Page 294 of Flirting with Darkness

But since she hadn’t seen him again all week, she figured he was pretty low-key.

What Nova hadn’t expected was to run into him at the new club where he was supposedly the interviewer for security. So, what, he owned or ran the barcadeandthe club? It wasn’t that unusual, and they were two different venues. She could see how one might acquire both to appeal to more than one audience.

Dex didn’t interrupt her thoughts as he led her up the stairs onto the roof.

Her eyes had a life of their own, scanning his broad shoulders and back, the leather suspenders he wore that made her mouth water, and the white button-down shirt with black slacks. The bad-boy combat boots completed the picture and Nova honestly didn’t know how to fucking deal with him.

The silver piercings in his ears, the one in his tongue…it made her wonder if he had any others. And that was something she couldn’t afford to be thinking about, no matter how much she’d liked his reaction to her.

Dex was possessive and jealous and she didn’t think he even realized he was doing it.

And she’d seen the strange glow in his eye before he’d hidden it away. Nova had never seen eyes glow silvery white like that before.

What thefuckwas he?

So, did she want him to tell her what he was, or did she want to ask him what he was doing interviewing for security?

He pushed the door open and the freezing wind whipped around them. Nova wrapped her arms around her body and shivered as she took in the rooftop patio.

It looked private and swanky with nice couches, fire pits, heaters, and a bar of its own. She could see the Space Needle and the Sound among the sparkling backdrop of the city. Nova liked the potted palms and the music from downstairs that played through Bluetooth speakers at a quieter volume.

Dex let go of her without a word. He turned on the heaters and the fire pit before heading over to the bar.

He was still wearing gloves, but these were slightly different than the ones he’d been wearing when they first met. They were shorter and ended before they reached his wrist, tight and black in sharp contrast to his skin and the rolled-up sleeves.

Fuck, he was hotter than fire and she knew without a doubt he was going to burn her.

Nova went to the banister and rested her hands on it, arms spread wide as she considered the city.

Asking what he was wouldn’t tell her anything, really. If she asked about his business, he’d want to know why she needed the info and that would make him suspicious.

He already didn’t trust her.

No doubt he was wondering about the shifter she’d killed and now this? Nova must seem like a stupid girl who just couldn’t stay out of trouble.

That could work to her benefit here though.

How could she word her question so that she would get the maximum information, and not set off any more warning bells in his head?

“Here.”

She looked over her shoulder and saw her favorite drink in one hand and a bottle of vodka in the other.

Whatever he was, he had an extremely high metabolism and had somehow picked up on what she liked to drink after only seeing her twice.

Nova took the glass from him and edged closer to the heater as she stabbed the ice with her straw. If she drank this, she’d have to wait another half-hour to ride.

He leaned against the banister and took a swig of the vodka, waiting patiently.

It was stupid, but she didn’t hate the idea of spending the next thirty minutes with him.

Nova shoved the straw aside with her finger and tipped her head back, wondering just how bad he had it.

She set the empty glass on the railing between them and leaned back against it to stare up at the moon. “You made it just the way I like it.”

Dex grinned and took another swig, radiating pride. “Unlike you, I can smell what’s in your drink.”

Nova studied him with her purple eye, somehow knowing he didn’t allow any spiked drinks in his places of business.

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