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My champagne starts to feel like gasoline in my gut. A very tense, agonizing silence ensues.
Ivan doesn’t shrink back.
Kieran doesn’t stop with the evil glare.
Yep. Someone’s about to bleed and I can’t watch it.
Eva suddenly appears between the three of us. Her expression is cool. A fisted hand is on her hip. She swipes her flaming hair over her shoulder. I have a sudden vision of her cracking a giant whip.
Now she’s the ringmaster.
Which is proven when she says, “Ivan was just helping Carra understand how she’ll hold her bouquet foryourwedding, while he was telling me about all the marvelous places he’s taking me for our first date tonight.”
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Eva has just made the world’s most clever distraction. Kieran doesn’t look fooled. But someone else is angry, if I’m right. Behind me, comes a very unhappy masculine growl from Max’s chest and a bitten-out statement, “A first date...”
Yep. Mad.
Max glares daggers. First, at Eva, then, at the florist. Ignoring Max’s attitude, my concierge loops her arm in the man’s. She beams like neon as she looks up at him. “Yep. Now, if we’re all set on the color and the style of the bouquet, Ivan and I have places to go. Don’t we, handsome?”
“I’m set,” I blurt. “Pink. Drapey. All done.”
That’s when I realize that the dress is exposed for everyone’s eyes. Okay, now I know I’m contaminated by some kind of wedding bug. I leap on Kieran, so he doesn’t see it. “Can we have a word?”
His hardened jaw says no, but I grab his hand anyway. He’s a mountain of resistance, but somehow, I manage to drag him into one of the three bedrooms, then into the adjoining bathroom. Far from prying ears. I kick the heavy door closed with my heel.
My breath is whizzing in and out of me. I’m a ball of nerves. The alcohol and all the sugar I had are not helping this situation.
When I look up at Kieran, he has the angriest expression on his face. As if he might chew through the door and Ivan any second. Waves of black fury are pulsing around him.
I worry about his health. The veins are popping along his neck. It feels like I’m a Matador and he’s eyeing a red cape and if he doesn’t get to charge at something, he could blow a valve. And I’m not sure I know how to let out that steam.
Ivan-the-floral-professional’s life is in real danger. I don’t care how big and strong he is.
Hopefully, Eva’s whisked him away for her fake date. How she thought of that, I haven’t a clue. But I need to thank hersoon.
Carefully, I say, “Kieran—take a breath. Nothing was going on.”
When I hiccup, he gets even angrier. The veins bordering his temples start to bulge. “You’ve had too much to drink.”
“I have a buzz. I’m not totally drunk.”
I’m acutely aware that even though I’m lit, this is not helping matters. “Eva was trying to take the edge off the wedding planning.”
Kieran breathes at me. Angrily. Raking his disapproving eyes over me. As he does, he somehow takes up all the oxygen.
My body decides it’s a fine time to get aroused by the smoking hot, furious bull standing in front of me.
I shift uncomfortably, pressing my legs together. My nipples are in on the game too. They grate against the lace bra that Eva had selected for my fitting. Exquisite torture.
I realize too late that Kieran’s cataloging my movements. My shifting legs and the unsteadiness of my breathing. His nostrils flare as his blue eyes pulse darker. They’re stormy oceans now, and I’m a ship that’s about to be swallowed by the riotous swell.
He very slowly runs a finger beneath the collar of his white dress shirt.
I might be HOT right now, but he’s hot around the collar for a whole different reason. Which becomes screamingly apparent when he tilts his head and uses a growly voice to demand, “Didheturn you on?”
Uh oh. I’m stunned. His words sting deeply. Pain ricochets through me. “God,no.”
