“Aww! Stop or you’ll make me feel special,” Angel scoffed with a sexy half-smile.
She was shaking on the inside but, outwardly she was in complete control. This man affected her in ways she wasn’t comfortable with, and the compliment thrilled her more than she cared to admit. She had to remind herself that this man was a selfish prick who used women for sex without strings. She took a deep breath to center herself.
Alex sobered. “I’m serious. You are extremely beautiful, and you are well aware of that fact. You use it well.”
Like you don’t?
“All’s fair, as they say.” Angel leaned down toward Alex to make sure he could hear her over the din, and her hair fell forward over her shoulders. His hand reached out to touch the silken strands carefully. “I can count on you to follow through, right?”
“I’ll never disappoint you, Angel.”
“Mmmm… we’ll see. Buckle up, boys.”
She walked back to the stage, pulling her skirt up slightly, which allowed her to stand with her feet some distance apart, and then wrapped both hands around the microphone that she stood behind while the 16 bars of intro began to beat to life.
“Here we go,” Becca said smugly.
The song was fast, and her legs and hips rocked in time with the music. She looked straight at Alex and he couldn’t rip his eyes away even if it would have saved his life. Becca simply sat back like a satisfied cat, mouthing the words to the song as Angel sang.
A slow grin spread across Alex’s face as she owned the song, hammering home the words. If he hadn’t made the decision before, he made it then. This was going to happen if it was the last thing he did.
As she whispered the last words, their eyes locked. It took everything he had to fight the urge to pull at the front of his pants. He was so engorged it was uncomfortable, but he wouldn’t have changed it. He was captivated and completely lost in the woman commanding the attention of the entire room.
Darian’s gaze shot from the stage back toward his friend and reversed again. He recognized the look of determination on Alex’s face and resigned himself to what was inevitable now. Alex would be relentless in his pursuit. Angel was strong; but was she strong enough to withstand Alex’s guile? Darian had yet to witness a woman who could.
When the song ended, she marched back to the table and coolly retrieved her jacket. Alex stood up immediately and took it from her, holding it and then slipping it easily onto her shoulders.
“Allow me,” he murmured close to her ear, and the heat of his breath rushed over her skin and she shivered, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “You were amazing, Angel. Your voice…”
“Just write the check to Harmony House in Becca’s name and send me a copy of the receipt,” she said softly over her shoulder, their mouths only inches apart, and his hands squeezed her shoulders after the jacket was in place.
“You fascinate me. That dirty little mouth of yours is so sexy. And to find out it belongs to those amazing eyes…”
She chuckled with an aloofness she was far from feeling. “I wouldn’t get too attached,” she said softly, pulling free of his grasp before moving around the table to hug Becca goodbye, leaving Alex standing there speechless. “Love you, baby. Sorry I can’t stay longer, but I’ll make it up to you. Darian, your ass is grass. Stay out of my studio tonight if you know what’s good for your balls.”
Alex stood still as stone as Angel walked out of the bar. His eyes, like those of every other male in attendance, followed her every step.
5
Push and Pull
Becca glanced at Alex Avery. He was standing, with his straight back to her, tall and elegant. Easily six foot two, and the way he carried himself; Egads. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome… with a dangerous edge. Not in a bad, criminal sort of way, but his demeanor screamed that he was someone with power, money, confidence, and not to be fucked with. Becca covered her mouth with her hand to hide a smile. Except her best friend… she fucked with him and fucked with him good.
He stood motionless, watching Angel until she disappeared through the door and then finally turned back and sat down, picking up his glass and downing his drink in one gulp. He was clearly affected, and Becca’s eyes narrowed as she tried to figure him out. Her blue eyes shot over to Angel’s boss who was also studying his friend.
What the hell? It was her birthday and she was sitting at a table with two men that she didn’t know. Shit, she thought. Happy fucking birthday!
Alex was studying his empty glass with rapt fascination until Darian cleared his throat and spoke. “I’m sorry, Becca. I didn’t mean to chase Angel off like that. It wasn’t fair to you.”
Becca sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her small bosom. “Well, it was interesting anyway.” Her attention turned to Alex, who was still sitting silently in quiet contemplation, but he shifted in his chair and raised his hand to flag the cocktail waitress. He certainly was gorgeous, and Angel couldn’t have been unmoved. Her eyes raked over the polished GQ perfection of the man sitting opposite her. She shook her head in amusement. She had to give Angel credit; whatever she was feeling, she hid it well, and Becca couldn’t wait to get out of there and call her.
When the waitress made it to the table and eyed both men with undisguised interest, Alex pretended not to notice and was a perfect gentleman.
“Miss James, can I offer you something? A chocolate martini, isn’t it?”
When Becca nodded in the affirmative, he ordered a round for all three of them and took out his wallet from the inside breast pocket of his suit jacket and handed over some bills to the waitress without many words. Becca couldn’t help but notice the alligator wallet and the perfectly manicured fingernails on his long, elegant hands.
For himself, Alex’s first instinct was to get up and follow Angel out of the bar. He was not in a place he was comfortable with or ever found himself in. His mind raced, and he was much more invested in the lovely Dr. Hemming than he wanted to be. What started out as intrigue and curiosity had quickly turned into a need for something more. He wasn’t sure if he was grateful to Darian for bringing him here this evening, or just plain pissed off.
Admittedly, he wanted to meet her. Yes, he was insanely attracted to her beautiful face and luscious curves, and yes, her quick wit and intelligence were readily sucking him in. The smartass remarks falling out of those amazing lips made him laugh. She was funnier than hell, and he found that extremely intriguing. It was all good, but he would rather it have been under different circumstances so Angel wasn’t on an immediate defensive. He wanted her willing to allow him closer, and now, that possibility was royally screwed. He had some major hills to climb before he’d have the opportunity to know her better, but he was more than willing to do the work.
His body quickened at the mere thought of her, but, before, when he’d seen her the first time, he’d wanted her body; now his interest went far beyond the physical. The realization was amazing and left him reeling. He wanted to talk to her, to learn about her, and to have time to get to know her.
“So,” Darian began, and Alex shot him a sharp look over the top of his full drink as he took the first swallow.
“Yeah, so. What the hell were you thinking, D?” Alex’s demeanor was cool and his expression relaxed, but there was a hard edge to his voice. To Becca, it seemed nothing more than a casual conversation. No big deal. But Darian knew Alex well, and he recognized the steel behind his gaze.
“I thought you wanted to meet her. You did, didn’t you?”