The moody strains of Adele rushed past his ears. He weaved his way through tangled couples and reached them. Her head moved an inch. His gaze caught hers.
An endless depth of black pulled him in and sucked deep. Awareness flared and burned as those eyes widened. He recognized the attraction—was experienced with the push and pull of arousal. His skin prickled. The primitive need to pull her away from Edward and claim her rocketed through him. He reached over and—
“Max. What a surprise.”
Edward swung around and grinned. “Hey boss. Thought you weren’t coming.”
“Plans changed.” He gave a tight smile. “Mind if I cut in?”
“Sure.” Edward bowed and elicited a giggle from Carina. “Milady, I will claim you in a bit.”
Her face broke open in delight and pissed him off. “Thank you, kind sir.”
Max grasped her fingers, brought them to his shoulder and pressed his body against hers. The tight tips of her breasts brushed against his shirt. His temper rose as fast as his dick to full attention. “Have I stepped into the fucking Middle Ages?”
She blinked. “What’s wrong with you? Cranky from working too hard at the festival?”
His brows snapped down. “No. Just never pegged you for the cutesy type.” Well, at least not now. The old Carina reminded him of giggles and whispers behind cupped hands about boys. The one he held now bespoke a woman in need of being tamed and taken.
“You never pegged me for a lot of things.”
He tightened his hold and eased an inch closer. The scent of clean female skin and fresh cucumber teased his nostrils. How can something so innocent and pure create such a primitive rush of lust? Crap, he felt as if he was falling into frikkin Wonderland and scrambled for escape. “Nice dress.”
“Thank you.”
“A bit provocative, don’t you think? You’re not even wearing a bra.”
She stopped dancing. Tilted her chin all the way up to stare back at him with a shocked glint in her eyes. Spots of pink dotted her cheeks. “You did not just say that to me.”
He slid one arm down to the base of her spine and flattened his palm against naked flesh. The silkiness of her skin only tightened his temper another dangerous notch. “Do you think Edward is the type not to take that as an invitation? I’m trying to look out for you. Be a friend.”
She lowered her voice a furious whisper. “Seems you’ve been quite focused on my wardrobe lately, and who I’ve got my eye on. You’re trying to run my life and hate the fact you can’t anymore. What I wear or don’t wear under my clothes is not your concern. Why are you even dancing with me? Where’s Laura?”
“You’re like a little sister to me.” Max looked up with a touch of guilt. His companion sat quietly, drinking her wine and waiting for him to return. What was he doing? He had a willing female who craved his attention, and he chased after the only one who didn’t want him. “Laura can handle herself for a few moments.”
Carina snorted. “I bet. Back off, Max. I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Fine. Don’t come running to me when your date expects more than you’re willing to give.”
She transformed back into the ice queen he longed to melt. A cool smile curved scarlet lips. “No problem. I’m willing to give a lot.”
Damn her. The top of her head only hit his chest. Her petiteness should be a complete mismatch to his height, but instead she fit perfectly—a handful of warm, soft flesh. Her full breasts pressed against him, and the length of her legs played a teasing game, scissoring back and forth in between his in sensuous foreplay. He imagined pushing her thighs apart and finding her slick with welcome. Imagined that lush mouth opening in a gasp as he pleasured her with his tongue, making her writhe and scream his name. Imagined—
“I guess Laura’s getting lucky tonight.”
Her outrageous comment strangled a laugh from him. Next he’d see the Mad Hatter on the dance floor. Holy shit, he was going nuts. “What?”
“That look on your face. All intense and sexy. She’s good enough to bed but not go to dinner, right?”
Direct hit. Her verbal foreplay pissed him off and made him hard. “Wrong. She has everything I want in a woman. Which completely negates your ridiculous theory that I pick the wrong women because I’m afraid of intimacy.”
She eased her hands around his broad shoulders, slipped her fingers into his hair, and forced his head down to meet her gaze. “Wanna bet?”
Heat punched deep within and broke open in a rush. Her tongue slid out and wet her bottom lip in a deliberate teasing gesture. “Huh?”
A husky laugh broke from her throat. The sound poured over his body like creamy butter. “Poor Max, you can’t even see it. Laura has one tiny flaw that’s a deal breaker for you.”
He snorted. “Okay, what is it, Madame I-Can-See-Your-Future?”
“She hates animals.”
He stared at her smug expression and fought the need to kiss it off her face. “Not possible. You’d never know that anyway, you’re just messing with my head.”
“Believe what you want,” she stated airily. “Ask her later and see what she says. Poor Rocky will be kicked off to the dog shelter. No way is she going near a pit bull.”
“She won’t have any problem with Rocky. He’s harmless.”
Her cool, detached tone taunted him until he ached to push her. “When you take her home you’ll find out yourself. Rocky will be in the doghouse.”
