Page 16 of Wild Promise

It should’ve been illegal for a man to look this good. Especially this man. Especially when I was completely unprepared for him.

The warmth in his gaze hit me low and hard, turning every shameless tingle into a slow, needy ache.

“Hi.” God, why did I have to sound so breathless?

“On your way to work?” The corner of his mouth lifted as his eyes roamed over my face, tracing my lips and making me feel strangely exposed.

It was an intoxicating feeling.

One that I liked far too much.

Someone brushed past us on their way out of the café, bumping my shoulder and knocking me forward. Zane caught my elbow, steadying me and guiding me away from the crowded pickup counter. Even through the layer of my old wool coat, his touch set me on fire.

How long had it been since someone made me feel this way—warm, wanted, and alive?

Too damn long.

But we were in a busy coffee shop in the middle of town, and my body was a damn traitor.

Taking a giant step out of his orbit, I forced my brain back online. He’d asked me a question about something…

Work. Right. The thing I should be focused on, and the reason staring into his enticing, forest-colored gaze was a bad, bad idea.

“Yes, I’m actually running a little late.” I sounded a hell of a lot more confident than I felt. “And I think my order might be up.”

“Melina, wait.” His hand closed gently around my elbow again. “Listen, about the other day…” His gaze dropped away from mine.

Was he nervous?

Couldn’t be. This was Zane all-the-ladies-want-me Alexander. A man with effortless charm.

Yet when he reached back to rub his neck, there was a tremor in his hand. And he hesitated before meeting my gaze again through his thick lashes. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

Sorry.

The word was a cold slap against my ridiculously overheated skin. He was sorry, and I was so very, very pathetic.

“Me too.” My spine snapped straight. “Sorry I made myself your charity case. But don’t worry, it won’t ever happen again.”

Screw this. I needed his pity like I needed another overdue bill.

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked away from him, shoving through the café door and hurrying toward my car, my pulse pounding so hard it hurt.

The engine sputtered when I turned the key.

“Seriously?” I hissed.

It finally roared to life a second later, and I peeled out of the parking lot before I could completely lose my mind.

Breathe. Just breathe.

I forced myself to ease off the gas. I couldn’t afford a speeding ticket. Or an accident. Or a full emotional breakdown on my way to work.

But God, I was furious.

At Zane for making me feel so weak and pitiful. At the universe for making my life so hard. At myself for reacting so explosively again. And most of all, at my unhinged body, because despite all the hot, uncontrolled fury brewing inside me, I was still inexplicably turned on.

By the time I pulled into the resort parking lot, I’d managed to wrestle myself into something resembling control. Sort of.