“Beautiful, is it not?” a smooth as honey baritone asked from behind.
I whirled around, goosebumps erupting over my skin as that voice slid down my back like a forbidden caress. Lucifer stood beside the table as if he’d appeared out of thin air.
My knees went weak beneath me as I took in the devil’s sinful perfection.
His tall, athletic form was dressed in a black suit that fit his body in ways that would make any girl sell her soul for a peek at what lay beneath. The suit was paired with a crisp, black collared shirt and a gray silk tie in a color that matched my eyes, leaving me wondering if that had been intentional.
His ink-black hair was slicked back, and his golden eyes darkened as they slowly slithered down my body, glittering with a sort of hunger that caused my core to heat and liquify like molten gold.
“You look good enough to serve as tonight’s dessert, Ms. Sims,” he purred.
“You look good enough for me to almost want to be your dessert tonight, Mr. Morningstar.”
His brows arched. “Almost?”
“Well, a girl has to havesomepreservations.”
It could have been the restaurant’s lighting, but if I wasn’t mistaken, I was pretty sure I could see Lucifer’s cheeks flame beneath his facial stubble.
“Well, with that in mind, I’ll forgo the plum tartlet just in case you decide to offer yourself as dessert instead. And let that be an ode to how much I desire you. Because one decadent bite of that marzipan is almost worth eternal damnation.”
I let out a nervous laugh and strode toward him when he pulled out a chair and gestured for me to sit. “That must be a damn good tartlet.”
“The best. It’s the entire reason I bought this place.”
Hearing that, I nearly fell into the chair. “You own Canlis?”
“I own much of Seattle, Ms. Sims.”
I rolled my eyes. “So I’ve heard. You should know I’m not impressed by money.”
He took his seat, eyes bright with amusement. “I know. I can read your mind, remember?”
My cheeks turned red hot, realizing he’d seen all my dirty thoughts while I was drooling over him just a few moments ago.
“Oh, please don’t suppress any of your dirty musings on my account, Jessica. It was the entire reason I didn’t book out any musical accompaniment for tonight. Your fantasies starring me should be enough entertainment.”
“You’re kind of a lusty prick, aren’t you?”
At that, he laughed. The melodic sound sent a wave of relief through me for some reason, unwinding my clenched muscles some. I knew who I was sitting across from, and I should have been scared out of my mind, especially knowing that he could see into my thoughts. But instead, I felt at ease, like fate was somehow supposed to land me here, in Seattle’s finest restaurant, flirting with the richest man around over talk of dessert and mind-reading.
Gleaning my thoughts, Lucifer’s expression darkened. “I’m the devil, Kitten. Don’t forget that.”
“Is that supposed to be some kind of warning?”
His head tilted slightly, and he licked his sinful lips. “Not at all. It’s more of a promise, really.”
“Well, I haven’t signed anything yet, remember? You’re supposed to answer my questions.”
His mouth curved into a smirk that had my insides swirling. “Of course. First, shall we have a drink to kick off our meal? Our chef tonight is not Canlis’s usual. For this unique occasion, I brought up the chef and his staff from one of my restaurants back home.”
“‘Back home’? You mean—”
“In Hell, yes. I have a restaurant located above Lust, a club located on the Second Circle of Hell. Similar to Siren’s, but there we strictly serve deceased mortals and native demons. And my staff tend to stroll about in their true forms. Makes for a terrific show from the succubi.”
Just then, a lithe man in a black chef’s uniform hurried out from the kitchen with a pace that suggested a possible fire, clutching a bottle of wine in his hands. But then he stopped abruptly at our table with a sweeping, if somewhat bubbling bow.
“My King, My Lady. It is a pleasure and a complete honor to serve you, really. Truly.”
