Page 17 of Sin City Lights

So,therewas the explanation. She was his plus-one. Devon had her for the night.

His jaw flexed. He schooled his expression into affable nonchalance and firmly gripped his friend’s outstretched hand. His eyes, however, couldn’t leave Eve’s face.“Thanks, man. I think it went OK. You here alone?”

Devon shook his head, noticing where Adam was looking. He grinned hisI-tapped-thatgrin.“She’s hot. Come meet her.”

Together, they came off the dais. No sooner had they cleared the last step than they were surrounded, and Adam was forced to stop and talk to several well-wishers. He shook hands, clapped the backs of pilots and mechanics, and answered clients’ questions before he finally freed himself to get to Eve. She had remained in the same spot, watching.

A tight smile had now replaced her shocked expression. Shoulders back, chin up, she appeared confident, but as he drew closer, he could see her fingers gripping the red purse in her hands. Her nails weren’t long, but they were painted fire-engine red.

“Adam, this is Eve Layton.” Devon grinned a mile wide.“Eve, meet Adam Larssen. Man of the hour.”

A strong, invisible riptide pulled him as he took her hand. For a suspended moment, he purposefully held her gaze prisoner, and she let him.“Eve. Nice to see you.”

She knew exactly why he’d worded it that way.

“Likewise.”

Her eyes were large and dark brown, with long, thick lashes he could tell were not fake. Her hand was small and soft in his. The tip of her tongue swept over her bottom lip, just briefly, and Adam fought the impulse to pick her up and carry her away, just as he had that night last week.

That night.

Her slender arms had clung to his neck, not letting go. Had he imagined the connection? He doubted it; she was now looking at himas if she meant to steal his soul and give it back to him, renewed.

Her flawless cheeks were rosy.“You were… That was impressive.”

He nodded.“Thank you. Good to hear.” Without realizing what he was doing, he slipped his thumb under hers and found her inner wrist, tracing small, lazy circles at her pulse point. Her nostrils flared, and she gave a little start. His thumb and middle finger cuffed her wrist.

Pure fire ignited in her dark brown eyes. She licked her lips again, chest rising faster, and her gaze dropped to his throat.

He hadn’t imagined it: it was right there, evident in the rise and fall of her breasts, tantalizingly large for such a small woman.

She wanted him.

He wanted her.

And not just a repeat of what he’d done with her that night. He wanted to do much more, and, as luck would have it, he could. All it would take was a phone call, and he could get what he desired with no strings, no pretense, no expectation of a relationship.

No complications.

And he could stop at any time after he got her out of his system.

He would have Eve again. Oh yes, he would.

This time, with all the lights on in the entire goddamned suite.

Eve

Blue.

His eyes were blue.

Of course they were. Now that she was staring right into his Norse god face, she couldn’t fathom them being any other color. But they were a dark, striking sapphire, a color she had never seen on anyone, irises so unusual that she briefly thought they might be contacts.

They couldn’t be. A man like him would never stoop to such a thing.

That face… She licked her lips. Nature had been very generous with Adam Larssen.

His fingers encircled her wrist, overlapping and squeezing, causing lightning bolts to travel down her body, converging somewhere deep inside. She shuddered. The knowing smile he gave her borderedon cocky.

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