UP IN FLAMES

The whole lower part of the steering wheel had been torn open, wires exposed and dangling like little red and blue snakes.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, slowly shaking her head. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Anger poured into her chest, causing her hand to tighten around the keys until the metal dug into flesh. Someone had done this to her car-her property. No way in hell did she believe this was coincidental. It had to be the asshole behind the note, and…

Icy fear snapped at the heels of her fury. Her breath came out in a ragged exhale. The person who had done this could still be here, ting and watching. Oh my God. Her heart jumped in her chest painfully. Backing away from her car door, she scanned the darkness ahead of her.

She swallowed, but the knot of fear made it difficult. She was out here, alone, and if someone wanted-A heavy hand landed on her shoulder.

Shrieking, she spun around, dropping the folder and throwing out her hand that held the key-shank she’d created.

“Damn it, woman!” a deep voice exploded as a hand clamped down on her wrist.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

Part of her brain recognized the voice, but the adrenaline and fear had kicked in her fight response and once that had been unleashed, it was taking her brain precious seconds to catch up to how her body was reacting.

She tried to pull her arm free as she raised her knee, aiming for any body part she could do damage on. Hopefully the gonads. Except she never connected with any flesh. A second later, her back was against the SUV parked beside her car and a broad, firm body was pressed against hers. Thick, muscled legs made it impossible for her to kick. Both her wrists were captured in a secure hold, pinned near her shoulders in record time. The keys hit the ground somewhere down by her feet. Good God, she had been incapacitated that quickly. It would’ve been rather impressive if she wasn’t seconds away from having a full-blown heart attack.

“Are you done?” he asked, his voice carrying a hard edge. “You could’ve taken my eye out.”

As her heart rate slowed down, her brain finally started to work again. Lifting her head, she found herself face-to-face with Alaric Harper once more. Not just face-to-face, but mostly body-to-body.

“Sorry,” she croaked out hoarsely and then wondered why in the hell she was apologizing. “You scared me! You snuck up on me.”

“Snuck up on you?” A muscle ticked in his jaw, visible even in the poor lighting. “I wasn’t sneaking. I’m not part ninja.”

Considering she hadn’t heard him, she begged to differ on that statement. And the man had the reflexes of a jungle cat. “Part ninja or not, it’s nighttime and you put your hand on me in the middle of a dark parking lot without warning. Excuse me for-”

“Overreacting?” he suggested, dark brows lowered. “Is this how you normally respond?”

Were they actually going to argue about this? From the look of it, the answer would be yes. Her fingers curled helplessly and she drew in a deep breath. The action brought her breasts flush with his chest, and she couldn’t stop the electrical jolt that zinged through her, nor the way her nipples hardened at the sensation.

Oh goodness, her reaction was wholly wrong, all things considered. She was going to blame residual trauma from seeing her car obliterated. “Let go of me,” she said, taking another breath and immediately wishing she hadn’t. The jolt hit her again, stronger. “Now.”

“I don’t know about that.” And just like that, Alaric’s demeanor shifted. Everything about him changed. His body relaxed in a way that said he was ready to snap into action but was solely focused on her. The lines of his face softened, and his eyes took on a hooded, lazy quality. “You might try to shank me again.”

A whole different set of warnings went off in the back of her head as the air became rife with the kind of tension that had nothing to do with the car or the fact that she’d almost blinded him in the eye moments before. Nearly every part of their bodies that mattered was lined up. His breath was warm against her forehead, and around her wrists, his thumbs began to move in slow, idle circles. A fine shiver skated over her skin as her pulse fluttered under his fingers. Everything he did, from the way he held her against the car to how his intense stare reached in, captured, and then seared her, oozed raw, almost primitive sexuality. Never had she come across anyone who affected her on such a level.

Alaric shifted his hips, and she sucked in a sharp breath. She felt him against her belly, long and hard. Heat simmered low in her stomach and then dropped lower, like it had inside the room. Except they hadn’t been touching then, and while he really wasn’t doing anything now, her body was reacting to his in a way that shocked her.

This was so not the appropriate time for this. Even though she doubted anyone would come after her now that Alaric was here-and if anyone did, he most definitely had a death wish-but still. There were more important things to be focusing on.

But instinct was telling her that if she tipped her head back farther, Alaric would gladly accept the unspoken invitation. It wouldn’t matter that they barely knew each other. He’d already insinuated what he wanted from her, much to her disbelief. He would kiss her, and she already knew that she’d be kissed in a way she’d never experienced before. Her heart tripped up over the thought of his lips moving against hers. One kiss and she’d be putty in his no-doubt-skilled hands. Vanessa wasn’t easy, but with this man, she’d probably throw herself onto her own back. His hands dropped from her wrists, landing on her hips, and as he leaned in, his nose grazed her cheek, snapping her out of her stupor. What in God’s name was she doing?

Placing her hands against his chest-an incredibly hard chest-she pushed. “Back off, buddy.” Vanessa said,