Chapter Two
Katya took a heftygulp of the cool Negroni and set the glass down on the table with a clink.She took a deep breath and signaled the waiter for a refill.
What was wrong with her?She’d played the same trick on men more than once but none of them had made her feel this way.She couldn’t seem to forget the last guy.He was much older than her, at least twenty years, but there was something about him.It wasn’t paternal, it was primeval.The desire she’d felt had been blinding.For the first time ever, she’d regretted not taking things further, but fucking someone unconscious was no fun.
The waiter, Daniel, a tall lanky man in his late twenties dressed in a white shirt with a black vest, raised an eyebrow at her.
“Is that a new piercing?”she asked, noticing the shiny ball above his left brow.
He grinned, the stud on his bottom lip glinting.
“Thanks for noticing,” he replied.“Are you okay?You don’t usually drink this much.”
Katya shrugged.“Yeah,” she lied.“It’s just been a rough few days.”
“If you want to talk about it,” he offered, brushing back the strands of hair dipping over his eyes and giving her a sincere blue gaze.
“Thanks.”She shook her head and returned to her drink.She did not want to talk about it, much less with Daniel.He understood and wordlessly left her alone.
She sighed.It had been three days since she’d leftthatguy tied down to a bed in a hotel room and she couldn’t get him off her mind.She hadn’t been able to sleep properly or work.His memory, his scent, and the taste of his lips on her lingered in her brain like a persistent memory threatening to overcome her common sense.
It didn’t help that her tiger kept trying to focus on all of it.How many times in the last few days had she had to shove it aside?She couldn’t focus.She couldn’t unwind.And she had to.She needed to continue working.It was almost the end of the month, and she hadn’t fulfilled her quota, and it was all because ofhim.
The door to The Gin Room opened, letting in a breeze which caressed the nape of her neck.Her hair stood on end.Her tiger lurched to life, stealing her breath.She gritted her teeth to push it down.What the hell was wrong with it?The beast had never been so persistent in coming out as it had in the last few days.She swept her fingers through her hair and that’s when she smelled him.
She veered around and stared.As if the mere thought of him had made him materialize out of the shadows.He stood at the door, taking in the bar.She ducked her head.Shit.Her heart hammered in her chest.Her tiger clawed within its confines leaving her breathless.That man wasn’t looking for a drink.He appeared to be on a mission, and she had the impression she was it.She sneaked another glance in his direction.
Their gazes met and his lips tilted upward as he began to make his way toward her.Her tiger purred, satisfied.
Shit.Shit.Shit.
Katya’s pulse raced.She needed to come up with a plan quickly as there was no escaping the confrontation.He’d seen her and she had nowhere to run.Thoughts scrambled through her brain.How had he found her?She’d never had this happen before and she’d been in the business for three years now.
“Did you really think you’d get far?”
She jumped at the sound of his voice.How could she have forgotten it?Deep and mellow, it caressed her from the inside out.
“Excuse me,” she said.She gave him a blank stare.
Play it cool, Katya.Pretend you don’t know him.
That was undoubtedly her best bet at the moment.
He smirked, the gesture lighting up his dark eyes mischievously and making her squirm in her seat.
“You left me tied to the bed in a hotel room,” he stated.
She tilted her head to glance at him fully.How had she overlooked the fact he was so tall?A wave of desire crashed against her, and she swallowed hard.
“I don’t know you, sir,” she said.Could he hear the tremble in her voice?“But I sure as hell wouldn’t have left you alone in a room.”She gave him a playful smile.
