Page 63 of Hazard

“Why not?” She pursed those plump lips, making him break out in a cold sweat.

The nickname was too cute, and it slipped through his dark armor much too easily. “Just don’t.”

“I like it.” That purposeful gleam in those blue eyes of hers didn’t bode well for him.

“Where’s your sidekick? Handling problems in the underworld?” he said dryly.

“No, silly. She’s got minions for that,” she said. Her eyes sparkled, and he had to work hard to keep his brooding look in place. “Besides, I thought that was your job.”

“Seems like hell sometimes,” he said, his voice snapping back. Despite himself, Skull took in the candy pink halter top, and the white jeans that clung to her sweet curves, outlining the flare of her tantalizing hips. Her body was so goddamned toned, the muscles beautifully defined against her soft peaches-and-cream skin. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or if her skin glittered each time she moved.

She smelled lovely, the scent of her settling over him as seductively as her mouth.

“Ooh, I love a tall, dark man with a big, bad attitude.”

While he admired her tenacity to go after what she wanted and found her blatant stalking too much of a turn-on, he wasn’t sure that a Shadowguard had the same kinds of principles he had. He was aware of how much hell Karasu put Preacher through with her secrets and withholding. “Beat it, Hummingbird. I’m not in the mood.”

“Oh, I’m really good at putting…people in the mood and beating it.”

He met her gaze unflinchingly, the instantaneous sparks of awareness between the two of them nearly tangible. He had been ignoring that electricity for a while. Her words set his junk on fire, and he hardened.

He didn’t want to give her an edge and show just how much she affected him. He wouldn’t let down his guard with this one or allow her to rattle his control.

Then she smiled as if she already knew. A slow, sensual smile that affected him like a blow right to the gut. Fuck he wanted to taste that sassy mouth, his dark thoughts going to what she could do with it.

He wanted to taste her in every hot, sweet, place on her body. This bar was so dark, no one would even see them if he pushed her up against the wall and let her feel what she did to him.

Today, her hair was almost white, tousled as usual, chin-length curls. When she dipped her head, he wanted to slide his fingers into all that silk.

“Don’t you have some people to assassinate? Assess to kick? Candy to steal from babies? Skulking to do”

She giggled and it came out low and sultry instead of girlish and annoying. “I never skulk. But it’s so much fun to talk to you.” She moved closer. “I really missed you.”

He threw money down on the bar and swiveled off the stool. Damn if that last statement didn’t sound completely sincere. He was going home. Alone.

But she caught him before he could leave, doing some ninja move that had his back flat against the wall. “Dammit, woman.”

“I think you’re pretending too hard,” she whispered. “You intrigue me, Skully.”

“I’m not pretending.”

She tipped her head, sending her disheveled hair around her sweet face, and stared in fascination at his mouth. She placed her hands on his chest, the hands she’d used to kick his ass, and as soon as she touched him, his muscles flexed beneath her palms, and his breathing hitched. He felt the heat of her through his T-shirt.

With a secret, feminine smile, and in a breathy voice, she said, “I think about your mouth a lot. It’s very distracting wondering if you’ll taste as darkly decadent as you look.” His breath caught and his pulse stumbled when she brushed her palms over his hard nipples. With those relentless palms against him, Skull locked his jaw and made himself take a deep, slow breath, the heat from her body making his blood thicken.

She skimmed her hand down his torso, and fuck, he couldn’t seem to rub two brain cells together to stop her. With her gaze holding his, she slipped her hand over his waistband until she reached down and cupped his very hard erection in her hand. “Nice wand. I wonder what kind of dark magic you can do with it.”

Desire curled low and deep in his belly, and with a strangled sound, he yanked her hand away, his thumb pressed against the rapid pulse beating in her delicate wrist. “You’re going to get yourself into some trouble if you don’t be careful, little birdy.”

She let her breath go in a shuddering sigh. “I’m never careful. It’s not in my job description,” she taunted softly, pressing up against him. Even his best warning look didn’t faze her.

He wasn’t sure what happened. Her eyes flashed in the dark, dousing that sensual gleam as it was replaced by something seriously intense. She stared up at him, then she sighed softly. “Oh, I missed that. You’re…upset about something. Forget all my demanding nonsense. We can go back to the bar, and you can tell me what’s weighing so heavily on your heart. Better yet, how about some dinner?” Her eyes softened into a compassionate, warm, depthless blue. “I’m sorry that I’m being such an ass.” She huffed out a breath. “It’s just that you drive me a bit crazy,” she admitted in a low whisper.

Oh, that was some shit right there. This Hummingbird, this concerned, serious woman was even more dangerous than the aggressively sensual one. If she wanted to get under his armor, this was an unexpected and effective move.

He didn’t say anything, the temptation weighing on him with a tangible thickness that made his lungs labor. In the silence, his phone buzzed in unison with hers. Saved by the bell, just barely.

She muttered something under her breath, expelling a resigned breath. “Time to save the world, Skully.” She grasped his shirt in her small fists. “Even if things seem very bleak, there are always people ready to support you. You have to know that, handsome.” She shook him slightly. “Raincheck?”

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