Page 18 of Dangerous Men

I turn around, my free hand and iced drink raised in surrender.Okay, I smile,you caught me.

“Look,” I admit. “Doc noticed you’d been spending a lot of time here. We just wanted to figure out why, that’s all. No harm, no foul.”

“And Sebastian didn’t think toask me?” he asks through gritted teeth.

“You and I both know Doc is more of a watcher, not an asker.” I chuckle. “And you’re not exactly the most approachable guy lately, boss. Even with us.”

Exhibit fucking A, he looks like he might shatter a tooth with how hard his jaw is clenched.

“We’re giving you your space, okay?” I tell him. “As you requested.”

“This is not giving me my space,” Alec argues.

“Well, this is about the best we can do.” I laugh, moving down the aisle and toward the next section, turning to talk to him over my shoulder. “You know us, boss, we’re just as big of control freaks as you are, so if you think?—”

I slam into someone, not looking where I’m going. My drink spills, the cup crushing against my chest and splashing ice-cold coffee over the front of my shirt.

I barely even notice.

For the first time in my life, I’m left completely speechless, as I stare down into the most delicious pair of brown eyes I’ve ever seen. Chocolate eyes. Sweet as a chocolate chip blended iced coffee with an extra pump of syrup. Wild brown curls, and the cutest little nose that’s ever existed. Now this woman…this is our—I meanhis—type.

“Shit!” The woman in front of me yelps. She’s holding a huge cardboard box against her chest, and I’m relieved to see that none of my drink spilled onto her. As if catching herself,she readjusts her features and looks up at me. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you, and—” She gasps, twisting the box away to see the mess of ice and sugar running down my shirt. “Your shirt! Oh, no!”

Her face crumbles, and I nearly trip over myself trying to reassure her.

“Completely my fault,” I say, because truthfully, it was. Of course she couldn’t see over that massive box, and I’m the dickhead not looking where I’m going, just barreling into everything, as usual. “Are you—are you all right?”

She ignores the question entirely, staring at the mess running down my front.

“That shirt is going to be ruined. That will never come out.” She lets out a deep breath. “I’m so sorry about that, I?—”

The shirt. The shirt is upsetting her. That’s fixable. Not stopping to think, I thrust what’s left of my drink behind me toward Alec, and pull my shirt off, turning it inside out and balling it up to make sure I don’t accidentally drip on anything.

“There we go,” I tell her. “All better, see?”

“I don’t think that… oh.” Her eyes go straight to my abs. She swallows, gaze trailing up my chest, and slowly back down to the waistline of my jeans. “Oh.”

Christ, she’s adorable. I’ve never been so thankful for 5 AM workouts with my trainer in all my life. A blush creeps over her cheeks, staining them a delightfully naughty pink.

This girl could be the death of me.

“Let me take that from you,” Alec says, stepping around me and reaching for the box she’s carrying.

“Oh. Oh no, that’s all right. I’m—” But he’s already taking it, tossing my drink in the trash in the process. Asshole. What a waste. There was still plenty left. Eh, easy come, easy go, I guess. I toss my ruined shirt into the bin right after it.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” I ask as Alec sets the box down on the shop floor and starts to open it for her.

“Uh-huh,” she answers, hooded eyes locked on my chest. The tip of her tongue comes out to wet her lips. “Never better.”

Naughty girl.

I reach out, touching her chin and angling her head up until she makes eye contact with me. God, those eyes of hers. So fucking sweet.

“Are you okay?” I repeat.

She clears her throat. “Yes,” she finally answers. “I’m… I’m fine, thank you.”

“Is this the final book in The Prince’s Knife series?” Alec asks. He sounds excited, eager even, and I shoot him a surprised look. Since when does he even read?