The temptation sparked her entire body to full attention. Just one night to deal with whatever this was between them. It hurt to think of him leaving, but it also hurt to consider that there was only one night. One chance for closeness with him. The words wouldn’t come, so she let her reactions take over. “I’m not a one-night stand type of gal,” she murmured, almost to herself.

“It’s not a one-night stand,” he returned, his gaze no less intense. “You know that. Even if it’s just one night, it’s you and me. It’s more than that, and I don’t understand it any more than you do, but you feel it. I know you feel it, too.”

She drank in her fill of him, trying to memorize his features. Never in her life had she met a person like Angus Force, anyone so darkly male. Anybody so pursued by demons and yet so strong and stubborn.

Also, it figured he’d finally make his move when they were both sober and raw after the terrible scene in the park. There was no handy excuse for her to grab onto in desperation. She hadn’t been drinking and they hadn’t spent a fun day goofing off together. If she agreed, it was all on her—no excuses to comfort herself with after he left. And he was leaving. She could see acceptance of the end in his eyes and the settled stance of his shoulders. “You don’t even like me.” Was she protesting too much?

“Yes or no, Nari.” He didn’t disagree with her statement.

She didn’t like him sometimes either. But he drew her in a way she couldn’t pin down. If she left right now, she’d do so with her head held high. But she’d always wonder. Always. “Yes,” she whispered.

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

He had lost his mind. Angus waited until Nari had locked her car before taking her hand for the first and only time in the year they’d known each other. Her skin was soft and her hand fit inside his perfectly. Figured. The rain drilled them, springing up from the asphalt, so he ducked his head and loped into a jog as Roscoe took care of business in the weeds off the parking lot.

The need for her had nearly driven him insane. Every time he smelled her cinnamon scent, every time her brown eyes softened, every time he heard the clip-clop of her sexy shoes, it was all he could do not to grab her shoulders and press her up against a wall and let his body have free reign.

Now she’d said yes.

For miles he’d scrutinized every vehicle behind them, knew they hadn’t been followed. He tuned in his instincts. The area was vacant. Right now, at least, nobody was watching him.