Heart of Fire (Blood of Zeus #2) - Meredith Wild Page 0,34
her seat, the intensity of her stare scorches my whole profile. “You know what’s not fair?”
“Hmm?”
“Having to wait so long to have you inside me again.” She practically whispers it, which only adds to her gorgeous irresistibility. She’s so small, inviting, and entrancing against the expanse of the truck’s passenger seat. “Last time I checked, I was a demon, not a nun.”
I drag in a breath, patching up my willpower for what feels like the hundredth time since those blessed moments when I was inside her. “A fact that my own body won’t let me forget,” I assure, turning a tender glance toward her. I want to caress her with much more than my gaze but don’t dare trust myself right now. But the temptation lingers, especially as she crosses her arms, turning her breasts into pert plumps.
“At the risk of stating the obvious, Professor, you have a funny way of showing it.”
“Not ‘funny,’ Kara.” My voice is a soothe now because I need the calm as much as she does. “I just want to make sure…”
“Of what?” she demands when I pause too long.
Screw it. I take the risk of scooping her hand into mine. As always, that incredible energy flares between us, but I breathe deeply before it can ignite the rest of my blood.
“Being with you, in that way—I feel like one of those beams of light on the ocean, right as the sun is setting. You know what I’m talking about?” I feel corny as hell, but I’m committed to the subject now. Time to see this through. “They’re tiny specks but part of something so much bigger…greater. And while the ocean goes on, those lights are only there for moments each day. But when you’re looking at them, those are the very best moments of the day.”
Her small fingers tighten around mine. There’s a sweet, sublime smile on her lips. “Yeah,” she murmurs. “I do know what you’re talking about.”
“Then you understand why I’m not going to simply dive between the sheets and just fuck you again, Kara.” I pull her knuckles to my lips. “Not with all this insanity going on around us.” I turn her hand over and capture her palm with a gentle kiss. “You’re the fire on my ocean. The sunset that’s worth waiting for.”
Her breath audibly snags. I savor the sound and the fusion of our heartbeats via the press of our palms.
Until I notice we’re on final approach to Prieto’s office. The blaze in my blood is instantly iced down. Not even Wilshire Boulevard’s high-end bustle, with edgy sculptures and cycling studios and exotic car dealerships, takes me from the freeze.
By the time I toss the truck’s keys to the valet at Arden’s office, I’ve extended that chill to my basic self-control. For Kara’s sake, I promise to keep it that way. I offer her my elbow as we walk across the lushly landscaped inner courtyard and then board the elevator for the third floor. By the time we disembark, I’ve actually managed to school my features into a semblance of calm neutrality. It stays put until we head toward a set of ornate double doors that look like they belong in the Palais Versailles instead of a chic Beverly Hills complex with a relaxed Moroccan vibe.
The doors swing open suddenly, revealing a smiling Arden Prieto. The guy is decked out like he’s been practicing his Humphrey Bogart impression all morning.
“Darling Kara,” he croons, drawing out every vowel. “Don’t you look like a delicious dream today?” He hums seductively, licking his gaze shamelessly over her.
I’m conscious of the figurative smoke between my coiling fingers.
The moment stretches on until he seems to finally notice me, if the downward dip of his glance can be clearly deciphered. The distraction of Kara’s beauty aside, he undoubtedly can’t miss the stiff loom of my posture and balls of my hands. While taking on this kind of tension serves me well with college clowns and standard-issue assholes, it only makes Arden’s eyes alight with humor.
“Professor Kane. I wasn’t expecting you.” His smug smile melts into a grimace. “But of course, none of us were.”
“Arden,” Kara all but hisses.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” I mutter, not really meaning it.
“No. It’s not.” She nails Prieto with a matching glower. “I’m here to honor my mother’s request about this project, okay? Out of respect to her and my sister, I’m willing to be nice about it if you are. Completely your call.”
“My call.” Prieto strikes another practiced stance, cocking