From their first meeting, Luc had been quick to suppress any sign of emotion. The glimpse of raw honesty, while appreciated, was tragic. How could one exist in a world of nothing but takers and ugliness?
“Have dinner with me tomorrow,” she blurted, shocking herself with her own boldness. “My treat. To show my appreciation for last night and today,” she hurriedly added.
He tilted his head slightly and regarded her curiously. His hot gaze traveled the length of her body and lingered, once again, on her pink-polished toes. Whatever he saw there made him nod.
“I’ll pick you up at six,” he said before lifting her hand and brushing a lingering kiss on the sensitive skin of her inner wrist.
Surely he had to feel her pulse galloping out of control, right? Despite the mortifying tell, Nadia was in no rush to pull away. Luc ran the tips of his fingers along the vein to her palm, and his lips twisted into some semblance of a smile.
“Tomorrow,” he murmured.
Rooted to the spot, she watched him traverse the sidewalk. His stride was reminiscent of a large panther. Each movement controlled, yet loose. Powerful. The people around him reacted to his commanding presence and gave him a wide berth. He reached the corner and, to Nadia’s surprise, didn’t bother to check for oncoming traffic. No, he sailed through the crosswalk as if everything and everyone would halt their progress just for him.
And damned if they didn’t.
No honking or cursing. No fists raised in anger. It was as if people stood still to observe this incredible specimen in motion.
To those who knew her, Nadia was shy, barely crossing the line of virginal. But at that moment, she lusted. Luc’s male grace and undeniable masculinity fired her cells on a level with which she had no understanding. The desire rising within her was akin to an inferno, threatening to melt her bones and cook her from the inside out. Her skin grew hot, clothing felt restrictive, and her lungs sucked in air at an alarming rate as her heart thudded painfully. She wanted to chase him down, as if she were the fierce jungle cat and he her prey.
When he reached the opposite side of the road, he stopped short. Perhaps he sensed her regard, because he turned back, and their gazes locked across the distance. The disturbing flash of red had the skin on her forearms puckering. Nadia absently rubbed the goosebumps, continuing to stare, as did he. Her internal temperature—already earth-scorching—increased in direct opposition to the chill of her skin.
What the hell was he doing to her?
From where she stood, she shouldn’t have been able to tell, but she was certain of his amusement. Was her physical and emotional upheaval so apparent? Good grief, she might as well have a thought bubble above her head.
With a flash of straight white teeth, he vanished.
She blinked. Then blinked again. How the hell had he moved so quickly?
Shaking off her bemusement, she waved down a cab before it pulled away. Halfway to her destination, she phoned her friend.
“Katie?”
“Hey. What’s up?” Ever insightful, her bestie cut to the chase. “You never call midday unless you’re upset. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, nothing urgent. I…” At a loss to explain, Nadia tried to organize her thoughts.
“You’ve met someone.”
“How did you get that from a ten-second phone conversation?”
“Am I wrong?” Katie’s laughter suggested she already knew the answer.
“Well, no, but how did you jump from ‘Hey’ to ‘You’ve met someone’ so fast?”
“It was the long pause. What’s he like?”
Nadia released a girly sigh. “There are truly no words. The man literally makes my body hum when he’s in my general vicinity. It’s unreal.”
“Wow!”
“I know, right?”
“How did you meet?”
Not wanting to be lectured about her poor choices, Nadia went with the abbreviated version. “I got lost, and he helped me. Then he introduced me to who I hope is my new boss.”
“I’m assuming he’s hot?”
