ped thinking about

slicing through the crowd like a secret meant only for him, the way she smiled

man accustom

s made up. He wanted her alone. No

hile I was sipping

ner. My pla

tion. Just a statement, as

r a long moment, letting

aren't yo

back o

a: W

nse was i

e. Seven o'clock.

one down. He was drawing

ore of the man I p

in shades of gold and violet. The car slid to a stop in front of a toweri

silent, but the anticipation th

opened, Damie

breath

under the dim lights of the penthouse. Her hair was loose this time, f

my voice low as

ed, her lips curlin

, leading her inside.

filled with sharp lines and expensive taste. Floor-to-ceili

d, glancing around as if she

nt smile. "But tonight, I

flickering, soft music filling the background. I watched her a

here so quickly?" she aske

Only when I can't stop

d right away. She lifted her glass of wine inste

staring

eat that crawled over my skin. He wanted to know

made him p

etting my glass down. "There must b

," he said wit

rve my lips. "You don'

he challenged,

ilting my head. "Whe

t hear the gears turning in his mind. He wasn't us

here was an electric current neither of us could ignore. When I s

w," I said, my

hough I felt his gaze

-close enough that I could see the flecks of gold in h

move. Neit

, heavy, like a wire pulled

to feel her skin under my fingertips. But something in her gaze

y with fire?" I as

. "Only when I'm su

ion. By the time I walked her to the elevator, I

in," I said. It w

ed lips curving into a sly

finally exhaled, my heart still d

use I wa

d feel the game sh

ning," I whispered as t

ell, the closer Aria