Page 4 of Up in Flames

Cain smiles and caresses my cheek gently as his eyes lock onto mine, burning with such intensity it’s like nothing I’ve ever witnessed before. His tongue darts out and licks his bottom lip, then he drags his teeth over it. The sight makes me shiver with want, and my chest heaves at the heaviness of the situation. While swallowing heavily, the elevator suddenly chimes, and the doors slide open, distracting me from his incessant gaze.

Instantly, I realize what’s happening and shake my head, which forces his hand to fall away from my face. I take a sidestep, breaking the moment. “Why are you still here?” I ask quietly, secretly not wanting him to leave. I know nothing about Cain besides his name and the fact that he’s mesmerizingly gorgeous and overly flirty.

But somehow, I’m drawn to him.

His lips wind up into a small smile as he looks at me with soft eyes. “I live here, Makaylie. What areyoudoing here?” he asks, even though he clearly knows the answer.

My mouth drops open in shock and a whole heap of embarrassment.

Shit!I knew I recognized him.

Suddenly, it dawns on me how completely self-absorbed I must look, thinking he’s trying to seduce me and wanting to come up to my apartment.

Oh my God, could I be any more embarrassed?

“I… ah… sorry,” I murmur as he steps into the elevator.

“You coming?” Cain places his hand out, holding the door for me. Gulping down my shame and guilt for judging him, I nod as I step inside. The doors close, and I fold my arms over my chest as I shrink into myself, but the room is filled with that same buzz, and for some reason, I can’t help but take a step closer to him. Our hands touch slightly, and the warmth of his hand startles me, causing me to gasp.

“Are you okay?” Cain turns to face me, bringing his hand up to rest on my cheek again, the same way he did in the parking garage. The instant his hand is on my cheek, warmth floods through me. Tingles shoot through my skin, leaving prickles of goose bumps everywhere. I slowly move my hand up to cover his, resting on my cheek while biting my bottom lip. Without a thought, I take another step closer so our bodies are touching.

I want to fight with everything I have to back away, but his magnetism is too strong.

Cain moves his other hand to my waist, resting his open palm on the seam of my soaked jeans. The energy magnifies tenfold. My breaths are short bursts, his chest is heaving, and I’m sure if I try hard enough, my heart can be heard beating ferociously in my chest.

“Makaylie?” he whispers, and I realize I haven’t answered his question.

With a few blinks, I come crashing back to earth and step away as the doors open to my floor. I stumble slightly, and as he attempts to grab me, I right myself to avoid his touch. Glancing back at him, I take a deep breath to regain some feeling in my tingling body. “I’m fine, thank you. Happy Thanksgiving, Cain,” I reply breathlessly as I finally make it out of the elevator.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Makaylie.” His stare is intense, and then, with a smirk, he steps forward as the elevator doors begin to close in front of him.

Taking a step back, I let out a long, drawn-out breath and hold myself, reveling in the experience that is overwhelmingly Cain Barrington.

That was intense.

Just so I can take a breath, I back myself up against the wall. I’veneverexperienced anything like that before in my life. The sex appeal and pure gravitational pull were undeniable.

Glancing up at the light above the elevator door, I watch it climb with a sense of dread as it continues higher and higher toward the more expensive apartments.

Cain Barrington is an enigma, and I have no idea if I’ll ever see him again.

But fuck! Every single part of me is desperate to do just that.

Who is this man?

And what has he done to me?

CHAPTER TWO

CAIN

The elevator continues upward, and I swallow hard to regain some composure.

Sure, Makaylie is sexy as sin with her little athletic body, cute blonde hair, and adorable button nose.

But fuck me! If you add in her ridiculous foot-in-mouth problem, that innocent vibe oozing from her, and douse her in torrential rain, that woman is fucking sex on a stick. She had me worked up from the moment I saw her on the side of the road trying to push that exquisite old vintage car.

It was her Thunderbird that gained my attention first, but then her tight ass in those soaked jeans came an incredibly close second.

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