Page 55 of The First Spark

I want the tiny brunette who left not ten minutes ago with some preppy schlep who doesn’t deserve her.

“Sorry, love, but I’m calling it a night.”

“What about your drink?”

I push a fifty into her hand. “For your trouble.”

The bartender’s face falls, but she covers it with a practiced smile. “Another time, then.”

I nod and grab my coat, heading for my bike.

In truth, I have a thumping headache and neither another drink nor a roll in the hay with that cutie will help.

As I ease onto the street and head towards my farm, I allow my thoughts to drift back to my night with Ori. But I’m not thinking about the sex, even though it was spectacular.

Instead, I ruminate on her laugh as she told me a silly story about her childhood and how fucking pretty she looked.

Understatement of the century.

Oriana is gorgeous in every sense of the word. Besides her outward beauty, she’s fiercely intelligent, possessing an impressive array of street skills for such a bookish type. But it’s that vulnerable underbelly, caught in a few brief instances, that threatens to undo me.

I want to know all those moments, but that means a whole new set of rules for me.

And that? That I can’t allow.

Chapter 11

The Frost Queen’s Undoing

Ori

“E

xcuse me, can I borrow your bathroom?”

I glance up from my work, forcing a smile for the scantily clad woman hovering by my office door. “Promise to bring it back?”

She furrows her brow as my witty retort flies straight over her head. “What?”

I wave my hand and bite back a laugh. “Go ahead. Last door on the left.”

“Thanks.” She mumbles her reply while adjusting her top, shooting wary glances toward the skimpy fabric to confirm its placement.

Might as well ask the obvious question.

“Aren’t you cold?”

It’s a legitimate inquiry, considering she’s wearing a bustier with no coat and it’s barely 35 degrees outside. When you add in the wind chill, it’s arctic level.

“Freezing, but I want to look good.”

“I suppose you mean for the holiday fair?”

And I know she doesn’t give a rat’s ass about looking good formybenefit.

Her focus is entirely on the men of Black Lotus, who are currently ensconced in the parking lot beneath a massive black tent—complete with a heater, alcohol, and a bevy of women.

Of course, maybe she’s set her sights on Braden or Zane. They’re both wildly handsome. It’s not likeeverywoman has a thing for Asher Hammond.

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