Page 7 of Dark Temptations

He was tempted to take her home to his place, but he didn’t think she’d go for that. He also wondered if he’d be able to let her go tonight when his basic male instinct was to get her beneath him and make her his woman in every way he could. If he could stamp his name on her, he would.

It was crazy that his world and focus had changed in a short amount of time. The fact that he wasn’t happy about it and kind of resentful told him everything he needed to know. He had to stay away from her because she was already disrupting his life, and he wanted some time to think about his reaction to her.

He’d been burnt too many times in the past, and his last relationship ended brutally. He’d found his girlfriend in bed with another man. He hated infidelity, mostly because he saw it growing up with his parents before they died. He’d been young but still knew what they did was wrong.

When she wouldn’t take no for an answer and started stalking him, he’d promised himself he’d keep away from any personal relationship with women. At least for a long while.

Chapter Three

Ariana stared at the most compelling man she’d ever met. He was so handsome with his dark hair and eyes. His olive skin tone told her he was Italian or some other nationality. It was intriguing to picture them together because it reminded her of her mother and father. Her father was Italian and as dark as Xavier, and her mom was as pale as she was. Even more so because her hair was light blonde. Besides the black hair, she looked exactly like her mother.

Her parents were dark and light, soft and hard, and calm and unruly, but they fit.

“Did I disrupt your night?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No. You are making me relax, which I rarely do.”

“Why?”

She watched the different emotions cross his face and couldn’t discern just one.

“I’m a workaholic, I guess.”

“Besides managing the club, what else do you do?”

“I have other businesses that I run.”

“Do you ever take a vacation?”

He smiled. “I can’t remember the last time I took a few days off. I know it was over five years ago.”

She gasped. “That’s not healthy. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack.”

His smile grew. “I’ve never had anyone care about my health before.”

“Not even your family?”

She saw the shadows in his eyes and regretted asking.

“I don’t have a family. My parents died when I was young, and then I went to live with my grandfather. He died before I finished college.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “It happens. Now, tell me about your family.”

She smiled. “I have a mother and father still alive, but no one else that I know of.”

“Are they still together? What are you grinning about?” he asked.

“They are very much together and still in love. I’m thinking about how gruff my father is until my mom walks into the room, and he quiets instantly.”

“Why does he do that?”

“He always says she’s the light of his life and the serenity that keeps him centered and calm, preventing him from killing anyone.” Ariana laughed. “He doesn’t really kill anyone.”

He laughed. “That’s good to know. Where do you work?”

“I work for a nonprofit organization that helps kids with whatever they need.”

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