Manoeuvring his way through the crowd, Brand nodded to the concierge and stepped into the massive lobby of his luxurious hotel. He damn well planned on spending every stolen moment on Earth in comfort, he mused.
It was past midday when he rode the elevator to the top floor and ventured into the plush lounge overlooking the city. He needed a drink.
He glanced around the establishment and noted the patrons—business people punching away on their BlackBerries or conversing privately in a secluded booth. Quick flashes and distant images of himself in a similar position passed through his mind. Had he been a businessman? If so, what on Earth could he have done to have landed in Hell? He struggled to remember, but since a day in Hell was like a lifetime, those memories had long ago faded.
He ordered a beer and took a pull from the bottle, savoring the taste. Goddammit, it had been a long time since he’d tasted anything so fine. As he slammed the bottle onto the oaken bar top, the fine hairs on the back of his neck began tingling.
He didn’t have to turn around to know she was there. He felt her presence long before he saw her, felt her sexual energy even from some twenty feet away.
He shook his head and scoffed. Fuck, she had no idea how easy she was making this for him.
She moved toward him. His body tightened, his pulse quickene, and perspiration broke out on his flesh. As his senses exploded, lust moved through his veins, and there was little he could do to conceal his erection. What was it about her that had him reacting so strangely?
As she approached, he shifted restlessly on his stool. She shimmied in next to him, her eyes alive with anticipation. When their gazes collided it did the weirdest things to his insides, and for the briefest of moments, her mere presence softened his anger.
He toyed with his beer bottle and studied her, taking note of her nervous gestures, and the trepidation in her voice as she ordered a strawberry daiquiri. After it arrived she swallowed half the drink in one gulp.
He arched a brow, amused. “Thirsty?” he asked, breaking the quiet.
“It’s a warm day,” she confessed, and fanned her face. As her big, innocent blue eyes stared up at him, his heart hammered and he felt like he’d been sucker punched.
Fuck! What the hell was that all about?
She held her hand out. “I’m Kaylea.”
“Brand,” he offered and worked hard to hold onto his anger and summon a defence against her charm. Unfortunately, his efforts proved futile.
Her knee pressed against his and a rush of sexual energy hit him like a wrecking ball. As her heat reached out to him, it was all he could do to form a coherent thought. With his blood pressure soaring, he leaned into her and felt her warm, strawberry-scented breath on his face. “The hotel has a pool, why don’t you take a swim to cool off.”
“Oh, I’m not staying here,” she said quickly, then as if she’d given away too much information she began backpedaling. “I just stopped in for a drink.” She got quiet for a moment, then something in her expression changed. She aimed a longing glance his way. “And, well…”
The angelic look on her face brought warmth to his darkest corners and despite his efforts, everything inside him turned to mush. He curled his fingers and resisted the urge to brush a wayward blond curl from her cheek when she tilted her head forward. “And well, what?” he asked, softening his tone.
She fiddled with her straw and moistened her bottom lip. Christ almighty, she had the nicest mouth. “Well, to be honest, I saw you at the café.”
“Oh, yeah?” Her honesty was like a shot in the heart. As he studied her, he suspected she didn’t have a dishonest bone in her body.
“And well, I though you noticed me, too.”
After a long pause he said, “I noticed you.”
Seemingly encouraged, her eyes widened, and she leaned forward, affording him a view of her cleavage. Her attempt, he supposed, to entice him. He studied her, sensing her discomfort with her flirtatious, come-hither actions. When dark lashes fluttered over naive eyes, his entire world shifted. He gulped air, suddenly hating himself. Hating that for one minute he’d considered marking this sweet innocent girl for Hell.
Fuck…
As his anger completely dissolved, he drew a long breath to center himself, then touched her shoulders to put a stop to her obviously uncomfortable seduction. He didn’t want her exposing her body. Not to any man. Especially not to him. Because he wasn’t worthy of her. “Kaylea, don’t.”
She pulled back, embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed pink, and her beautiful blue eyes widened. “I just thought—”
Oh, Christ. The mortified look on her face turned him inside out. His gut clenched and he fisted his hands. Dammit, he hadn’t meant to hurt her, but it had been a hell of a long time since he’d dealt with people, or their emotions.
“I think I made a mistake.” Kaylea climbed from the chair and bolted to the elevator.
Before she had a chance to round the corner and disappear from his line of sight, Brand vaulted out of his chair, chased after her and caught her as she climbed into the waiting lift.
He stepped on with her, reached for her and gathered her hand in his. “Kaylea…”
She turned toward him as the doors slid shut and the elevator began its descent. Glistening blue eyes stared up at him in confusion. “What?”
“You didn’t make a mistake.” He pitched his voice low and spoke in a soft tone. “It’s just that…”
“Just what?”
Jesus, what the fuck was he supposed to tell her?
That he wanted her so badly his insides were shaking, but he couldn’t fuck her because it would mark her for Hell and she was too sweet and innocent for a life in purgatory. And for some
