tall, striking and undeniably real, was none other than the phantom from her dream.
Adrian felt her before he saw her. Angie’s energy traveled through the air and wrapped itself around him. He turned to meet her gaze, his heart pounding, his blood warming even as he willed himself to remain unaffected. He took a step toward her, froze when he saw the look on her face.
There was shock in her multi-flecked eyes. Shock and a hint of recognition.
Impossible. He’d wiped her memory clean. Last night should be nothing but a drunken blur to her. But apparently, some hidden part of her remembered him.
He never should’ve come here. He should’ve kept his distance as he’d initially intended. But until he knew for a fact that Cal had cloaked her, he couldn’t risk leaving her exposed. She was too vulnerable to Kyros, especially without her memories to warn her of the danger his uncle posed.
Too late now. She’d seen him. All he could do was make the most of a dicey situation.
He approached her and flashed his most disarming smile. “Hi, the name’s Adrian.” He reached out his hand to her.
She looked at his outstretched palm as though it were an alien object, the limb of a ghost or a figment of her imagination. After an uncomfortably long pause, she finally met his handshake. Energy instantly resonated from their joined palms.
“Angie,” she croaked.
Adrian dug into his pocket and pulled out the flyer she’d handed him last night. “I got ahold of one of these,” he told her, “and I have to say, I’m impressed. You’ve got quite an operation here. I’d like to volunteer.”
“Why?”
That one simple word took him off guard. “I’ve got my reasons.”
She seemed to regret the question. “Yes, of course. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. It’s just— Forgive me, I’m not myself today. Let me get you a form to fill out.”
She hastened behind the unoccupied reception desk and rummaged through the drawers. “Patricia is usually the one in charge of applications. I don’t know where she’s disappeared to.”
Adrian did. He’d willed the receptionist to take a really long lunch break so he could hang around the reception area and wait for Angie.
“Aha, here it is.” She pulled out a white sheaf of paper and handed it to him. “Just write down all your information, and I’ll make sure Patricia gets it.”
“I was hoping I could get started right away.”
“That’s not possible. All potential volunteers are carefully screened. We need to check your references first. But if everything pans out, you could start tomorrow.” She stared at him, and the undisguised wonder on her face delivered a well-aimed blow to his chest.
For one halted breath, he couldn’t find his voice to respond. He wanted to touch her, to kiss her again, to lose himself in the heat of her arms and the floral scent of her hair. Since he’d made the mistake of holding her, he couldn’t chase the delicious feel of her from his skin.
It was she who finally broke the silence. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”
“I doubt it,” he lied. “I think I would’ve remembered you.”
Angie blinked, clearing her throat as though his words had embarrassed her. She handed him a pen, which he studied dumbly. “So you can fill out the application,” she reminded him.
“Right.” He got right to it. None of the information he provided was true, but it didn’t matter. As soon as Patricia returned, he would convince the woman that he was a stellar citizen and that all his references checked out. Then he could get down to the business of protecting Angie.
He handed her the form, his fingers grazing hers. A wave of pure heat lapped through him at the touch. He knew right there and then that this woman would push him to the breaking point and inspire him to learn temperance and control even as her very presence threatened to steal every pathetic ounce of willpower he possessed.
“I have to go man the
Adrian felt her before he saw her. Angie’s energy traveled through the air and wrapped itself around him. He turned to meet her gaze, his heart pounding, his blood warming even as he willed himself to remain unaffected. He took a step toward her, froze when he saw the look on her face.
There was shock in her multi-flecked eyes. Shock and a hint of recognition.
Impossible. He’d wiped her memory clean. Last night should be nothing but a drunken blur to her. But apparently, some hidden part of her remembered him.
He never should’ve come here. He should’ve kept his distance as he’d initially intended. But until he knew for a fact that Cal had cloaked her, he couldn’t risk leaving her exposed. She was too vulnerable to Kyros, especially without her memories to warn her of the danger his uncle posed.
Too late now. She’d seen him. All he could do was make the most of a dicey situation.
He approached her and flashed his most disarming smile. “Hi, the name’s Adrian.” He reached out his hand to her.
She looked at his outstretched palm as though it were an alien object, the limb of a ghost or a figment of her imagination. After an uncomfortably long pause, she finally met his handshake. Energy instantly resonated from their joined palms.
“Angie,” she croaked.
Adrian dug into his pocket and pulled out the flyer she’d handed him last night. “I got ahold of one of these,” he told her, “and I have to say, I’m impressed. You’ve got quite an operation here. I’d like to volunteer.”
“Why?”
That one simple word took him off guard. “I’ve got my reasons.”
She seemed to regret the question. “Yes, of course. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. It’s just— Forgive me, I’m not myself today. Let me get you a form to fill out.”
She hastened behind the unoccupied reception desk and rummaged through the drawers. “Patricia is usually the one in charge of applications. I don’t know where she’s disappeared to.”
Adrian did. He’d willed the receptionist to take a really long lunch break so he could hang around the reception area and wait for Angie.
“Aha, here it is.” She pulled out a white sheaf of paper and handed it to him. “Just write down all your information, and I’ll make sure Patricia gets it.”
“I was hoping I could get started right away.”
“That’s not possible. All potential volunteers are carefully screened. We need to check your references first. But if everything pans out, you could start tomorrow.” She stared at him, and the undisguised wonder on her face delivered a well-aimed blow to his chest.
For one halted breath, he couldn’t find his voice to respond. He wanted to touch her, to kiss her again, to lose himself in the heat of her arms and the floral scent of her hair. Since he’d made the mistake of holding her, he couldn’t chase the delicious feel of her from his skin.
It was she who finally broke the silence. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”
“I doubt it,” he lied. “I think I would’ve remembered you.”
Angie blinked, clearing her throat as though his words had embarrassed her. She handed him a pen, which he studied dumbly. “So you can fill out the application,” she reminded him.
“Right.” He got right to it. None of the information he provided was true, but it didn’t matter. As soon as Patricia returned, he would convince the woman that he was a stellar citizen and that all his references checked out. Then he could get down to the business of protecting Angie.
He handed her the form, his fingers grazing hers. A wave of pure heat lapped through him at the touch. He knew right there and then that this woman would push him to the breaking point and inspire him to learn temperance and control even as her very presence threatened to steal every pathetic ounce of willpower he possessed.
“I have to go man the
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