Page 11 of Ruthless Creatures

Silent, he gazes steadily at me with those dark, unreadable eyes.

“My girlfriend and I have had a little too much wine and we can’t safely drive home. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem. We’d take a cab and pick up her car tomorrow. But she just told me that unless I leave here with you, she’s spending the night at my house.

“Now, there’s a whole long story about why I don’t want that to happen, but I won’t bore you with the details. And before you ask, no, I don’t usually demand rides from total strangers. But I was told that you bought the place next door to me up on Steelhead, so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone and ask you for the favor of a ride home since it won’t be out of your way.”

His gaze drops to my mouth. A muscle in his jaw flexes. He says nothing.

Oh no. He thinks I’m hitting on him.

Feeling hideously self-conscious, I add, “I swear this isn’t a pickup line. I really am only looking for a ride home. Also, um… welcome to town.”

He debates with himself about something for a moment while I sit watching him with my heart pounding, knowing I’ve made a terrible mistake.

When he finally speaks, his voice is low and rough. “Sorry, princess. If you’re looking for a knight in shining armor, you’re looking in the wrong fucking place.”

He stands abruptly, bumping the table, and strides away, leaving me sitting alone with only my burning humiliation for company.

All righty, then. Guess I won’t be popping over in the future to borrow a cup of sugar.Cheeks hot, I head back to our table.

Sloane gapes at me in disbelief. “What just happened?”

“I asked him if he’d take me home.”

She blinks once, slowly. When she recovers from her astonishment, she says,“And?”

“And he made it clear that he’d rather have his dick slammed in a car door. Are we ready to go?”

She rises, gathering her purse from where it’s hanging on the back of her chair and shaking her head. “Wow. He turned usbothdown. You could be right about him being married.”

As we head for the front door, she adds thoughtfully, “Maybe he’s just shy.”

Or maybe he’ll turn out to be a serial killer and put me out of my misery.

Probably not, though. I don’t have that kind of luck.

THREE

KAGE

It shouldn’t make a difference that she’s stunning, but it does. She’s so extravagantly beautiful I almost laughed out loud when I saw her.

I was ready for anything but that. It surprised me.

I hate surprises. Usually when I’m taken off guard, someone starts to bleed.

But now I know. The next time I see her, I’ll be prepared. I won’t let that face or those legs or those incredible eyes distract me from what I came here to do.

Or that hair, either. I’ve never seen hair so glossy and black. It’s like something from a fairy tale. I wanted to plunge my hands into that thick, shining mass of waves and pull her head back and—

Fuck.

I know better than to mix business with pleasure. I just need to focus and do what I came here to do.

If only she weren’t so goddamn beautiful.

I don’t like to break beautiful things.

FOUR