Page 11 of Tainted Obsession 1
Admittedly, I’ve never seen a man as gorgeous as the dark stranger with the shining wolf’s eyes. He’d captivate any woman. I’m only human.
But I love George, and I’d never betray him, not even in thought.
Determined to distract myself, I fish my phone out of my purse and open the camera app.
George’s disapproving sigh ghosts over my neck, but he doesn’t rebuke me.
I huff another relieved breath and cast my gaze around the market, hunting for a good shot. Luckily, the alluring stranger has disappeared into the bustling crowd.
For a moment, I wish I could’ve photographed him to capture those stunning eyes. I wonder what finer details I’d be able to see if I were closer to him. Does he have laugh lines around his eyes and mouth? Does his olive skin glow with a dewy light under the sun? Do strands of silver shine in his glossy black curls, showing signs of maturity?
The man would be stunning at any age, his features classically handsome and boldly masculine, despite the softness of his mouth. But there was nothing remotely soft about his powerful aura.
Would I be able to capture that power through the lens of my camera? Or would it elude me, impossible to fully convey in a still image?
I shove the thoughts away, struggling to dispel the aching guilt that constricts my chest.
Instead of searching for the alluring man, I focus my attention on the flower stall. The blooms are stunning, flashing every color of the rainbow in fragrant bouquets.
I lift my phone and frame a shot, only somewhat satisfied with the close-up of a soft pink lily. The composition is good, but I could capture more vibrant images in macro focus with my Nikon camera.
George didn’t allow me to bring it out today. My photography hobby is a distraction, and my ordeal with the cartel is proof that I can’t afford to indulge in my art. This moment with my phone will have to be enough to satisfy my artistic urges.
“Come on, Evie. That’s enough.” George plucks the phone from my hand before I can frame a second picture. “I’m hungry. Let’s get something to eat.”
“Okay,” I agree with a sunny smile. The corners of my lips barely twitch with strain.
I can endure this lifestyle for a few short years. I can bear the isolation at the apartment and live in George’s protective shadow. Eventually, he’ll get his promotion, and then we can truly start our lives together in Albuquerque.
I’ll endure anything for him. He’s my whole world, and I’m utterly devoted to his happiness.
Glossy black curls catch my attention, and I turn my head to search for the man’s stunning eyes.
But it’s just the vendor at the flower stall: a tall, clean-shaven man who’s several years older than the handsome stranger who’d captivated my attention.
Guilt nips at me again, and I force all thoughts of him from my mind. I won’t allow myself to betray my fiancé even in my own mind.
I resolve not to think of the stunning stranger with the striking eyes ever again.
Soft lips brush my cheek, a tender kiss that makes my skin flush. Warmth floods my body in a slow wave, undulating through me to reach my fingers and toes. A deeper heat gathers at my core, throbbing to the point of aching.
The world is hazy, and I strain to make out his perfect features. The high cheekbones and sharp jaw waver, as though I’m peering at him through a wall of water. But his stunning eyes pierce me nonetheless, the silvery glint cutting right into my heart. It pounds in time with the throb between my legs.
I try to reach for him, but I can’t move. A soft whine of need catches in my throat, and his sensual lips twist into an arrogant smirk.
He leans into me, gliding toward me in slow motion. As he nears, I still can’t quite make out the finer details of his face, but his eyes command my full focus.
Then those sensuous lips caress mine, and heat surges through my body, turning my core molten. My tongue traces the shape of his soft mouth, and my sensitive nerve endings tingle with carnal awareness I’ve never known before. I’m hungry for more, desperate. The ache between my thighs torments me, and I try to press myself against his massive frame to seek some relief.
I remain stuck in place, unable to touch him. All I can do is submit to his scorching kiss, melting as he thoroughly claims my mouth.
I’ve never experienced anything like the decadent sensation of those beautiful lips caressing mine. No kiss has ever come close to this one.
Not even with George…
I jolt awake with a gasp. I glance over at my fiancé, and relief washes through me when I realize I haven’t roused him. He’s sleeping peacefully beside me while I dream of another man—the stunning stranger I saw in the market.
My cheeks flame, and I touch my fingertips to my lips, as though I can brush away the phantom tingle of the sensual kiss.
