“Appreciate it,” Volkan said after a few seconds. “I thought I would give you the opportunity to deal with him before I stepped in. My methods are harsher than yours.” Apparently, Andrew replied with something funny because Volkan chuckled. “Yes, exactly.”

Another pause, then Volkan looked down at Yasmin and asked, “Is his name Gary?”

Yasmin glared at him, but he simply stared back, his obsidian eyes gleaming as he waited. He didn’t remove his hand, so finally, she nodded.

“Yes, that’s him,” Volkan said into his phone. “Thanks for your help. I will return the favour when you need one.”

Volkan ended the call and removed his hand from Yasmin’s mouth. She sat up on the bed, spluttering. “Don’t ever do that again!” She shoved off the bed and stood on wobbly legs, looking around for her shoes, finally spotting them by the closet.

“Do what?” Volkan asked, standing.

His tone was mild, but he was watching her like a bird of prey about to swoop in on its unsuspecting meal.

“Don’t speak for me!” She shoved her feet into her running shoes before turning back to him, her hands on her hips. “And don’t you ever hold me down again. In fact, never mind, it won’t happen again because I never want to see you again.”

“What if you gave me permission?” he asked.

The question was so bizarrely unfitting with what she’d said that when she opened her mouth to snap at him, nothing came out. Finally, she shook her head. “What?”

He flashed her a grin. “What if you give me permission to hold you down? There’s a certain amount of pleasure in feeling your smaller body struggle beneath mine.”

The erotic image he conjured between them sucked all the air out of the room and she suddenly felt dizzy. His bigger, heavier body, naked, pressing down on top of her. The image was exciting and sexy as heck.

She had to swallow before she could speak again. “What’s wrong with you?”

He approached her slowly, as if to show that she could run if she wanted to, but the predator look still hung about him, suggesting he would catch her in a heartbeat if she tried.

He touched a fingertip to her forehead and gently swept her bangs aside, tucking them behind her ear where the sensitive flesh tingled from his touch.

“I’m falling in love with you,” he admitted. “That’s what’s wrong with me.”

She gaped at him for several long seconds until she could answer. “That’s crazy, we barely know each other.”

“Time means nothing when fate brings lovers together, küçük olan.”

She shook her head, but the look on his face suggesting he was serious, the heat of his body so close to hers, drew her. “Nothing gives you to right to make decisions for me,” she insisted. “Especially after only a few dates.”