Zara Stoneley

The Little Shop of Afternoon Delights: 6 Book Romance Collection


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gave a low chortle. “Leonora and I are no longer together.” Maggie was about to express some kind of sympathy, but he cut her short. “The divorce came through last week. Dance?”

      He was on his feet, leading her to the dance floor by the hand. Before she knew it his snake arms were locked around her body pulling her close. Oops. How did that happen? Her technique for fending off the advances of Sylvestro types needed some work. He was very seductive. But she wasn’t looking to be seduced. Not by an over-sexed Casanova type, at any rate.

      Luckily the music stopped almost as soon as they began to dance. Maggie was about to seize the moment, free herself from Sylvestro’s arms and flee the dance floor when he cut to the chase.

      “Let’s skip the dancing. No pun intended.” A predatory leer spoiled his otherwise handsome features. “My hotel’s a couple of blocks away. How about we take this back there?”

      She cringed. Whatever “this” was, she had no intention of taking it anywhere.

      As if on cue – thankfully – Alex butted in. He dwarfed Sylvestro, tall and imposing, with a look of grim skepticism on his face. “The next dance is mine.”

      Reluctantly the silver fox released her, muttering something smarmy about hoping to catch up with her later. The music struck up again and she melted willingly against Alex’s chest.

      “What the hell were you doing with him?”

      Maggie made a stab at a withering look. “I beg your pardon? This isn’t the eighteenth century. I can dance with whomever I choose.” She wasn’t about to admit how relieved she’d been that he’d stepped in and rescued her from the lascivious Italian. “Have you got a problem with that?”

      “Sylvestro’s the problem. He’s a Lothario looking for wife number three.” Maggie rolled her eyes and a little smirk of disbelief twisted her lips. Was Alex jealous? “Or a temporary mistress before wife number three comes along.” Her smile grew a bit wider. “Or a one-night stand until he finds a temporary mistress.”

      “You’re very cynical all of a sudden.” The truth was she’d sensed right away that the guy was looking for more than just a dance. “What’s wrong with a one-night stand?” she challenged.

      “Nothing as long as there are no feelings involved and everyone’s on the same page.”

      Since when had Alex become her protector? Her guard might have been down when Sylvestro had whirled her onto the dance floor. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t perfectly capable of looking out for herself. No longer clear if this was about Sylvestro or Alex, she tipped her face up to his. “What page is that?”

      “The page with The End written on it. A one-night stand is exactly that. One night. End of story.”

      His words catapulted her back to the night they’d spent together. What they’d had in London belonged to a place in time that they could never get back to, even if they wanted to.

      “Guys like that are short on commitment. You don’t need one of those.”

      “And you know what I need?” she countered, keeping her cool.

      “Tonight,” he drawled, so whisperingly quiet that she had to tilt her head closer to hear his words. “I want you to need me.”

      If no-strings sex was what she desired she could have it with any available commitment-phobe. What she was feeling for Alex was more than that. Like it or not, her emotions were tangled up in knots and that was dangerous territory.

      The music started up again, conveniently cutting through the conversation. Alex swung Maggie out on one arm and then pulled her back in close, as they realized that in spite of the spirited intro it was actually the start of a rhythmic slow dance. Her body moving against his, Maggie had never felt so sultry in her life. The attraction she felt for him was devastating. Alex might be a celebrity crush to millions, but right now she was the only woman he was interested in and the heart-stealing feeling that gave her was incredible.

      All around them couples moved in tandem. She loved every second of dancing with him, and even so she couldn’t wait to break the contact, distance herself from him. These feelings would go away. They had before. For sure and certain they couldn’t lead anywhere. She needed to get out of the heavenly circle of his arms.

      Arrows of desire speared through her body. An untidy mess of contradiction, she recognized with frightening certainty that Alex’s bone-melting powers meant only one thing. She didn’t just want him in her life. She wanted this place locked in his hold to be hers. His heat. His strength. His sexy gorgeousness. All hers.

      Her head and her heart told her she couldn’t have those things. They’d spent a few great days together. It was nearly time to go back to their own lives.

      When the music ended Alex and Maggie remained locked like two magnets. People noticed. Alex reluctantly relaxed his arms and let her go. “Come on.” He took her by the hand and entwined her fingers in his.

      “Where to?”

      “You’ll see.”

      Outside, away from the prying eyes of the other guests, he took something out of his pocket. He unfolded it. Maggie let out a gasp, suddenly recognizing the pretty multi-colored scarf from the fashion shoot at the beach. “What’s that doing here?” Her heart sank. Had Alex begged, borrowed or stolen it? “I’m going to be in so much trouble.”

      “Relax. I acquired it.” He paused and looked at her for a long moment, as if inspecting her for damage. “For you.” He twisted the beautiful silk and stretched it between his hands. “Turn,” he instructed. Automatically she did as she was bid. Facing away from him, the bare length of her back exposed to his view, a frisson of electricity crackled between them. He placed the soft silk over her eyes and gently blindfolded Maggie, tying the scarf in a tight knot at the back of her head.

      “What the …? Alex, what are you doing?”

      “Shh. No questions,” he warned her. He turned her back to face him. The warmth of his hands scorched her skin like branding irons. “Do you trust me?”

      “Implicitly.” It was true. Her heart did a little leap. “Although it’s not every day I get kidnapped by everybody’s favorite vampire. Where are you taking me?”

      He placed a firm finger on her lips. “Watch it. I might have to gag you if you’re not careful.” There was humor in his tone. The blackness of the blindfold should have made her uncomfortable, out of control. But trusting Alex to take charge didn’t faze her.

      He turned her again, put strong hands either side of her waist and moved her gently forward. Next thing she knew they were in an elevator. She had a weird sense of moving upwards, fast. Her stomach flipped, like a bubble in a lava lamp – only faster.

      “We’re going to the top, aren’t we?” With fake petulance she made a deliberate attempt to spoil his surprise. He was way ahead of her on tactics. His arms were wrapped around her from behind, holding her against his statuesque body. He dipped his head and placed his mouth in the curve of her neck, feathering his lips sensuously across her skin. Sweet hot lust shot to her core. Not seeing him, but feeling Alex – hard against her – thrilled her.

      Powerfully erotic, he feathered kisses across her shoulders, his scent of male spice making her high on hot man. When he traced his famous Mercy of the Vampires figure of eight symbol onto her bare back in big sensual curls, with his finger pressed on her skin, and his hardness pressed against the jut of her bum, she was undone, sensitized to the aching, soaring heat he’d triggered inside her. She’d never desired anyone like this before in all of her life. Only him.

      When the elevator arrived at the eighty-sixth floor he walked her out onto the observation deck. The night air enveloped her, cooling, soothing – a welcome contrast to the boiling point she’d reached in the elevator. His hands at the back of her head as he started to untie the scarf made her quiver. Impatient for him to undo the knot she raised her hands and pushed the