Page 278 of The Spider Queen
He hadn’t blinked his indigo blue eyes once. “You didn’t answer the question.”
“What question was that?” I asked, sounding breathless, unable to stop it.
The man smiled slowly. “Were you looking for me?”
My voice caught in my throat, so all I could do was nod.
He offered me his arm. Frowning, I stared at it. Who, in this day in age, offered a woman an arm? It was an old school move—one from Frank Sinatra’s era. And yet the stranger pulled it off.
“I’d like to buy you a drink. If you’ll let me.”
“Oh. A drink.”
With volition of its own, my hand settled in the crook of his arm. The man tugged me even closer, close enough that I could smell the aftershave on his skin. Spicy, heady, intoxicating.
And he didn’t cause me any physical pain when he touched me.
“Who are you?” I asked, letting him lead me toward the bar and restaurant.
The stranger with entrancing indigo eyes looked down at me. His grin was mocking and impish. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lucifer.”
I blinked and then let out a laugh. Gesturing with my free hand down his form, I nodded. “I got it. You came as Satan. In the flesh.”
He chuckled. “That I did. And who are you, if I may ask?”
“No names tonight,” I said with a rueful shake of my head. “If you’re going to introduce yourself as Lucifer, then you don’t get to know my name.”
The man shrugged, as if my rebuff hadn’t bothered him. He greeted the hostess with a charming smile and then asked for a booth in the corner of the restaurant.
“I’m sorry, sir, but all the tables are booked.” The hostess held a pen in her hand, her eyes full of regret as she raked them over the man’s impeccable form.
“Oh,” he said softly, “would you mind checking again?”
Her eyes widened and then she nodded. Looking at the reservation book, she said, “We seem to have had a cancellation. Follow me.”
I wanted to ask how he’d managed that, but I instantly forgot my question when Lucifer moved, my hand dropping from the crook of his elbow. His large palm went to the small of my back. Tingles shot up and down my spine—it felt like he was touching my bare skin, despite the fact that I wore layers upon layers of tulle.
We followed the hostess to the table in the corner, far enough away from the bar and the main floor to have some privacy. The hostess set two menus down and then said, “Your server will be right with you.”
She slipped away, leaving me alone with the man I’d chased out of the ballroom.
Who was I? I’d never felt such a need before.
Need and lust.
Lucifer sat down in the booth and watched me with cool amusement. “Aren’t you going to sit?
I nodded and then quickly scooted into the booth across from him. I immediately reached for the menu, but I wasn’t hungry. I just needed something to do.
Lucifer didn’t bother grabbing his own menu. Even out of the corner of my eye, I could feel him watching me, but I pretended he wasn’t.
When Herron had met Blaze, she’d said he was out of her league. He was older, urbane, a wealthy playboy.
I felt that way now. I didn’t know this man’s character—I couldn’t read any emotion coming off him, which was unsettling. That, combined with the fact that he inspired new emotions in me contributed to my unease.
And yet, I wanted to be sitting here with him. I wanted to lean closer, peer into those indigo eyes, and talk until the sun came up.
No one, not ever, had intrigued me more.
