The hairs on the back of my neck stood at full attention. I had the overwhelming sensation that I was being watched, which made me feel vulnerable—like prey on the verge of being captured.
I looked at my tablemates, and their eyes were focused across the room. I glanced at the neighboring tables. Women’s heads were all turning like dominos, with all gazes focused on the same spot.
What the hell is going on?
“Hey, Max.” The voice to my left was low and rumbled through me. I dropped my gaze to the floor, trying to still my pounding heart.
His voice was smooth, confident, with a touch of grit—the kind of voice you could listen to all day and never hear enough. The air was infused with a spicy, earthy scent—notes of cedar and possibly tobacco lingering in the air. The combination was heady. Whoever was standing beside me was pure, unadulteratedmale.
My body heated at the influx of sensations and the feeling of his eyes on me.
A pair of dark boots was a few feet away from my chair, and as Imoved my eyes up slowly, I found dark denim covering a set of muscular legs. A brown leather belt wrapped around a trim waist. A blue button-up shirt was tucked in, hinting at the hardness beneath the fabric. His shirtsleeves were rolled to his elbows, exposing an expensive-looking watch and a set of tanned, powerful forearms.
I nervously tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, trying to slow my heart that was threatening to pound out of my chest.
“Hey.” Max smirked, his eyes trained on his friend. A hint of mischief danced across his features. “I walked in and saw Kari and grabbed a seat. Wanna join us?”
I inhaled slowly, trying to get my bearings. I turned ever so slowly to my left.
When my eyes met his crystal blues, I froze. A smile lazily broke out across his face. Chills raced through my body, and goose bumps broke out across my skin.
This man was nothing short of divine.
His eyes were the bluest I had ever seen—crystal-clear pools of cerulean. They were wild yet elegant, sort of calm yet lively. They were the kind of eyes you could lose yourself in for hours on end.
The kind of eyes that could get a girl in trouble.
His face was sharp and angular; his jaw was strong and square. A slightly bent nose lent a bad-boy look to his otherwise perfect face. His short blond hair was cropped close to his head. He was beautiful with a hint of rogue, and it was all I could do not to stare.
I pulled my eyes away, feeling my cheeks heat. As I glanced down his solid body, I knew without a doubt that a guy who looked like this was nothing but trouble. He was too delicious for his own good.
Or my own good, anyway.
He gripped the chair in front of him, and I imagined his strong hands gripping my hips.
I have to calm down.
I felt an urge to look back up, and when I did, he was watching me intently. He held my eyes with his own, and I was pinned in place, unable to tear my gaze from his. I felt defenseless and completelybared, like he was downloading everything from my brain. I wanted, needed, to pull my eyes away from him, but I couldn’t.
“Craving Mexican, huh?” He snickered as he sat down in the empty seat next to me, finally releasing my gaze.
Max laughed and shook his head.
“And how are you, Kari?”
“I’m great, Cane,” Kari cooed, batting her eyelashes.
Cane slowly turned to me, his grin turning wicked. My breath hitched as he leaned in. I cleared my throat, hoping it would distract him from the thumping of my heart that I was absolutely certain he could hear.
If there was ever a physical embodiment of sex, it was sitting next to me.
“Max has apparently forgotten his manners tonight. I’m Cane Alexander. And who might you be?”
I smiled nervously. “I’m Jada Stanley, Kari’s sister.”
“I have to admit,” Cane said, looking up at Max, “that I was a little pissed about meeting you here. But all things considered”—he gave me the slightest nod—“I think this is going to work out just fine.”
I took a sip of my margarita as Cane turned to me.
