8.

"You're insane," was all he said as he pulled my hand and dragged me out of the diner into the dense night outside. I didn't resist, even though all I wanted was to pull my hand away and tell him to stop touching me.

But I didn't. Because as much as I don't like this, I hate the attention I was drawing to us even more. I hate that people are watching. Waiting to see what happens between us. So I didn't pull away, or perhaps, that was just an excuse I needed to savor the warmth of his hand clasped in mine. The dangerous pull. The push and pull going on in my stomach, and the uncontrollable urge to lean into him. To feel him.

And I hate it. I hate these stupid feelings stirring in me. Hate that I have no control over how I feel, how to react. And so, it sends me over the edge even more. I smoothed my free damp hand over my dress as I tried to bring my breathing back under control. But it wasn't working.

Nothing seemed to be working on this cursed damn night!

"Open the door," his voice snarled close to my ears, drawing me out of my thoughts I had stupidly let into my head, so much so that I didn't notice we had arrived at the door to my room. How he knew that, I didn't dare ask as I pulled my hand from his hold, fished out the card with shaky fingers and swiped it across the lock.

The door unlocked in an instant and I stepped in, with him trailing behind me closely. Ah, so maybe we are doing this.

"What were you thinking? Don't you know how dangerous this is? You can't just book a stranger for some sexual gratification you have spinning in your head..."

"Excuse you!" I snapped, walking away from him and stepped more into the living room, then flicked the lights on. "Dangerous? It doesn't seem that way to me considering this is what you do," I whirled around only to find him standing behind me. The big brute hovering over my short form. Damn! I've never hated my height as much as I did now.

"That's different. I am telling you to stop this. It is dangerous."

I simply scoffed, walking over to the centre table. I set my bag down as I filled a cup with water and drank it in seconds. I needed that.

"You don't tell me what to do with my life. You have no rights over that. Besides, need I remind you that you are here for a job? To fulfill my sexual gratification as you called it," I relaxed my braids from the bun, massaged my sore temples then looked up at him. The brute still hadn't moved an inch from where he towered over me.

"We. Are. Not. Doing. Anything, Sherneil," he gritted.

'If we weren't in a complicated situation right now, I'd have swooned over the way he just called your name,' Robyn murmured, glaring up at him. 'And like I mentioned before, we don't have to do this anymore. Send him away and we can spend the rest of the night watching cartoons.'

'The hell I am!' I snapped. 'We are doing this. I won't be the one backing down here,' I answered, blocking off our connection as I focused it all on Mav.

"Of course we are. Isn't that why I booked you? And why you are here?"

"This is different! You are my mate, for goodness sake!"

"Oh, so now I am your mate?" I asked, refusing to let the surge I felt in my chest at the word mate. But I was slowly easing into the role I am playing. The role where I am in control. "I thought you didn't want the bond?"

"You thought wrong," he clenched his jaw, squinted his grey-green eyes and stared down at me. "Do not pretend you know what I think when you don't even know me." He breathed.

"Unlike someone, I do not stalk others," I said, as I began to tug the zipper of my dress down. "I think we've talked enough. Let's get this over with so I can rest."

Making the first move would give me an opening. It would give me the control I wanted in this, which is the only way I can keep up with this fiasco of mine. Which is the only way I can do this.

"Don't," Mav said, gripping my hand from behind. "Don't pull the dress off, Sherneil. We aren't doing anything."

"Will I get a new escort sent if I complain to the agency now?" I blinked at him innocently. "If I understand you correctly, you don't want to do this only because I am your client, right? Well, that is fine. You can leave and I'll demand for a replacement from the agency," I added, walking up to where my bag was laid. "I wasn't expecting you to be the one who would pleasure me for the night either, so imagine my shock when I saw you," I forced a flirty smile I normally see women give, hoping it sent the message in mind. "I can..."

"The h.ell you are booking another escort!" Mav roared, snatching my phone from my hand and tossing it behind onto the rug. "You want to do this? Then fine!" he hissed, pushing me onto the couch behind us. Then he slipped my shoes off my feet.

I began thinking what comes next, what I should do to take back the control I felt was slipping away.

But he took the decision right from me, the one decision I had over this as he kicked off his black leather shoes and threw them behind him. When he finished, he shrugged out of his black shirt and tossed it on the chair next to my bag, revealing a deep brown skin, taut bare muscles underneath, and tattoos.

Lots of tattoos. It stretched from his neck, down to his chest and upper arms, and his jeans rode low on narrow hips.

I couldn't help but stare. Despite the wheels turning in my heart. Despite the clenching of my guts.

His body was a raw sculpted muscle and loose-limbed combination. He was by far the finest male specimen I'd ever laid eyes on. Not that I've seen a lot of men bare chested.

And we were going to… do it.

The reminder that I had pushed for this despite his insistence that we stopped, knocked a wave of panic through me as I continued to stare at him. He did nothing. He simply stood before me, arms crossed over his chest and muscles rippling everywhere.

Maybe I can't...do this.

"Excuse me for a moment please," I mumbled, cursing myself at the sound crackly sound of my voice.