Book 1 - Page 12 (1/2)
I stepped out, deciding it would be safer for my sanity to take a different car up.
”Not so fast, Eva.” Cross caught me by the elbow and tugged me back. The doors shut and the elevator glided smoothly into motion.
”What are you doing?” I snapped. After dealing with Stanton, the last thing I needed was another domineering male trying to push me around.
Cross caught me by the upper arms and searched my face with that vivid blue gaze. ”Something's wrong. What is it?”
The now-familiar electricity crackled to life between us, the pull made fiercer by my temper. ”You.”
”Me?” His thumbs stroked over my shoulders. Releasing me, he withdrew a lone key from his pocket and plugged it into the panel. All the lights cleared except for the one for the top floor.
He wore black again, with fine gray pinstripes. Seeing him from the back was a revelation. His shoulders were nicely broad without being bulky, emphasizing his lean waist and long legs. The silky strands of hair falling over his collar tempted me to clench them and pull. Hard. I wanted him as p.i.s.sy as I was. I wanted a fight.
”I'm not in the mood for you now, Mr. Cross.”
He watched the antique-style needle above the doors mark the pa.s.sing floors. ”I can get you in the mood.”
”I'm not interested.”
Cross glanced over his shoulder at me. His s.h.i.+rt and tie were both the same awesome cerulean as his irises. The effect was striking. ”No lies, Eva. Ever.”
”That's not a lie. So what if I'm attracted to you? I expect most women are.” Wrapping up what was left of my candy bar, I shoved it back into the shopping bag I'd tucked into my purse. I didn't need chocolate when I was sharing air with Gideon Cross. ”But I'm not interested in doing anything about it.”
He faced me then, turning in a leisurely pivot, that ghost of a smile softening his sinful mouth. His ease and unconcern aggravated me further. ”Attraction is too tame a word for” - he gestured at the s.p.a.ce between us - ”this.”
”Call me crazy, but I have to actually like someone before I get na**d and sweaty with them.”
”Not crazy,” he said. ”But I don't have the time or the inclination to date.”
”That makes two of us. Glad we got that cleared up.”
He stepped closer, his hand lifting to my face. I forced myself not to move away or give him the satisfaction of seeing me intimidated. His thumb brushed over the corner of my mouth; then lifted to his own. He sucked on the pad and purred, ”Chocolate and you. Delicious.”
A s.h.i.+ver moved through me, followed by a heated ache between my legs as I imagined licking chocolate off his lethally s.e.xy body.