But to be the focus of her passion—gods, if that didn’t make his bloody cock stir in anticipation.
She marched over, snatched the scroll off the table, and dropped it into the tube, capping it.
Her cell rang. She dropped the cylinder like yesterday’s trash in the lead box, grabbed her phone off the table, and answered. “David.” A breathy sigh left her as if all were right in her world. Her tone dipped, became throaty. “No, of course, it’s not too late...”
Not too late? At fucking three in the morning?
Reynner walked over. Just because he couldn’t touch her didn’t mean she could saunter on to the next available male.
“Yes…tomorrow’s still on… why would I cancel? All right, see you then.” She wiped her palm down her black pants again. “Er, David, would you—”
No. Fucking. Way.Before he did something they’d both regret, Reynner snatched the cell from her and disconnected the call. “Speak to the artist when you’re less susceptible to the scroll.”
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “I didn’t ask for your advice. And it’s none of your business if David comes over.”
He stepped closer, lowered his voice. “Oh, yes it is, Eve. If you think him to be my replacement—”
Rage flashed in her green eyes, stopping him dead in his tracks, and breathless in anticipation.
“You bastard,” she hissed and shoved him hard in the chest. He barely felt the hit, but he let the momentum take him back. Her hurt and anger lashed at him, pounding him with regret.
She stormed off. Seconds later, her room door banged shut, the sound resonating down the short passage and into the pit in his chest.
A crack ricocheted through the air.
Reynner glanced at her cell he held; the glass sported a spidery crack. Breathing harshly, anger bleeding through his pores, he tossed the phone onto the counter.
“Put that thing someplace it can’t cause any more problems,” he snapped, nodding at the scroll.
Lucan locked the lead box. The tight set of his mouth slapped Reynner with the truth. Lucan was just as aroused.
He didn’t give a fuck. He wanted him gone.
Lucan, however, made no move to leave.
“What the hell are you waiting for?”
“The morning. So we can try again.”
“You think that shit flies with me? Get out, Luc, and take the damn box with you. I’ll bring her to Exilum in the morning.” Reynner stalked to the front door and yanked it open.
His brow climbing up, silently, Lucan picked up the lead box and strode from the apartment.
Chapter 15
Eve’s eyelids cracked open. The bright sunlight streaming in between parted curtains made her wince. Groaning, she squeezed her eyes tight feeling as if she’d crawled out of a fog…
Then reality smacked her in the face and last night’s debacle came back in all its ghastly detail.
Ack, now she’d have to face Reynner.
So not the way she wanted to start the day. A pity hiding in bed couldn’t be a constitutional right for gut-churning embarrassment.
Forcing her lethargic limbs to move, she rolled off the bed and stumbled from her room, down the short hallway, and to the bathroom. Eyes half closed, she turned on the faucet, undressed, and stepped into the shower. The rush of cool water beating down on her slapped her back into normalcy.
No, hiding wasn’t the way she rolled anymore. She’d just have to chalk this up to another of life’s little lessons. Eve took stock of herself. No buzzing or sexual hum or whatever the heck spell the scroll had had her under. All was as it should be with just blood flowing through her veins. She heaved a sigh of relief.
After a quick shower, she toweled off and pulled on underwear, followed by khaki-green capris and a white cap-sleeves top. She fastened her damp hair in a high ponytail, slipped her feet into flip-flops and headed for the kitchen, the scent of coffee drifting to her.
