Angel’s shocked eyes widened as she looked into his beautiful face and recognition shot through her. What was he doing here? His dark green eyes were mesmerizing as they locked with hers; a soft, confident smirk on his masculine mouth; his wild mane of hair was lightly mussed, like someone had run their hands through it a hundred times. The top buttons on his white shirt were open and there wasn’t a tie, but he was dressed in a navy blue suit. Armani, if Angel’s trained eye pegged it. He was tall like she remembered, with broad shoulders that tapered to a narrow waist shown off by the expensively tailored shirt. Based on the home improvement project, his appearance now was certainly a conundrum. Something inside Angel stirred at his nearness and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Her mouth dropped open to speak just as Alex gathered his composure and sat down next to her.

“Sorry I’m late, honey,” he said smoothly, a small smile gracing his full lips. “Rough day at the office.”

“Uh…” Angel just looked at him while his hand settled on the back of her chair. The other man, clearly taken aback by Alex’s presence, finally let go of her arm.

Alex leaned forward, closer to Angel, so he could speak to the man on her opposite side, and she was assaulted by the clean, male scent of him highlighted by expensive cologne, even as her eyes were still unable to look away from his face.

“As you can see, the lady is otherwise engaged. I’m not amused that you’re hitting on my girl. Touch her again, so help me God, I will pull your balls out through your nostrils. Understand?” Alex’s tone was quiet and level, as if he were doing nothing more than ordering breakfast. He waited as the man’s mouth dropped open to speak, but finally nodding in mute silence. “Good. Please excuse us. Immediately.” His voice oozed over her skin like warm honey, and she felt a sudden familiarity. That voice. His tone was biting, but still like silk, and the monkey-man rapidly stood to leave them alone. Angel smiled and bit her lip, praying that she wouldn’t burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry. She never said she wasn’t available. You’re a very lucky man.”

Angel’s heart thumped in her chest as she listened, unable to move a muscle as the scene unfolded before her. It was completely ridiculous. This dark-haired Adonis was a stranger, simply stepping in to help her with an annoying problem, and nothing more… but there was a part of her that wondered what it would be like to really be his girl. She’d wondered about those green eyes on multiple occasions, but now to put that voice in this man… could it really be?

“Too true. If I were you, I’d learn that when a woman says ‘no’, that’s what she damn well means.” Alex’s eyes hardened and then softened when he looked back into Angel’s eyes as a giggle burst from her chest while the man retreated. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let that continue. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head, still laughing softly. “No, I’m fine, thank you. I was about to throw my drink on him.”

“Yes, I heard. Very amusing. I almost let you, just so I could watch.” They sat for a few seconds, just looking at each other, neither one able to tear their eyes off of the other. “It would have served the bastard right.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Angel caught a glimpse of Darian just as Becca was coming back to the table after finishing her song, clearly checking out the two men. “Oh, I have to speak with…”

Angel stopped and looked from one man to the other, realization of why the voice rang familiar and who the man sitting next to her was, quickly dawning on her. Her happiness at seeing him again soured as his identity hit her square in the face. Her brow dropped and her mouth set into a firm line.

Fucking Darian. What the hell is he playing at? She was overcome with disappointment and fury.

“Hey, Angel.” Darian greeted her, but she said nothing for a few seconds, silently seething in her seat.

“Darian, you asshole!” she said finally. “And, Alexander, I presume?” she asked astutely. “Whitney’s Alexander?” Her mouth compressed further and the perfection of the last minutes evaporated into thin air.

“Not anymore.” Alex winked. “How could I resist the opportunity to meet the woman responsible?”

Angel’s mind cranked around the question… did he realize she was the girl from the paint department that day? If he didn’t, she wouldn’t be the one to point it out. The situation was already embarrassing enough.

Becca’s eyebrows shot up and her lips pursed. “Oh, shit,” she said as she sat down across from Angel. She searched her best friend’s expression trying to determine if she was going to stand up and walk out.

“Oh, let’s give credit where credit is due,” Angel scoffed angrily. “From what I understand, the ruin of the relationship rests solely on your pompous shoulders. I did nothing more than validate her decision to cut her losses. It’s obvious you only think of yourself. I mean, here you are, when I made it clear that I didn’t want to speak with you beyond the call the other night, right?”

“Angel, it was—” Darian began but Alex held up a hand to silence him, shooting him a look.

“An error in judgment; nothing more.” Alex smiled slyly, which only infuriated Angel further. “I thought you deserved another chance.” She sat fuming as he shrugged out of his jacket and hung it over the back of his chair, then unbuttoned his shirt sleeves and began slowly rolling them up, exposing a good portion of his lightly tanned forearms. Angel could easily see the strength as the material tightened over his muscular frame as he moved, and his authoritative demeanor made her pulse speed up.

Becca cleared her throat. “Oh, shit,” she murmured again under her breath, and Darian turned toward her.

“That’s an understatement. I’m Darian, by the way. Angel works with me at Kiss FM.”

Becca smiled, biting her lip as Alex and Angel continued their volatile banter. Darian lifted his arm to signal the waitress as a middle-aged man with a large paunch took to the stage and began rendering a painful version of New York, New York.

“Yes, I know who you are. I’m Becca James. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“I believe it is you, who had the error in judgment, Mr—?” Angel turned decidedly bitchy, her tone harder. She had certainly regained control.

