Page 6 of Licking Fire

She’d basically been running for her life, was injured, and pretty sure she was going crazy, but her hormones didn’t care. All they noticed was the hunk standing before her.

He watched her for what felt like the longest time, saying nothing at all. The longer he looked at her, the more she wondered if she had something on her face. Did her face reflect the attack she’d managed to narrowly escape?

She cleared her throat, words not wanting to come. Her mind blanked, and for a moment she worried she’d blurt out something stupid, like “take my virginity, stud.”

That was what she currently wanted him to do. To heck with protecting her from bad men. She wanted him to slide between her legs and do wicked things to her.

Very wicked things.

“And who might you be?” he asked, an accent evident yet unreadable.

Oh, dear gods above, the hot guy had a hot voice to go with the hot packaging.

Alondra had half a mind to slap a hand over her mouth, fearing she just might give in to her ovaries, which were currently screaming at her to breed with this rare male treat. She’d never thought of having babies before, but the longer she stood in front of this guy, the more they were coming to mind.

“Are you well?” he asked.

She gulped, her jacket and hat suddenly feeling as if they were totally unnecessary. Had she really been cold only seconds before? “I’m good. Is it hot out here?”

His abnormal gaze slid over her slowly, heating her body more. He wet his lower lip and she bit back a moan. “Yes. The temperature is certainly rising.”

Swaying from the sheer closeness of all the testosterone he was leaking, Alondra’s eyes fluttered shut a moment as she felt the strangest urge to pet the man. She resisted, but it was hard.

The man’s brows drew together. He sniffed the air in a blatant manner. “Who are you?”

That sobered her. “This was a really bad idea. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was desperate, and, well, never mind. I’ll go.”

She turned, ready to cut and run, humiliation coating her from head to toe. This was quite possibly the craziest thing she’d ever done, and she’d spent three summers as a child in a remote region in Eastern Europe and then Greece with her grandfather and two of her cousins, exploring old caverns that her grandfather swore used to be dragon lairs.

But this took the cake.

The sexy man reached out and caught hold of her wrist gently, and for a second she was sure she actually was going to go up in flames as heat seemed to radiate from him to her. He gasped as well, his gaze still narrowed in question.

“Who are you?” he asked firmly, his hand holding her tighter in its grasp.

“I’m sorry I bothered you,” she managed to say, feeling faint. Did he have to stare at her with those sexy eyes? Were those contacts? She pulled her arm free from his grasp, her breathing increasing as her gaze fixed on his.

He stepped out into the hall some, causing her to move backward. He reached for her again, and she flinched.

“I will not harm you.”

Her mouth felt like she’d drunk sand, it was so dry. Fleeing sounded like a great idea. She glanced at the elevator doors and then moved as quickly as she could to them. Jabbing the button, she fought the urge to look back at Rayer.

He put his hand over hers, pinning her finger to the button. “You are soaked. Come in and speak with me. That is why you came, correct? To speak to me?”

The elevator pinged and the doors opened. She attempted to enter, but Rayer put his body partially in the open area, his arm shooting out, halting the doors from closing again, and her from entering. “Tell me your name.”

“Alondra,” she said, her voice sounding small as she lowered her gaze.

“And you came here on this night to speak with me, yes?”

She bit at her lower lip. “I did, but never mind. It was a bad idea. Have a nice night, Mr. Drackos. I’m sorry to have disturbed you.”

“The doorman said you needed to speak with me. That it was imperative. Is that so?” he asked, looking her over more.

Pretty sure my new mission is to jump your bones.

She removed her knit cap and then unbuttoned her jacket. She was going to melt. What was happening to her? “Um, yes?”

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