Page 16

Eva’s laugh was rich and melodic, sending a shiver of anticipation down my back. “Oh, darling,” she purred, her gaze locked on mine. “You have no idea what I’m fit for.”

I felt the challenge in her words like a physical caress, resisting the urge to shift in my seat.

“Giselle,” I said, facing the fuming blonde at my side. “Why don’t you go powder your nose? Eva and I have some business to discuss.”

Her eyes widened in outrage, her glossed lips parting in protest. But one look from me had her snapping her mouth shut, her jaw clenched tight. With a huff of indignation, she rose from the sofa, shooting Eva a venomous look before stalking off in a cloud of expensive perfume and wounded pride.

“Wow,” Eva said, her eyes dancing with amusement as she watched Giselle’s dramatic exit. “That was…interesting.”

I shrugged, unconcerned. “Giselle is... complicated,” I said, shifting closer to Eva on the sofa. “But enough about her. I’m much more interested in you, Eva Morales.”

Eva’s dark, smoldering eyes pierced me, stripping away any pretense. “Is that so?” Her velvet voice caressed my senses, igniting a shiver.

“It is.” I held her stare, my boldness enough to make most women melt. “You’re different from the other women here, Eva. There’s something unique about you.”

Her eyebrow quirked upwards as the corners of her mouth curled into a coy smile. “And what makes you say that, Dante?”

I leaned in close, in a way that would make most women swoon. But Eva didn’t flinch or retreat. The challenge in her eyes only intensified.

“Call it intuition,” I rasped, my low voice sending a frisson of awareness through my body. “Your confidence and air of mystery intrigue me.”

Eva tilted her head slightly, her gaze unwavering. “Maybe you’re just not used to a woman who knows what she wants,” she countered, her tone playfully teasing.

A slow grin spread across my face as a thrill of excitement coursed through me. “And what do you want, Eva?”

She leaned in, her lips nearly brushing against mine. “Pour us a drink, and I’ll show you.”

The air crackled with palpable tension and electricity between us. I nodded slowly and reached for the crystal decanter, pouring two generous glasses of the finest Macallan.

Our fingers grazed as I handed Eva her drink, sending a subtle spark through me. Our eyes met and held, the surroundings fading away as an electric awareness stretched between us.

“To new connections,” Eva purred as she raised her glass.

I tapped my drink against hers, the whiskey sloshing. “And to all the delights we’ve yet to discover together,” I said, my gaze unwavering as it held hers.

A slow, sensual smile spread across her luscious lips. She brought the glass up, eyes locked on mine as she took a leisurely sip. It was a sight of pure temptation that sent heat rushing straight to my cock.

“What secret desires does a man like you harbor, Dante?” Her voice was a silken purr that made my blood run hot.

Leaning in, I said, “Why don’t you uncover them yourself, Eva? Something tells me you’re a woman of many hidden depths.”

She moved her head, her lips a hairs breadth from mine, and I could taste the sweet promise of sin on her breath. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” she purred, her tongue darting out to moisten her full pout in a move that had my cock straining against the confines of my slacks.

I fought the urge to capture those luscious lips with my own, to lose myself in the intoxicating allure of this enigmatic woman. Instead, I let my gaze roam over the swell of her breasts, the tempting curve of her hips accentuated by the dress that clung to her body.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Eva,” I rasped, my voice rough with barely restrained hunger.

Her eyes glinted with challenge. “Danger is my middle name, Dante.”

The sound of her saying my name, the way it rolled off her tongue like a forbidden caress, sent my pulse racing. I was teetering on the edge, yearning to give in to the smoldering heat that crackled between us.

A flash of movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. Giselle was stalking back towards us, her face twisted into a mask of fury and anger. I felt a flicker of annoyance at the interruption. Still, before I could decide how to handle the situation, Eva’s hand landed on my thigh, her fingers digging into the muscle with a possessive grip that made me harden even further.

“It seems your... friend has returned,” she said, her lips curving into a slow, wicked smile. “Perhaps we should take this somewhere more... private?”

The blatant suggestion in her tone sent a jolt of pure, unadulterated lust through me. I wanted her – God, how I wanted her – in a thrilling and terrifying way. This woman was like a force of nature, a hurricane of desire and sin that threatened to sweep me away if I let my guard down for even a moment.

But that was part of the allure, wasn’t it? The promise of losing control and surrendering to the primal hunger that Eva seemed to stoke with every heated glance and whispered temptation.