up excuses and a bit crazy. In his anger he pulled his multi-million dollar account from the firm, and she’d lost both her job and a measure of her self-confidence. She’d only come tonight because Laurie had assured her Kevin wouldn’t be here.
But at the moment, staring into the stranger’s eyes, Eva found she didn’t give a damn. Her skin grew hot, her knees weak, the longer she gazed at the man before her. It had been far too long since a man had numbed her brain this thoroughly by just being next to her, and it made her head spin.
“It’s only a dance.”
Walk away . This man is…not like Kevin. She’d had no problem telling Kevin no. She seriously doubted she could do the same with this man. She couldn’t form the thought. Despite all her logical mental objections, her body seemed to have a will of its own, and Eva found herself placing her hand in his. The cool firmness of his touch against her skin startled her and sent an electrical current up her arm that was shocking in its intensity. Her fingers automatically tightened in his. How foolish. It was this man she was afraid of, yet it was this man she wanted to cling to.
“Scared?” he taunted lightly, as she resisted the tug of his hand.
“To dance? Not at all.” Eva managed a small smile as she flowed into his arms. Her heart pumped so hard that the rush of blood in her ears made it difficult to hear the thumping base in the music. Their steps seemed synchronized as they moved easily together. “I’m Evaline St. Croix,” Eva told him with forced lightness. The party, loud and boisterous only moments before, seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of them on the dance floor.
His hand felt cool and dry against hers. He smiled slightly, his golden eyes dancing with humor—and something else Eva couldn’t name. Something that made her heart pound even harder and caused her blood to flow hot and fast through her veins. “So what’s your name?”
“Raphael,” he told her, after several seconds where she suspected he was assessing her in a way no man had ever done before.
His name suited him. “Are you supposed to be a dark angel, then?”
Something deep in his gaze sparkled. “Hardly. It’s an old family name.”
“My friends call me Eva.”
“And what may I call you?”
For a moment, her mouth refused to work as thoughts hit her mind in a rush. Call me sexy, tempting, anything you want as long as you touch me.
His mouth twitched, as if she’d said the words out loud rather than thought them, and she swallowed, grateful he couldn’t read her mind. She tried to find her voice, but the words came out nearly a whisper. “Eva will do.”
At least the dance floor was crowded and the music was fast-paced. That might give her time to rein in her raging libido before she did anything to embarrass herself or her employer.
But her fragile security vanished once the music changed to a slow sultry salsa. Taking her hands, he tugged her close, the heels of his hands resting against her hips. She smelled his intoxicating cologne, and the starch in his shirt. An arc of electricity pulsated between them, making her achingly aware of his nearness. She couldn’t help but notice how broad his shoulders were and how solid he seemed as the fluid movements of the dance brought them close enough for him to brush against her thighs, her stomach and her breasts.
Swaying to the music, they circled slowly, the tempo captivating her as she stared up into his perfectly sculptured face. Her breasts tightened as his inexorable hold drew her against the solidness of his body, his broad hands against her hips, cool through the thin silk of her dress.
“It’s been entirely too long,” he said quietly, his gaze holding hers as they moved together. A hint of longing flitted across his eyes before he shuttered them with a sweep of short black lashes. Her imagination. They’d only just met. Barely exchanged a handful of words, yet longing welled up inside
But at the moment, staring into the stranger’s eyes, Eva found she didn’t give a damn. Her skin grew hot, her knees weak, the longer she gazed at the man before her. It had been far too long since a man had numbed her brain this thoroughly by just being next to her, and it made her head spin.
“It’s only a dance.”
Walk away . This man is…not like Kevin. She’d had no problem telling Kevin no. She seriously doubted she could do the same with this man. She couldn’t form the thought. Despite all her logical mental objections, her body seemed to have a will of its own, and Eva found herself placing her hand in his. The cool firmness of his touch against her skin startled her and sent an electrical current up her arm that was shocking in its intensity. Her fingers automatically tightened in his. How foolish. It was this man she was afraid of, yet it was this man she wanted to cling to.
“Scared?” he taunted lightly, as she resisted the tug of his hand.
“To dance? Not at all.” Eva managed a small smile as she flowed into his arms. Her heart pumped so hard that the rush of blood in her ears made it difficult to hear the thumping base in the music. Their steps seemed synchronized as they moved easily together. “I’m Evaline St. Croix,” Eva told him with forced lightness. The party, loud and boisterous only moments before, seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of them on the dance floor.
His hand felt cool and dry against hers. He smiled slightly, his golden eyes dancing with humor—and something else Eva couldn’t name. Something that made her heart pound even harder and caused her blood to flow hot and fast through her veins. “So what’s your name?”
“Raphael,” he told her, after several seconds where she suspected he was assessing her in a way no man had ever done before.
His name suited him. “Are you supposed to be a dark angel, then?”
Something deep in his gaze sparkled. “Hardly. It’s an old family name.”
“My friends call me Eva.”
“And what may I call you?”
For a moment, her mouth refused to work as thoughts hit her mind in a rush. Call me sexy, tempting, anything you want as long as you touch me.
His mouth twitched, as if she’d said the words out loud rather than thought them, and she swallowed, grateful he couldn’t read her mind. She tried to find her voice, but the words came out nearly a whisper. “Eva will do.”
At least the dance floor was crowded and the music was fast-paced. That might give her time to rein in her raging libido before she did anything to embarrass herself or her employer.
But her fragile security vanished once the music changed to a slow sultry salsa. Taking her hands, he tugged her close, the heels of his hands resting against her hips. She smelled his intoxicating cologne, and the starch in his shirt. An arc of electricity pulsated between them, making her achingly aware of his nearness. She couldn’t help but notice how broad his shoulders were and how solid he seemed as the fluid movements of the dance brought them close enough for him to brush against her thighs, her stomach and her breasts.
Swaying to the music, they circled slowly, the tempo captivating her as she stared up into his perfectly sculptured face. Her breasts tightened as his inexorable hold drew her against the solidness of his body, his broad hands against her hips, cool through the thin silk of her dress.
“It’s been entirely too long,” he said quietly, his gaze holding hers as they moved together. A hint of longing flitted across his eyes before he shuttered them with a sweep of short black lashes. Her imagination. They’d only just met. Barely exchanged a handful of words, yet longing welled up inside
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