Page 51 of Over the Edge

Hania snorted as she glanced over at Trevor.

Anna laughed. “Make all the faces you want at my British boyfriend, Granny. You know he has completely charmed you and that you secretly approve of him.”

Trevor held the car door for Hania, who slid across the back seat. As Anna passed him to climb in, he murmured, “I missed that last exchange with you and Hania. What did you say to her? It was about me, wasn’t it?”

“I told her to quit pretending she doesn’t like you.”

“It’s good to know at least one Malik woman is in my corner.”

“Hah. You know I’m crazy about you.”

His eyes lit with fierce pleasure.

Anna shrugged. “Did that kiss at Mabel’s teach you nothing? All you had to do was get me away from work. I’m happy to tell you—and show you—how I feel.”

That made his eyes positively burn.

She loved knowing she could put that kind of intensity in his gaze. “By the way, you look like James Bond, tonight.”

“Wait till I bust out my tuxedo for the wedding.”

“You in a tuxedo? Totally swoon-worthy.”

Smiling, he handed her into the car, closed the door, and sat in front beside the driver. Which left Anna to pant with lust in the back seat, pressing her thighs tightly together against the desire pulsing in her core. Sheesh. What that man did to her!

Heck, she wasn’t even panicking over meeting her entire extended family. All she could think about was getting alone with Trevor and getting her hands and mouth on as much of him as possible.

First, dinner and her family. Then…Trevor.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Trevor surreptitiously unsnapped the holster under his left armpit as the driver pulled out of the Malik compound. The arms dealers had to have figured out by now that something had gone wrong with their ambush. He had no idea how long it would take for the two bodies to be discovered.

He stayed on high alert throughout the drive into the government sector of Karaken. Here, the streets were wide and well lit, the buildings new. They pulled up in front of an upscale hotel, and he was relieved to spot armed security guards standing inconspicuously near the hotel entrance.

Out of habit he held out his forearm for Anna as she exited the car, but she whispered, “I’m not allowed to touch you in public.”

Oh. Right. He waited while Anna and her grandmother disappeared into a ladies’ cloakroom just inside the door to shed their black robes. Trevor could only stare as Anna emerged. She was as brilliant and beautiful as a butterfly leaving its dull cocoon.

She’d draped a gauzy yellow and gold metallic scarf lightly over the back half of her head, pinning it in place. Her wavy, dark hair framed her face as she smiled tentatively at him.

“My God, you’re stunning,” he murmured as he instinctively moved close to her, both to claim and protect. “How is it I’ve looked at you every day for a year and never realized how smashing you are? I mean, I always knew you were pretty. But this? I have no words.”

He really didn’t have words to describe her. The contrasts of her sable hair, golden skin, dark eyes, and scarlet lips were heart stopping. As he stared at her mouth, he couldn’t forget how soft and full and feminine it was beneath his. A need to kiss her again nearly overcame him.

“Now, you may give me your arm,” she murmured.

“This isn’t public?” He glanced at what had to be close to five hundred people filling the ballroom.

She laughed, and the light, joyous sound tore through him like a tornado. He must have heard her laugh a hundred times before, and it had never sent these shivers of lust and delight down his spine.

He offered her his forearm, and she slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow. Her fingers were warm and strong on his arm. She was light and dark, soft and strong, all the things it was possible for a woman to be, woven together into a single, miraculous being.

“Incoming,” she breathed. “Here comes my cousin—my father’s much older brother’s son. He’s the host of this party.”

“Cousin Azamat,” Anna said formally. “This is Trevor Westbrook.”

“Welcome, welcome,” Cousin Azamat said warmly. Trevor shook hands with the guy and detected no malice at all in the man. His smile was warm and expansive. Honestly, he thought he saw a hint of Anna’s smile in it.

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