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I watched him for a moment.

"Even if telling me something means I might walk away?"

"Even then." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "I wanted you badly enough to make a selfish decision. I don't want to spend whatever time you'll give me repeating it. You've every right to know what you're getting into."

"All right," I said.

He looked at me with an expression that made my stomach flutter.

"All right?"

"Yes. I'd like us to see where this could go."

Cillian remained still for a moment.

I moved closer until our knees touched.

"I don't mean another anonymous night, and I'm not asking you to pretend we're starting from nothing. I know you're the consultant who asked me for coffee. I know you're the man I met at the Grand. And I know you're a fallen angel who did something extraordinary and rather terrible because he wanted to find me."

His hand settled over mine.

"I'd like to take you out," I continued. "Somewhere we can have dinner and talk without worrying about conference-room schedules or whether your wings are going to knock over a chandelier. I'd like to know what you're like when you're not working or trying to seduce me."

He gave me a slow, wicked smile.

"I'm afraid the seduction part may be difficult to set aside."

I laughed.

"I thought it might be."

His fingers closed gently around mine.

"I'd love to take you out, Everly. And if you want to spend the evening asking questions about me, I'll happily answer them. Though I reserve the right to ask a few of my own."

"That seems reasonable."

I leaned toward him, enjoying the way his attention followed my movements.

"There's one more thing," I said.

"What's that?"

"I want you to kiss me."

Cillian's smile deepened.

"Now that's a request I'm delighted to accommodate."

He moved closer, sliding his free hand around my waist. I caught his shoulder, drew him toward me, and met his mouth with a kiss that made the distance between us feel like a particularly foolish arrangement.

There was nothing tentative about the way he kissed me. His lips were warm, his hand firm against my back, and the familiar touch of his lip ring sent a rush of pleasure through me.

I'd spent most of the day trying not to remember what those kisses felt like.

Now I had absolutely no intention of forgetting.

I shifted into his lap, slipping my arms around his neck. He laughed softly against my mouth as I settled there, and his hands moved to my hips.