The air was hot and the voice in my head that normally told me when to get the fuck out of dodge seemed a little confused at the moment.

Instead of answering me, he smiled. My knees felt weak as his lips spread. The edges of my vision were unfocused and dim. All I could see was him. Each part of his body was suddenly obscene, my mind taking advantage of possibilities I couldn’t seem to stop. I imagined his soft lips on my skin, his tongue flicking out, each one of his fingers gripping…plunging.

I shook my head. He made my instincts warble between danger and delight.

He looked like a celebrity in his well-fitted suit and red hair. The confidence and sex appeal rolling off him was almost a physical presence of its own. Maybe it was, just not visible to the eyes.

The small crowd near the bar subtly moved closer, their eyes going back and forth between him and their companions like a reliable metronome. Their conversations were unraveling, their minds rolling in the back of their heads. Did they taste that spicy sweetness on their tongues too?

“Good evening, Lacey.” My name was purred deeply from his mouth. It took every single one of my brain cells to remember how to talk.

“You know my name,” I said. Wait—shit, I was supposed to deny who I was. He watched my actions with acute attention to detail and I felt far too aware of my body.

“I’ve been waiting to meet you.” He leaned his back against the bar, his eyes scanning the people inching closer to us. His lips curled with annoyance. The long stretch of his body drew in my eyes.

“I’m Lorcan,” he responded, making me realize I’d just been standing here, subtly gaping at him instead of conversating.

“Lorcan,” I repeated, trying the name out. He turned his attention back towards me and smiled when I repeated him. Fuck me. I cleared my throat. “Why were you chasing me through the restaurant the other night?” I asked and his smile froze. His red eyes swirled as his face became frozen and brittle. I narrowed my eyes.

“Cat got your tongue?” I asked and he made a disgusted face as if I was suggesting he madeout with cats.

“No,” he said. I looked at him in confusion. “The other night there was a misunderstanding. I was just…startled.”

“Startled?” I asked. Lorcan looked flustered now, straightening his suit jacket and flicking his eyes at the people inching even closer. Clearly, they irritated him.

“Can we go somewhere else?” He finally asked, turning to me and blinking large red eyes. I think he was manipulating me with his handsome face.

“Yes,” I said because I didn’t mind being manipulated by him. Even if he was only after me for some bad reason. Actually, I was getting more excited about it by the second. This outrageously attractive man was likely here to collect something I liberated from someone else. This week was getting more fun each day—delightfully dangerous and unbelievably sensual.