“Hey, I know you,” said one of the women. “I’d recognize you anywhere. You’re somebody famous. Wait, don’t tell me.” She stared at him. “I know! You’re Luciano Santini!”
She pushed off the bed, picked up a garment, and held it out. It was from his Demure collection.
“You have excellent taste,” he said.
“Pleeeease stay,” she begged. “I’d love to say I fucked you.”
He walked up to her, tipped her chin with his index finger, leaned down and dropped a light kiss on her lips. “I’m meeting someone.” With a wink, he walked to the doorway, tossed the man a nod, and left.
As he made his way toward the third and final open door, his phone buzzed with a text from Teddy.
I’m going upstairs to play
Enjoy
Luciano strolled into the room.
An unmasked woman sat in the corner chair, the red lights illuminating her face in a smoldering glow. His heart pumped faster.
It’s her.
He shut the door behind him. His mark had set the trap and he’d walked right into it. She sat still, like a cat about to pounce on its prey.
“Ms. Redding,” he said.
“Mr. Santini,” she replied.
The timbre of her voice sent desire trailing down his spine. Sexy, soft, and filled with so much promise.
“Have I kept you waiting long?” he asked, before removing his mask.
For over a month, he’d seen her from a distance only. Now, mere feet away, the pull to go to her was strong. Very strong. But he had more control than that and he stood his ground. She’d been tailing him… he would force her to make that first move.
“How do you know I’m waiting foryou?” she asked.
Nice.
She pushed effortlessly out of the winged chair. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
His gaze dropped slowly.She’s got a killer body.
Stopping a foot away, she hitched a hand on her hip and drilled him with an unblinking stare. Simone Redding was drop-dead gorgeous.
“You’ve been watching me from a distance for over a month,” he said. “Time for a closer look-see.”
Her laugh filled him with a lightness he hadn’t felt in a long time. She took one more step, then tilted her head. “You’re taller in person.”
He had come to the party to find out why she’d been tailing him. But the change in her breathing—though subtle—was throwing him off his game.
But not off balance.
He trusted scant few. Better to count her as an enemy until he had all the facts. And even then, he still wouldn’t trust her.
She slinked right up to him, lifted her beautiful face toward his, and pinned him with a heated stare. “And much more muscular.”
Her baseline scent wafted in his direction. She smelled of lust.
“Why have you been tailing me?” he growled, desire coursing through him.
