Heat (The Stark Affair Book 1) by Skylar Cross

here.
    No, don’t say shit! This is good! This is what
you’re here for, Sofia!
    “Hi
David, I’m Michelle.” I decided to use a bar name like Jorge advised. “And
David, if you had just started with that I would have liked you more. You
wouldn’t have had a shot, but I would have liked you more. Right now, though, I
think you’d better go.”
    “Why
is that?”
    I
make a small pointy gesture behind David. He turns around to see Stark.
    “Oh,”
he says as he turns bright red then purple. “I... uh... right... didn’t mean...
to... I’m just off, then. See you later.”
    And
he’s gone. Leaving me alone with Colton Stark. Up close. Face-to-face.
    The
room seems to freeze-frame as we look into each other’s eyes. A strange
calmness washes over me. The music stops. My breathing stops.
    I
get a flash of climbing up his massive chest and shoulders to kiss that sharp
mouth, feeling the stubble brushing past my cheeks. Past my
ear. Hot breath down my neck.
    Oh
God, I’ve got a full-on flow down south. The last time somebody did this to me
with nothing but a look was Zack Braden back in high school.
    Stop it, Sofia! He’s a thief slash trafficker. You’re
not attracted to criminals! Ever!
    “ Hola . ” His one word lifts me up off the
floor a little.
    “Hi,”
I say but it comes out as a croak. I clear my throat. “I mean... hi.”
    He
just looks at me. Yep, that’s Colton Stark. Undoubtedly
Colton Stark.
    Big
and tall. Eyes definitely blue. Skin
like rock. Carved. Chiseled. Deep cheeks. Gutsy chin. And
that goddamned stubble.
    Something
else too. A presence. Like he’s in command. Of fucking
everything.
    I
stare too long, then catch myself.
    Head tilt, giggle , and
twirl hair! Go, Sofia!
    I do
it. He just looks at me strangely and .. . was that a snort?
    “Are
you okay?” he says.
    “Yeah,
why do you ask?”
    “Oh,
nothing. Let me buy you a drink. What do you like?”
    “ Mojito ,” I say in my best Halle Berry voice.
    He
motions to the bartender.
    “Enrique, dos mojitos , por favor.”
    He
continues to stare at me. He’d better stop soon or someone is going to have to
mop me off the floor.
    “I’m
Colton Stark,” he says. “What’s your name?”
    Who the fuck am I?
    “Sofia...” Fuck no! “Um... I mean Michelle.”
    Shit.
I was supposed to use my bar name. I notice my foot is tapping wildly on the
floor. I feel a pool of sweat forming against the weird tight fabric at my
lower back.
    “Well,
which is it?” He smiles.
    God, what do I do now?
    “Sofia.
Michelle is my bar name, you know. But I think I can trust you, so I just told
you my real one... not my bar name... the one that girls make up to use at
bars.”
    “Got
it. I know what a bar name is, thanks. Did you pick it because you look like
Michelle Rodriguez?”
    Fucker.
    “Who?”
I say.
    “Movie
actress? The Fast and the Furious?
Avatar? TV show Lost?”
    “ Hm , no. Doesn’t ring a bell.” I reach into my purse for my
wallet. As I do so, I catch a glimpse of the drugged-up girl swaying even more. Dickwad is kissing her neck. I can’t see his hands.
    Two
tall sparkling glasses with mint leaves appear on the bar. I take out my
wallet.
    “Put
that away,” Stark says. “It’s my club. Drinks are on the house.”
    “Your
club, huh?” I say as I take my drink. “Impressive. What are you, a billionaire
or something?”
    I
try sipping my drink all sexy while not breaking eye contact with him. I miss
my straw.
    He
snorts again.
    What the fuck?
    “Something
like that,” he says. “I’ve never seen you here before.”
    “Are
you sure?”
    He
chuckles. “Oh... I’m sure.”
    I
glance over at Dickwad and Sway. Dickwad is twisting her arm, dragging her to the men’s room. He slaps something in the
hand of the big black attendant and disappears inside with her.
    Shit.
    “Um...
I need to go to the ladies’ room for a moment,” I say.
    “Sure.
I’ll be right here.”
    I
walk over to the restrooms. I turn left. The big black