Page 9 of Darkness Tempt Me (Bloody Desires #7)
I don’t reply, not worried about Mavik judging me. Just clutch my phone like a lifeline while working on my deep breaths. I barely glance at Billy while he drops off my tea in front of me.
“Peyton? Tell me where you are,” Mavik says softly, the command still evident in his voice.
No silly questions like ‘ Are you okay? ’ or ‘ What’s wrong?
’ Just, ‘ Tell me where you are .’ Because I have no doubt that as soon as I give him my location, he’ll drop everything and be by my side in an instant.
“Peyton.”
“I’m okay.” But even my voice sounds weak and shaky to my own ears.
“Tell me five things you can see,” he commands.
I smile, glancing around. “There’s a cup of water in front of me. I see a canister of creamer. A napkin dispenser. The bell over the door. The glass display with colorful pastries inside.”
“Name four things you can touch.” His voice is rough, and I’m half tempted to tease him.
Clearly, I’m already feeling better, but I continue through the grounding exercise anyway.
“The soft wool of my scarf. The smooth wood of the table. The leathery material of my seat. The heat of my hot tea through the paper cup.”
“Good. You’re doing so good for me, Pey. Three things you can hear.”
His praise makes my toes curl. I take another deep breath, shocked that I feel this comforted after such a big attack. “Your voice. God, has anyone ever told you how sexy your voice is?” The words tumble out of my mouth, unfiltered.
Mavik is silent for a while before there’s a soft rumble of laughter over the phone. “Two more things,” he replies, ignoring my question. “I need you to tell me two more things that you can hear.”
Does it count if I tell him I also love the way his laugh sounds? “I can hear cars honking and the hustle of traffic through the phone. Where are you?”
“What else can you hear?”
“The chiming of the bell over the door of the café.”
Mavik strides through the door. He has a certain dangerous determination about him as he straightens his navy-blue suit jacket and scans the café. My heart speeds up for a whole different reason. He came. For me. He stalks toward me like a predator on the hunt.
God, he’s always so intense and intimidating. His eyes hold a dark mystery I’ve always been tempted to solve. I remember the way he used to make me nervous, but there’s something beautiful about all that darkness.
He’s nothing like my ex or all the abusive people I’ve met throughout my life.
Mavik isn’t a wolf in sheep’s clothing, pretending to be kind.
He doesn’t hide all that power under false smiles or soft glances.
No, he’s a cunning wolf, walking proudly, wielding his intensity like a weapon he loves to sharpen.
His confidence is both frightening and thrilling.
When he reaches my side, he studies me. His dark brown eyes, almost angry, take me in from head to toe, as if looking for physical injuries.
His gaze is a possessive sweep over my body, and I shiver under his perusal.
He must be reassured by whatever he sees because he pulls me into a strong embrace.
Mavik’s hold isn’t suffocating like Billy’s. Instead, his muscular arms are territorial, yet somehow grounding. It’s almost as if he’s protecting me from the world around us. I melt against him, shocked that he’s holding me like this in public.
Mavik’s fingers wrap around the back of my neck, tucking my face against his body. The intoxicating scent of his cologne invades my senses in all the best ways. “Citrus and pine with a hint of vanilla,” I murmur.
He pulls away from me and cocks his head, giving me a good look at all his masculine beauty.
Mavik is all man in his expensive tailored suit.
His dark brown hair is styled back and cropped close on the sides.
His angular jawline has the right amount of scruff, just enough to make him seem edgy without detracting from his confident businessman image.
I give him a wide smile. “Coffee beans and espresso.”
Mavik cocks a thick brow. “What are you doing?”
“Telling you two things I smell.”
His lips tip into a seductive smile. “Okay,” he purrs. “And what’s one thing you can taste?” He leans in. Unable to fight this magnetic pull he seems to have on me, I sway forward slowly, hypnotized by him. Is he going to kiss me? Am I going to kiss him?
The thought is like a cold bucket of water to the face.
I jerk back. What the fuck? Was I really about to try to kiss my boss?
From my periphery, I notice someone standing there.
Observing me. Watching me almost make a fool of myself in front of my boss.
My heart rate picks up, and fear grips my throat.
That creepy sensation is back, and I’m tempted to burrow back against Mavik’s chest. I pick up my paper cup and press it to my lips before taking a slow sip of my herbal tea.
It’s a much-needed distraction from what I almost just did.
I lick my lips, trying to act normal. “Some kind of citrus, maybe orange peels mixed with something earthy.” My eyes snap back up to Mavik’s when I realize it sounds similar to how I’d describe his cologne. This is what I would imagine Mavik Blackwood would taste like. I blush.
Mavik chuckles again, a rough rumble deep in his throat. Is it me, or does my boss sound turned on? Images of me pleasuring myself fill my thoughts, distracting me from that unsettling feeling of someone watching me.
By the time I finally turn around to try to figure out who was staring, I know I’ve missed my opportunity. The person watching me is gone.