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“Oh, I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of those already. I merely wanted to get a closer look at your pretty face and make sure you were okay.
I didn’t want to bother you during the ceremony for obvious reasons.” His full lips tilted up into a smile, making deep dimples appear in the center of his cheeks.
It was a smile I knew had gotten him whatever he wanted many times before.
He wielded it like a weapon, and was momentarily successful as it became bittersweet kryptonite to my stoicism.
I tucked my chin to my chest and slowly shook my head. I wasn’t mentally equipped to deal with him. Uncrossing my arms, I flashed him a sweet smile. “Thank you for...checking on me. I should get back inside now.”
Without waiting for him to respond, I shuffled past, breathing in deeply as I did. The scent of his cologne wrapped around me and I committed the smell of audacious warm cinnamon and blood mandarin to memory.
It was the kind of scent you wanted your pillow the morning after a night of sweaty sex.
Something about it was loosely familiar but I didn’t dwell on that too long.
As I walked back towards the building, I kept my eyes trained on the door. I was a little surprised when he followed, easily matching my stride.
“You’re just going to walk away?” He moved ahead of me and stepped right into my clear-cut path, giving me no choice but to stop. “I can’t say many women have done that before.”
“You didn’t do anything that enticed me to stay. And there’s a first time for everything.” I kept my voice steady even as my stomach flip-flopped from his close proximity. I didn’t step back, though. I wasn’t going to give him that small satisfaction.
He raised his perfect dark brows in thinly veiled amusement. “You are very different to how I thought you’d be,” he replied without missing a beat.
“Is…that a bad thing?” I re-crossed my arms and eyed him again. He looked even better on my second sweep.
I couldn’t find a single flaw in his looks. The intensity––the power––effusing off him in waves made him ten times more attractive.
Damn, he was yummy. This man probably had ninety-nine percent of women throwing their underwear at him with the crook of a finger. I didn’t fall into immunity with the one percent. I understood my immediate visceral attraction towards him all too well.
It was the unfamiliar energy between us that worried me. It would need to be swiftly terminated. His inquisitive eyes remained locked on my face. I imagined this was how a rabbit felt when a wolf cornered it and it still tried to be brave. My heart could probably be seen beating through my chest; despite the temptation, I refused to look down for confirmation.
“Look, I’m sure you’re a nice guy–––.”
“I’m not.” He instantly cut me off.
I gnawed on my lower lip and frowned at him. “You’re not a nice guy?”
A slow mischievous smile spread across his face. “Oh, amada, I think you know exactly what I am.”
Well, I knew all the rumors about him and what his role in these parts was. The notorious Mateo Remmington–heir of the elite más alto-old money empire.
Remmington Hill Estates was the sole development of the Remmington family. They owned Vice City entirely. They were as old money as one could get. They were the gods and monsters in our clandestine world of exclusivity. Their notoriety had no bounds.
“You’re right, I don’t know you, but I know of you, Mr. Remmington–––.”
He scoffed at my use of his surname. I continued as if I hadn’t heard him. “Though I don’t see how you wouldn’t already know that, considering you’re so much of a–––.”
Pulling my lower lip between my teeth, I abruptly stopped myself from finishing that sentence.
“Considering I’m so much of a notorious criminal whose reputation always precedes him?” he tossed out unabashedly.
“I was going to say considering you’re so much of a hot commodity but I guess your description would be more spot on.”
“Don’t think I’ve ever been called a hot commodity before, either.” He stared at me a moment with an unreadable look on his face. “I’d say I’m sorry for your loss, but I’m not, so why lie? However, I am sorry for your pain. I can help with that, if you want.”
I didn’t know whether to be appalled at how big of an asshole he just proved he was, or in awe for the same reason. I found myself laughing in spite of his callousness. The sound registered in my brain as completely foreign. I hadn’t done that in what felt like ages.
“Somehow, I don’t think your penis would cure what ails me right now, but if you have a business card we can set something up,” I said sardonically.
