Page 15 of Act of Passion

Risks bedamned.

As Edee always reminded her, you only liveonce.

“Okay, let’s go to dinner,” she saidsoftly.

He put his mouth to her ear. “Thankyou.”

Chapter Five

Malik enteredthe restaurant to find his teammates and Rurik and Garth there as well. The restaurant leaned heavily on modern styling and had floor-to-ceiling shelves behind the bar that were backlit, creating the perfect lighting level andambiance.

Several long, dark tables had been put together to accommodate their group size, not to mention the size of the men. Supernatural males tended to run on the largesize.

Duke and Rurik sat across from one another, each glaring at the other. Boomer was next to Duke, talking with Brooke’s friend Edee. The two seemed engrossed in conversation. Garth was next to Corbin, who appeared to be keeping Striker sitting as far from Edee as couldbe.

Malik hid his laugh, wondering what the Scot had done to earn him a timeout. Knowing Striker, the sky was thelimit.

Corbin looked up and his blue gaze locked onMalik.

The next Malik knew, his team captain’s voice was in hishead.

I heard you made quite the scene for the woman, saidCorbin.

Malik inclined his head.Yes. And I’d do itagain.

That’s what I thought you’d say, Corbin returned as he stood and buttoned the suit jacket he was wearing. The man cleaned up well and preferred to be dressed nicely, as didMalik.

Corbin came around from the other side of the table and put his hands out to Brooke, taking hers inreturn.

Malik’s lion pushed up, wanting to warn the fellow lion-shifter away from what washis.

Mine?

He swallowed hard. The damn suppression medicine was really doing a number on him. If he wasn’t careful, he’d do somethingstupid.

“You must be Brooke,” said Corbin, his English accent showing through with ease. He’d made no attempt to ever try to rid himself of it. “I’ve heard so much about you already. Your friend tells me you just graduated university with exceptional passmarks.”

Brooke’s cheeks heated, and Malik realized she didn’t like attention on herself. He couldn’t understand why. She was stunning. Other women he’d seen who paled compared to her loved attention. But notBrooke.

“Yes. This trip is to celebrate graduating,” shesaid.

Corbin’s lips twitched. “I see. Then it’s not to, how did your friend put it? To find you a hot hunk to rock your world for anight?”

Brooke squeaked and leaned forward, looking past Malik atEdee.

Edee lifted her glass of wine and blew Brooke akiss.

Brooke yanked her hands from Corbin’s and went ramrod stiff. “No. Not at all. No. Did I mentionno?”

Corbin chuckled. “You did. Though I’m sure Malik was hoping for a differentresponse.”

Brooke’s attention swung to Malik. She raked her gaze over him slowly, making his dick harden again. If she kept it up, his cock would be permanently erect. He’d been struggling with it from the second he’d caught her scent in the lobby—honey and lotuses. She licked her lower lip and the act made him think of what her mouth would look like wrapped around hiscock.

“Well, I’d be willing to make an exception for him,” said Brooke quietly, surprising Malik with herhumor.

Corbin laughed long and loud, something he tended to avoid doing. The guy was so repressed. “Note the glimmer of hope returning to Malik’seyes.”

Malik grunted. “That will be enough from you. Go sit by Striker before he does something else to get himself introuble.”

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