“Cut it out.” Edward began walking toward them. Dance was officially over. He released her as Adele stretched out her last note in a soulful, plaintive cry of loneliness. Regret and something else, something deeper coursed through him. “Be careful tonight, Carina.”
She smiled. He sucked in his breath at the transformation from innocent to temptress—from the mysterious glint in her eyes to the seductive tug of her lips. “No worries. I’ll be having as much fun as you tonight.”
With a toss of her head, she left him on the dance floor and walked right into Edward’s arms.
Son of a bitch.
• • •
Jerk.
Carina burned with righteous anger that ran thick through her veins. She smiled up at Edward as he replaced Max, and tried to immerse herself in the dance. How dare he get all caveman on her? Especially after casually informing her of his intentions to bed the lovely Laura, as if she were just some buddy of his he liked to brag about his conquests with? Oh, she was so done with his pompous ego and inability to see the truth.
That woman was a facade. Try to push past her flawless skin and witty conversation and you’d find nothing but smoke, no heart. After their conversation, she’d run into Laura in the office parking lot, who was practically hysterical from the stray dog that wandered by the building.
Her face filled with horror at the mangy mutt, and she’d obviously called security in a panic. Carina had to jump in and intercede before the poor thing got carted away to doggy jail. She’d knelt down and whispered, and after a bit the dog came tentatively over, and even gave her a half lick. Obviously a sweetie pie without a mean gene in his body.
Laura didn’t care.
She shuddered and pointed a long fingernail toward the dog. “I hate animals,” she stated. “They’re so messy and dirty and needy. Carina, please don’t touch it. It probably has diseases. Let the control people take it away.”
And just like that, Carina discovered why Max dated Laura. Another deficiency. A big one. Max adored animals and could never be comfortable with a woman who didn’t love Rocky and want a houseful of pets. The man was a major pain in the ass, but he had a mushy heart.
She fought back a groan. Oh, Dio, she was doing it again. Getting upset over Max’s choices. Involving herself in his life to the demise of hers. When would she ever learn? Carina took a deep breath and relaxed. Edward slid his hands to rest on the small of her back just like Max. The heavy warmth settled against her skin in comfort. She loved the feel of a man’s arms around her—the possibilities of intimacy and an exchange she craved with every cell in her body.
Sure, there was no crazy zing like when Max touched her. She doubted any other man would make her light up like a Christmas tree gone haywire. But it didn’t matter. There was enough chemistry to take it to the next level tonight. Edward was attractive, funny, and she wanted to feel his lips over hers, craving to experience the intoxicating passion of intense kissing and foreplay.
It was embarrassing how badly she ached for a sense of danger and roughness. Most men treated her so sweetly, as if she was a delicate flower about to break. The slow slide of lips and tentative exploration of tongue frustrated her to such an extent she usually broke off the embrace. Maybe Edward would finally be able to satisfy her darkest cravings for less . . . politeness. What would it be like for a man to want her so badly he’d take her without permission? Goose bumps flicked over her skin at the naughty thought.
Hopefully, she’d find out. Tonight.
The evening passed in a blur of social niceties, fine wine, and occasional glances toward Max. She kept her distance, but when she came out of the ladies’ room, she noticed the two men at the bar, deep in conversation. Carina took a hard right and involved herself in chatter with some older ladies in the bakery business, determined not to run into Max again. Working with him was bad enough, but now he stuck his nose into her personal business. Her face burned at the memory of his bra comment.
“Carina?”
She turned, and Edward linked his hand casually with hers. “I’m so glad I decided to come to the party. I’m having so much fun,” she said.
“Me, too. Are you ready to go or did you want to stay?”
She smiled. “Let’s go.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” She swallowed hard at the tantalizing promise and hurried to the car. By the time she buckled herself in, a light mist of rain hit the windshield, which suddenly turned into a fierce storm. Edward remained quiet as he eased his way over the wet roads toward her apartment.
Her fingers fisted. Should she invite him up? Too soon? Too dangerous? Questions and scenarios flitted past her, making her wish she was more experienced with men. By the time he pulled up to the curb, nerves knotted her stomach. He shoved the gear into park. “Wow, it’s getting rough out there. Why don’t I walk you to the door?”
Her instincts raced. No, inviting him up wasn’t wise. She didn’t know him that well. But a good make-out session in the car sounded perfect. The hammer of rain pounded around them and cloaked them in a heavy fog of darkness. “No need for you to get all wet. I’ll say good-bye here.”
“Okay.” She waited. He shifted in his seat and suddenly looked uncomfortable. Carina pushed past the procession of voices screaming in her head that she wasn’t good enough, sexy enough, or woman enough for Edward to want to kiss her. She closed off her natural insecurities and inched closer in the seat.
“I had a really good time.” Her tongue licked her lower lip. His gaze sharpened, and the tension twisted a notch. Thank God, he seemed interested. Maybe he was shy? Fine, she’d make the first move. It would be good practice for her.