“Avery, but please, call me Alex.”

“Well, Mr. Avery, thank you for your, um… interference a few moments ago but I believe I have some business to discuss with Darian.” Her eyes shot to the other man. “What the hell were you thinking bringing him here? Did you really need to talk to me about the show or is this some sick joke?”

Darian didn’t answer right away because the waitress was at the table, and he was ordering a round of drinks. When he did, his tone was blasé.

“Angel, are you dying? Is this a catastrophe? And yes, I do have some things to discuss with you, but we can do that at the station.”

“It’s Becca’s birthday, and I don’t want to ruin it for her, so I’m not going to bitch slap you right here and now, but believe me, this is not the end of this. I should drop you on your ass with the radio show, you arrogant prick!” Angel’s anger was causing a flush to rise on her cheeks.

Alex placed his elbows on the table, leaning toward her a little until he could literally feel the heat radiating between them. He longed to reach for her hand, to brush his fingers along hers, or lean into her just enough so their shoulders would touch, but he didn’t want to ruffle her feathers any further. He wanted to soothe her, to calm her, and get her to talk to him. “Are you certain that meeting me is such a bad thing? Weren’t you even the least bit curious about me?”

“Pfft.” Angel laughed sharply and lied through her teeth. “Not at all.”

“Oh, really? So you always remember the names of your callers?” Her face was flushed, and he could see she was royally pissed. “Look, after our conversation on the phone last week, I was… well, let’s just say intrigued. Don’t blame Darian. He’s my best friend, and he knew how much I wanted to meet you, Angeline.” His eyes bore into hers, and the electricity between them was tangible. The sound of her given name rolled easily off his tongue. It felt good to say it, and he found himself longing to hear his fall from her lips in the throes of passion. He’d certainly dreamed about her enough… but then he didn’t know the true seduction that he’d find in her voice. He’d dreamed about her as two different women and was delighted to find she was one and the same.

Darian and Becca simply sat there observing the other two who had all but forgotten about their presence.

“I wanted to see for myself if the chemistry I felt on the phone was as palpable as it seemed,” Alex continued. His eyes moved over her face and dropped to her mouth unwillingly. The last thing he wanted to do was disrespect her, but damn if he could help himself.

“Mmmm… and what are you finding out?” Angel leaned into him slightly, her eyes dropping to his mouth and then back up to his eyes seductively.

His lips quirked, and he wanted to reach out and touch her… to see if her skin was a soft as it looked. “I think it’s definitely worth exploring further,” he said so softly that only Angel could hear him. “And so do you. But we felt that the first time we ran into each other, hmmm?”

Angel audibly gasped. He did know they’d met before, however briefly. Her heart pounded in her chest, the seconds ticked by without a word being said as they stared at each other, neither one wanting to be the first to look away because it would be the same as surrender. Angel felt an obvious pull from this man, but she wasn’t enjoying it. It pissed her off that she had been manipulated into the situation, and she wasn’t stupid enough to allow his obvious charm to fuck her up. He was the type that could leave a woman in a boneless heap, sobbing after him when he was ready to move on. She had to admit she was still as attracted as she had been the day in the paint aisle. More, since both fantasy men were combined into one. Who wouldn’t be, but the warnings in her head were screaming loud and clear.

Darian finally cleared his throat. “Angel, are you planning on singing?” He broke into their conversation, knowing that if something didn’t give, Angel would probably go ballistic, and it would be he and not Alex who would get the brunt of it. Really, he couldn’t blame her. He’d basically ambushed them both and was beginning to wonder if bringing Alex here was such a good idea after all.

“No,” she answered shortly. “I’m plotting murder right now.”

Becca coughed and ignored Angel’s comment. “She did say she might do a duet with me tonight, though.”

Alex was still leaning on the table. He reached forward and picked up the scotch that the waitress must have placed in front of him during their exchange, but he was too caught up in the woman next to him to notice. “Yes, I would enjoy that. It will give me an excuse to look at you.”

Goose bumps broke out on her skin despite the close crowd and the heat within the bar. That damn voice, obviously very practiced in saying things women loved to hear. He was so sexy he was dangerous, and her worst fears were confirmed. The body and the face were perfect compliments to it and far better than she could have hoped.

“Hmmph,” Angel huffed. “You don’t seem like the kind of man that needs excuses for anything you do,” she retorted sharply.

“See how well you know me already?” he said suggestively, as his white teeth flashed in a perfect smile, and Angel’s heart thrummed inside her chest. She pushed the hair on her forehead back hoping her hands weren’t shaking so badly that they would give her away.

She ignored the intimacy in his remark but her insides melted despite her anger at both of the men for manipulating her this way. “Well, I don’t sing karaoke.”

“Oh, only in the shower?” He couldn’t help letting himself imagine her delicious body, naked in the shower. It was fucking impossible to avoid thinking about sex when he looked at her. Desire surged through him with a force he’d never known.

“Something like that.”

“Now that’s a picture…” Alex let his words drop off suggestively.

“Angel used to si—Ouch!” Becca grunted when Angel kicked her under the table, shooting her a warning look.

“Surely, for your friend’s birthday? She seems to want you to. Come on, I dare you.” Alex played with her, and she couldn’t help but smile. Becca laughed out loud.