Blindly, I turn on my feet when an arm snakes around my waist, taking me by surprise. Before I know what’s happening, I find myself pressed against a firm body. Shock courses through me as I raise my gaze to look at the man. The most vivid blue eyes I’ve ever seen focus on me, making me feel oddly unbalanced and short of breath. I stand there unmoving, figuratively and literally caught. His arms are like corded steel wrapping around my waist and pulling me closer to him. I gasp at the sensation of his hard body against the softness of mine. And as our gazes lock, a hot blush paints my cheeks bright red.
“There you are, beautiful,” the man says in perfect English, the slight trace of a French accent lurking in his voice. He smiles, an easy smile full of mischief, and I feel like I’m falling and falling. “I’ve been looking for you.”
Huh?
He lowers his head close to my ear and whispers, “Just go with the flow.”
“Wha—”
He takes my mouth in a kiss I feel all the way to my bones. My eyes widen in surprise. I try to push him away, but he lets go of my waist and tangles his hands in my hair, his fingers cradling my head, and brings us closer as though he was trying to fuse us into one. He slants his lips over mine, so the kiss becomes deeper, needier. His tongue pushes past my resistance, ready to conquer and take and take. And as it tangles with mine unashamedly and unapologetically, I can’t move. I can’t think. Shock and anger slowly melt into surrender. I’m rendered useless by the man ravishing my mouth and senses. Somewhere in my mind, there’s a small yet wise voice telling me to put a stop to it because this is wrong, to end the kiss before it consumes me.
But I ignore it all.
Because as his lips continue to savage mine, an inexplicable yearning so intense it shocks me comes over my being. I find myself kissing him back, needing more until he pulls away as though I was burning him.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he says. His bright eyes roam my face, my lips, my cheeks, my eyes. He raises a trembling hand to run through his hair. Then, as though he’s remembered where we are, he grins slowly, throws his arm over my shoulders, and turns to face the lady who was yelling at me before. Dazed and confused, I blink a couple of times while trying to get my bearings. What just happened?
“Margot,” he addresses her. He winks at me before letting go of my waist. I see a window of opportunity to get away. I’m about to move when he places a hand possessively on the curve of my hip, obstructing my retreat.
“Don’t even think about it,” he whispers in my ear before he leans down, running his nose and lips along the side of my ear down to my shoulder. His touch raises goose bumps all over my skin, making my insides feel all tingly.
“I see you’ve met my date,” he says to Margot, his voice sure and smooth.
She crosses her arms over her chest, the golden bracelets adorning her thin wrists digging into her skin, and replies something in French.
Breathless and shaken to the core, I watch my French chevalier while making the very unpleasant discovery that he is, in fact, extremely attractive, although he looks more like the wicked villain in a novel with his swarthy looks than the knight in shining armor. A man’s face shouldn’t be that sinful, his body that virile. Everything about him from his wide shoulders to his crooked nose and pillowy lips is designed to bring a woman down to her knees, seduce her until she’s lost her mind. He’s danger inviting you to play, and only a fool would accept his invitation, or, perhaps only a fool wouldn’t.
“Yes, of course, I know her. She’s with me,” he replies in English again. Danger focuses on me, striking blue eyes against tan skin, and smirks before giving me a quick spank on the ass. “Right, beautiful?”
“Right.” Blushing furiously, I throw daggers at him which makes him chuckle, his eyes dancing with amusement. “I’m sorry I was so late,” I say, smiling sweetly at him then pinch his side, hard. I smile a real smile when he flinches, hiding his howl of pain behind a cough. Gotcha. “I hope you didn’t miss me terribly, my love.”
“I missed you so much it hurt.” A cheeky grin tilts the corner of his mouth when he palms my ass. Slowly. Leisurely. My eyes widen at his intimate, provoking touch, wiping the smile off of my face. This man is deranged. Yes, that’s the only explanation for his behavior.
“Now if you’ll excuse us, Margot, I need a minute alone with my little love,” he says the last three words with barely contained laughter.
Margot appears confused at our interaction, her gaze bouncing from him to me and vice versa. She narrows her eyes, obviously not buying his story. Shaking her head, she rolls her eyes. “Whatever you say. Just see her out when you’re done playing,” she comments in English. So the infuriating woman knew English after all. And with that, she spins on her feet and leaves us, taking the two security guards with her. The circus over, the disappointed crowd disperses.
The stranger takes me by the forearm and makes me follow him to the back of the gallery where there isn’t another soul besides the two of us.
“Are you crazy?” I twist my arm, freeing myself from his hold. Indignation makes me shake from head to toe. “Why would you do that?”
To add insult to injury, the maddening, gorgeous man seems to be enjoying himself. “Easy, beautiful. I think I just saved your neck back there.”
“But—” He has a point. Darn it. “Thank you, but—”
“You’re welcome,” he adds cheekily, his mouth twitching.
“But you kissed me,” I say, my pride still smarting at the way he handled me.
“You didn’t seem to mind too much, ma chérie.” His lips curve dangerously as his heavy-lidded eyes fall upon my mouth first and then my eyes. “You kissed me right back.”
My cheeks are on fire. The memories of his kiss, the heat and the strength of his arms around me, spin inside my head like a revolving door, leaving me dizzy. Flustered, I say, “You-you caught me off-guard. That’s all.”
“Sure, beautiful.” He leans lazily on the wall, crossing his arms. He appears at ease and full of himself. “Besides I’ll be damned if I have to apologize for kissing you.”
He peels himself away from the wall and closes the space between us. My heart drums out of my chest. I know I should move, but my feet seem frozen on the spot, my fight or flight response rendered useless by a man with the devil in his eyes fast approaching me. He watches me as though I am already in his bed, naked, ready to be taken by him. And my God, for a weak, treacherous second, I wonder what it would be like. Animalistic. Feral. Erotic. Just like him.
When he’s standing in front of me, he leans down until his lips are almost grazing mine. His breath, soft and sweet, against my skin. “Because I liked it. Very much. In fact, I’m tempted to kiss you again.”
I take a step back, fear, and maybe excitement, running freely in my veins. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“You know I would, and you’d love it as much as the first time.”
“You’re ridiculous.” I laugh in disbelief and shaken to the core. “I’m leaving now. Thanks for the rescue,” I add sarcastically.