is easing the building pressure there. Jared's tongue dances with mine, his kisses devouring me, and my clit throbs, my whole body lighting up under his attention. I should have been exhausted from the day, but whatever physical tiredness I felt before utterly disappears along with any logical thought.

"Fuck, little fairy," Jared groans against me as my hands claw at his shirt, feeling hard, strong muscles beneath my touch. "So tempting."

With one kiss, he's undone me. I'm needy and panting, two seconds away from begging him to make the pounding ache between my legs better.

"Jared," I moan as he walks us backward. My calves press against the edge of my sofa and I fall backward, my heart soaring with relief when he follows me down, kneeling over me on the couch cushions. "Please."

"I'm the one who should be begging," he mumbles, his deep blue eyes roaming my body. My nipples are peaked and eager for touch, and I have no doubt he can see them through the fabric of my dress. "I've been fucking dying to touch you ever since I saw you on that stage, little fairy. So fucking beautiful."

Oh God, I'm going to die if he keeps saying stuff like that to me. "Yes," I say breathlessly as his hands roam my waist, tracing up my ribs to cup my breasts through the fabric. I gasp, arching into his touch, pressing against him as much as I can.

Anything else I was going to say is swallowed in another kiss, hungry and full of promise. I whine when his hands leave my breasts, and Jared chuckles against my lips.

"Don't worry, gorgeous. I couldn't stop touching you if I tried," he groans, words muffled by more kisses.

His hand cups my thigh, and I spread my legs automatically, allowing him to slip his touch higher until he's cupping me over the soaked fabric of my underwear. My hips jerk at the faint touch, my body demanding more.

"Fuck, so wet for me," Jared groans.

Vaguely, I think I might be embarrassed by just how wet I am for him, but I'm too out of my mind with need to say anything but, "Yes, I need you. I need you, Jared."

"I could get addicted to you saying things like that, beautiful." He drags my panties down and off so that I'm naked beneath the skirt of my dress. Seconds later, my dress is pushed up around my waist, exposing my ass and pussy to his greedy gaze. "Fucking perfect. Every inch of you, little fairy."

That nickname is my new favorite thing. I can't help it—every word, every touch, every kiss is addictive. Jared is quickly becoming my new obsession and all I want is more.

Finally, he touches me, his finger slipping through my wetness, exploring me slowly. He kisses me again, engulfing me in sensations. My eyes roll back, pleasure sparking through me when the pad of his thumb, warm and slick from my own desire, rubs over my clit. Two long, thick fingers press against my entrance. That delicious pressure circles the sensitive bundle of nerves, and my back bows as he presses into me.

"Oh, God," I moan, head falling back on the pillows. Jared kisses my neck, his tongue sliding over my pulse and then dipping down to the hollow of my collarbone, leaving sparks of pleasure as he goes. Bliss begins to unfurl low in my stomach, a tangle of pleasure tightening until it bursts as he fucks me with two fingers, keeping his thumb working my clit the whole time.

He calls me fairy, and as I come, I feel like I am some mythical creature, arching so hard off the couch, bliss crashing into me that I may as well be levitating, flying like I truly do have wings.

I chant his name, and he keeps up his touch while I come, driving my pleasure to new, unspeakable heights. Stars flash in my vision, and I gasp for air.

I blink, sight clearing just in time to see Jared slip his fingers out of me and bring them to his lips. My face burns hot when I see the shiny, slick evidence of my orgasm coating his skin, and I think I might catch fire when he sucks his fingers into his mouth, licking my taste from himself.

"I've never seen anything as mesmerizing as you when you come, little fairy," Jared moans, and I shudder at the way his praise lights my body up again.

I can't believe we just did that, but I'm too blissed out to think about the consequences of our actions when they feel so good. I'm dizzy and hazy as the exhaustion from earlier returns to my bones, but I still reach for him.

Jared pulls away, smiling and shaking his head. I frown, confused.

"But…I want to touch you, too," I mumble, aware of how needy my voice sounds. It seems unfair for him to give me the best orgasm of my life but for me not to return the favor.

"You need to rest, beautiful," Jared says softly, stroking strands of my hair away from my face with a gentle hand. I lean into his touch. It feels right to have him with me like this. "You've had a…tiring day." He chuckles, and I blush. "Sleep before you pass out."

He stands up like he's about to leave, and I reach for him again, not caring that my eyelids are heavy and my body really is demanding that I let the happy hormones from my orgasm take me away to dreamland.

"Will I… I mean… I'll see you again, right?" I ask, hoping to God I'm not misreading the affection in his eyes, and knowing I'm definitely not misreading the tent in his trousers. My mouth waters at the sight, and despite being thoroughly sated, my thighs clench again. From the bulge alone, I know he's going to fill me completely.

I want him to.

"Oh, little fairy," Jared whispers, coming closer again to cup my face. He kisses me softly, sweetly, making my heart flutter. He kisses me like he feels the same way I do—that there's something between us that goes so much deeper than just physical attraction. "I'm not done with you. I never will be."

I sigh happily, his words washing over me. This time, when he steps away, I let him go.

"Breakfast tomorrow morning," he says, our eyes locked. I'm still flopped over the couch, too tired to move. "Be ready at nine."

I nod my agreement, buoyed with the knowledge I won't have to wait to see him again.

I watch him as he opens the door and steps out. Door half closed, he pauses, turning his head to meet my eyes.

"Sleep well, little fairy," he says, and then he's gone.