Free One Daring Night by Mari Carr

what she’d learned last night. He was a self-confessed playboy. And she was falling for every bit of it. Hook, line and sinker.
    She lifted her head from his shoulder, looking up at his handsome face. With his dark, wavy hair, that chiseled jaw with the little cleft she wanted to lick, his bedroom eyes and sexy smile, she understood perfectly why women fell over him. Add in his sense of humor and talent for romance and he was a threat to every female on the planet. “This is quite the seduction scene you’ve got going on.”
    Eric gave her a wicked grin. “Is it working?”
    “Oh hell yeah. Although who are we fooling? We both knew before I got here I was sleeping with you tonight.”
    “Always been a fan of the sure thing.”
    She rolled her eyes and started to call him out for his cockiness, but something in his expression stopped her. He looked too serious, too sincere.
    “I don’t bring women here and make dinner for them, Joni.”
    Were her thoughts that transparent? “I didn’t say anything.”
    “I know you didn’t, but I can imagine what you’re thinking. That total honesty thing is probably working against me right now.”
    It was. And it wasn’t. But she didn’t have time to reply either way.
    “So I’m going to give you some more truth. You’re the first woman I’ve invited here for dinner. The first to see my nana’s china and the first to dance with me in my living room.”
    “Oh,” she breathed.
    “I also wish you were the first to sleep in my bed but I sort of fucked that up the other night, so let me put it to you this way. I hope you’ll be the first woman to sleep in my bed a lot of nights, the first to put a bunch of girlie shit in my bathroom and to leave wet towels all over my house. Anywhere you want to toss them is fine with me.”
    “Is this your idea of giving me space and time?” The question lacked any steam. In fact her voice sounded sort of breathless, flirty.
    “My cock’s been hard since I saw you eviscerating your ex in that restaurant. I don’t see that condition changing anytime soon.”
    “Sounds painful,” she teased.
    “Only if you keep insisting on time away from me.”
    She bit her lower lip, then shook her head in defeat. “I couldn’t stay away if I tried. I’m very bad when it comes to self-restraint. I’ve failed at every diet, fallen off every wagon and then there’s that masturbation thing.”
    Eric laughed, then kissed her—fast and hard. “Come to bed with me.”
    It wasn’t a request, so she didn’t answer. Instead, she followed him to his bedroom, shocked to discover every flat surface lit with candles. When she saw his bed, she gasped. The dark-blue comforter was covered in deep-red rose petals.
    “I bought you flowers, then decided to put them to better use.”
    Joni was speechless. All she could think was Most. Romantic. Night. Ever.
    “Joni?” he prodded as she stood motionless in the doorway.
    “Thank you for the roses,” she said at last.
    He grinned. “You’re welcome. Want to have a contest to see who can get the most stuck to their naked skin?”
    She snorted. “You’re on.”
    Romance and laugher. Who knew it was such an irresistible combination?
     
    The more time Eric spent with Joni, the more convinced he was that following her out to that parking lot had been the smartest move of his life. There was something about her that made him want to put all the bullshit away and just be himself.
    Though he was fairly certain that had been his only option. If he’d played his usual games with her, she would have seen straight through him and walked away. Being able to let the real Eric out was refreshing, a relief in a way.
    And most incredible was she liked him for who he was. Flaws and all.
    Eric started unbuttoning her blouse. He needed to see her. Touch her. Hell, he’d almost suggested they eat dinner in the nude, but he’d managed to restrain himself. Barely.
    He dragged the silky material over her shoulders,