Dangerous Stranger - Piper Stone Page 0,16

eyes were half closed and the way he leaned forward on the stool was far too seductive.

“My breath of life.” Angelina chuckled darkly after interpreting the words. “I think his words are chilling, don’t you? You two would make a beautiful couple.”

“Es un hombre perfecto pero no me interesa,” I stated with defiance only after the song had ended, my voice loud enough the words floated several feet in front of me.

I winced from Angelica’s deep-throated laugh as she backed away. Rafael had obviously heard what I’d exclaimed, his amused expression only adding to my utter humiliation. I felt the weight of his gaze as it shifted toward me, unable to yank myself away from watching his every move. Even in the shadowed light, his penetrating eyes were almost overwhelming, the darkness within them paralyzing, as if he had no soul. Yet they remained hypnotizing, drawing me in deeper and deeper into his lonely world, one where even the slightest fraction of light had trouble reaching.

Shuddering, I loathed the way my body had already betrayed me, my nipples so aroused they ached every time they sliced against the thin material of my dress. I’d never had this kind of reaction to any man, especially some dark and mysterious stranger. It had obviously been far too long since I’d experienced a sensuous touch. Thank God the raucous clapping and cheering of all his female admirers dragged me out of the compelling state, enough so I straightened my back against the stool, one hand fisting in my lap.

Goddamn it, he was undressing me with his eyes.

While he wore a practiced smile, the look on his face was entirely different, one of interest.

Hunger.

Desire.

Possession.

I was thrown by the wave of longing searing every nerve ending, the intensity and commanding power coming from his aura stealing my breath.

Rafael’s lip curled as he studied me, remaining exactly where he was for a full three minutes. I forced myself to turn around, wrapping my hand around the glass of wine. The crowd continued to whistle, even some of the patrons stomping their chairs and stools in a determined effort to force him to return.

I cautiously took a sip, holding the liquid in my mouth as I heard his deep baritone voice conversing in Spanish with several members in the audience. At least the gorgeous girls would keep him occupied. I rubbed my tired eyes before closing them, realizing this wasn’t the right scene for me. The attack remained too fresh in my mind. However, Angelina was absolutely right. The way Rafael jazzed the crowd was incredible, his sensuous music comforting. If only I could relax.

If only I could let go of my demons, ugly monsters plaguing me every night.

“‘He is a perfect man, but I’m not interested.’ I can see that I have very much lost my touch with a beautiful woman.”

I was mortified at my own words being tossed back at me, my mouth suddenly dry. The velveteen tone in his voice swept over me like a beautiful, romantic kiss, the deep baritone and lilting accent creating a series of tingles all through my body. Why did I have the feeling he was merely making fun of me? “While I appreciate the compliment, I’m not buying.”

“And I’m not selling,” he muttered as he sidled up to the bar, his body dangerously close to mine. He glanced in my direction, a smirk crossing his face. “Although if I were, I’d certainly provide a significant discount to one so extraordinary.”

“Do all men in Spain believe they own a woman?”

His upper lip curled, his eyes managing to twinkle in the darkness. “Possession can be a thing of beauty as long as both parties understand what to expect. A woman offering her surrender is utterly intoxicating, the moment as close to perfection as there can be.”

Wow. The guy was using a full court press. Why? With his stunning good looks, he could have any woman in the room. I was nothing but a plain Jane in my mind. I wanted nothing more than to ignore him but the explosive connection between us left me aching inside. As I inhaled, the richness of his cologne invaded my senses, becoming more intoxicating than any amount of liquor or wine. I didn’t want to turn around, to even consider indulging in a brief conversation with him.

Nothing good would come out of a single discussion.

Except for sin.

“The truth is, there is no such thing as perfection. Not in any relationship and certainly not from