Determined to end this and forget about the dirty-blond hair, the hot hazel eyes, and the perfectly tailored suit, Rachel ordered herself to relax and move on.
“That’s just ridiculous.”
“Not really,” he pointed out. “Trust me. I’ve met stalkers, and this is not stalking.”
Rolling her eyes at the absurdity of the conversation, Rachel internally slapped herself. She knew he wasn’t stalking her, but she couldn’t make her stupid brain think anything else. He had rendered her mute, which was currently annoying the shit out of her.
When he stepped closer, Rachel also found that he had the superpower to freeze her where she stood because she was suddenly incapable of moving. She stood still, entranced as he removed a hand from his pocket, reached out, and touched a blue strand of hair that was blowing by her cheek.
“You look different outside of work,” he observed.
Rachel frowned as she tilted her head to the side. “I’ve never seen you at Exquisite while I’ve been working.”
He moved, taking one more step toward her, so they were almost touching. As he leaned down slightly, he replied, “No, not there.”
Blinking up at him, Rachel shook her head. “Well, you must have me mistaken for someone else because I know I have never seen you in the flower shop.”
Right there in the middle of the damn train station, she could feel her breathing accelerate, and she was starting to think this guy was weaving spells.
He lowered his face another inch closer to hers. “No, not there either.”
For one insane and anticipatory moment, Rachel thought he was going to kiss her. God help me, I want him to.
However, at the last moment, he moved his head to the side so when he turned, his mouth intimately brushed her ear, causing a shiver to run straight up Rachel’s spine.
“I mean, at the place where you put on a uniform and play a part. I mean, at Whipped.”
Rachel slowly turned her head, narrowing her eyes at the man who was now an inch from her face. How is he making the crowded tunnel feel as though it has emptied out and we are the only two standing here?
“Excuse me?” were the only words Rachel could seem to find and project.
“You see, Rachel—”
Oh god, the way my name sounds rolling off his tongue and slipping past those seriously lickable lips…
“The coat is a nice touch, but I’m sure if you took it off and threw a few stern words around, then maybe, just maybe, Riley would recognize you.”
Now that coming from his mouth reminded her of exactly who he was and how he knew her. Rachel got her ass in gear and took a step back, squaring her shoulders. “Well, as lovely as this has been, I’m already running late.”
She turned, ready to walk away with her dignity still somewhat intact, when his parting line reached her ears and made her blood boil.
“Yes, tardiness is really not something to be proud of. It shows such a lack of dedication to your destination.”
Twirling on the ball of her foot, Rachel took a step back toward the arrogant, infuriating wall of a man and tilted up her chin to him in a way that told him she was not running or backing down. “As far as I’m aware, I didn’t ask you to give an opinion.”
Those calculating eyes focused on her as he dipped his head, acknowledging her response. “You’re right.”
Rachel waited for a moment, sensing another annoying comment was about to come out of his mouth. Instead though, he stuck his hand in his coat pocket and pulled out something wrapped in white wax paper.
Is that candy? she thought as he methodically unwrapped it.
Keeping her eyes on his hands that were so dexterous she felt hypnotized, Rachel felt dazed when he pulled the candy from the wrapper and brought it up to his mouth, pushing it in between those fantasy-inspiring lips. Without a word, he refolded the wrapper. He didn’t ball it up or crinkle it; he folded it perfectly before pushing it back into his pocket.
Locking eyes with her, his mouth shifted in a way that let Rachel know he was sucking on the little square he had put in there, and she found she couldn’t move or remember what they had been discussing. Rather, all her concentration had zeroed in on his hard jaw that was flexing with each suck of—What did he put in his mouth?
“What was that?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
When he tilted his head to the side, Rachel couldn’t help but notice his left cheek bulge slightly as he pushed the candy into it. That was when he began to move, like a wolf on the hunt. As he took two steady steps forward, Rachel found herself retreating faster than she cared to admit. Standing against the side of the tunnel wall, she watched a smooth smile appear on his face, mocking her. He should have looked ridiculous, standing there in the subway walkway with candy shoved in his mouth, but no, he appeared to be the furthest thing from ridiculous that she could think of.
Sinful was what popped into her head—as if she needed the adjective to describe what her body was already screaming. The other thing her body and brain were in agreement on was run.
Run far, far away.
“Would you like a taste, Rachel?”
Gripping her bag tightly, she refused to cower. She took a deep breath and lifted up her chin to look him directly in the eye. There was no way she would let him intimidate her, and that was exactly what he was trying to do.
Catch me off-guard? Get me to lower my defenses? I don’t think so.
“And if I said yes?”
If you say yes, I’m going to have a hard time not pushing my tongue between those brazen fucking lips, was what Cole wanted to say as he looked down at the feisty woman in the tight leather pants.
Cole rolled the sugary confection across his tongue, moving it to the other side of his mouth, as he watched her eyes zero in on his lips. It was hard to believe it was rush hour downtown right now because, as far as he was concerned, the only other person in existence was the enigma who was Rachel.
So, let’s test a theory. Cole took the final step he needed. His coat was now brushing hers, and his shiny black Ferragamos were toe-to-toe with her black flats. Will she be brave? Or will she run?
He wasn’t usually a betting man unless poker counted, and he was pretty fucking good at that now. But if he were to place a bet, he’d bet that she would run.
Bending down just enough so their faces were back on the same level, he wasn’t surprised when she kept her blue eyes locked with his.
Let’s see if I can rattle that composure.
“If you say yes, I’ll give you my tongue to suck on, and you can take a guess at what it is.”
Cole had to admit that with the way her eyes automatically moved to his mouth, she provoked the devil in him. So, of course, he moistened his bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, and he took immense delight in seeing the shiver that she couldn’t seem control.
“So, Rachel, would you like that taste?”
Is he serious? Rachel thought as she stood with her back pressed to the tiled tunnel wall.
This was why she had been deliberately avoiding one-on-one time with him. She knew he was potent, and God help her, as she stood there in the crowded tunnel, she wanted his tongue in her mouth.
“As romantic as that proposition is—” she started before being cut off.
“It wasn’t supposed to be romantic.”
Swallowing once, Rachel tried to compose herself before continuing. “Then, what was it supposed to be?”