His eyebrows crease. “Bella, what are you talking about? We haven’t had date one yet.”

“This was date one. You asked me to go out with you today. You picked me up. You bought me gifts.” I lift the gifts in my hand to show him. “You took me out for lunch. You even paid. Sounds like a date to me.”

“That doesn’t count. A date shouldn’t include Tommy and my sister.”

“Again...an oversight on your part. You should’ve thought it through.” I turn and continue my journey to my car.

“You can’t just take an opportunity away from me like that...Bella...You know what you’re doin’ isn’t fair, right?”

I smile to myself, not just because of that littledoin’he just threw at me, but because he is genuinely upset. He’s adorable.

“You can terminate this after date two, which means I only have one more shot.” He follows behind me, lengthening his strides to catch up. “And then you’re gonna leave me here with no address, no phone number, and no way to contact you except therapy...Bella.”

I turn once I reach my car, and I’m rather dramatic when I sigh. “‘Til we meet again, De Lorenzo.”

“Stop,” he says as I open my car door. “I’m asking you to reconsider and not let this count as date one.”

I drop the gifts onto my front seat. “Nope.”

I’m about to climb in when he grabs my wrist and yanks me toward him with enough force to slam into his chest. I’m not sure if the gasp I let out is because of the impact or his sudden closeness. The warmth of his body envelops me, yet still, I shiver.

“You’re fucking with me again,” he rasps through gritted teeth, the tightness of his jaw showing his irritation.

My breath hitches as his hands slide down my body, gripping my ass to pull me flush against him. He’s hard already, and I let out a breathy sigh when he shifts my hips against him. One step and he has me pressed against the back door of my car, and he leans close enough for me to feel his heated breaths on my lips.

“What are you doing?” I ask, my voice not hiding the effect he has on me.

“Well, if this is date one that means I get a kiss.” A cocky grin curves on his lips when I stiffen. “That kinda looks like an oversight onyourpart.” His grin widens when he sees how annoyed I am that I caught myself in my own game.

“Fine,” I say with as much disinterest as I can muster. “You have fifteen minutes. Let’s get this over with.”

Threading his hand into my hair, he tilts my head back for me to look up at him. That grin of satisfaction stays in place as he dips his head, his mouth closing over that tender spot on my neck just below my tattoo. I moan, a needy sound that makes his cock twitch against me.

“I love how you pretend like you don’t want me,” he whispers hoarsely, nipping my skin, “when we both know I could have you naked in the backseat of this car in just a few minutes. I could get you so hot...” The tip of his tongue traces over my earlobe and my heart races in anticipation. “...and so wet that your body won’t know whether it wants my hand, my mouth, or my cock. You’d be begging for all of me.”

“Mmm...” That’s another moan that I try to disguise as best I can. “Careful, De Lorenzo. That smug attitude of yours is unbecoming. I’d hate to flip this on you just to prove a point. I could get you to that state without even touching you.”

“I’ll wait patiently for you to prove that point.” He places soft kisses along my jaw. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve been dying to taste these lips for weeks now, so I’m going to take my time and savor every second.”

He lowers his head, and his mouth lightly touches mine. He teases and caresses before he coaxes my lips apart and his tongue ventures into my mouth. It’s slow and soft. He was, and still is, the most amazing kisser and this particular kiss draws me in within seconds. I’m spellbound, and I spend the next fifteen minutes utterly lost in the sensual embrace of Dylan De Lorenzo.