He had pegged her as softer and more subdued in nature. She had presented herself that way with her nervousness, which was apparent by her fidgeting. Yet, the minute Riley was in front of her, those bare shoulders straightened as that wickedly tattooed spine stiffened, and Cole was officially intrigued.

“Excuse me,” she mumbled, brushing past him.

She was pretending she had no clue who he was. Shaking his head, Cole rounded on his feet to follow her, forgetting all about catching the train.

Hmm, the woman certainly has a love of leather. From under her bright blue coat, he could see tight black leather pants molded to her thighs and calves before they stopped just above her anklebone. Her dark hair was shifting against the blue wool as she walked, and he found himself staring at the tips of her hair that were currently the same shade as her coat.

She seemed to feel his eyes on her—Hell, that’s not surprising since I can’t tear them away—because she stopped when she reached a small clearing. She quickly moved to the side, spinning on her black flats to face him.

Bracing himself, Cole stuffed his hands into his own wool coat and waited. Oh yeah, here we go. Bring it on.

* * *

Rachel hit pause on her music, removed the earbuds and turned to tell Cole yet again, Thanks, but no thanks. That was the plan anyway until she looked up and locked eyes with his hazel ones, and then all her thoughts left her brain. What is it about this guy?

She’d only seen him a couple of times, and in each of those moments, she had felt such a pull to him that she had tucked tail and run, much like she wanted to do right now.

Maybe it was because he was always so put together, and now was certainly no exception. Dressed in a long black, perfectly tailored wool coat with what she could only assume was an equally expensive suit of some kind underneath, he projected cool, calm sophistication. He exuded confidence.

“Are you stalking me now?” Rachel flippantly asked with a forced smile.

She watched as he lifted his hands and pushed them into his coat pockets, drawing her eyes down his tall body. Damn, even his shoes are shiny!

“Not at all,” he replied, his voice deep and his words clipped. He was a man who said exactly what he thought. “Stalking would imply premeditation. This was more a spur-of-the-moment decision.”

“To follow me?” she clarified.

He nodded once in assent as she noticed his serious mouth tilt at the corner.

“Yes, to follow you.”

Rachel finally allowed her eyes to move over him.

Yes, okay, he really is incredibly hot. Most would call him handsome or attractive, but as she stood there, looking up into his eyes, the blazing heat she saw staring back at her screamed one thing: Hot! Sizzling, scorching, set-you-on-fire hot.

Determined to end this and forget about the dirty-blond hair, the hot hazel eyes, and the perfectly tailored suit, Rachel ordered herself to relax and move on.

“That’s just ridiculous.”

“Not really,” he pointed out. “Trust me. I’ve met stalkers, and this is not stalking.”

Rolling her eyes at the absurdity of the conversation, Rachel internally slapped herself. She knew he wasn’t stalking her, but she couldn’t make her stupid brain think anything else. He had rendered her mute, which was currently annoying the shit out of her.

When he stepped closer, Rachel also found that he had the superpower to freeze her where she stood because she was suddenly incapable of moving. She stood still, entranced as he removed a hand from his pocket, reached out, and touched a blue strand of hair that was blowing by her cheek.

“You look different outside of work,” he observed.

Rachel frowned as she tilted her head to the side. “I’ve never seen you at Exquisite while I’ve been working.”

He moved, taking one more step toward her, so they were almost touching. As he leaned down slightly, he replied, “No, not there.”

Blinking up at him, Rachel shook her head. “Well, you must have me mistaken for someone else because I know I have never seen you in the flower shop.”

Right there in the middle of the damn train station, she could feel her breathing accelerate, and she was starting to think this guy was weaving spells.

He lowered his face another inch closer to hers. “No, not there either.”

For one insane and anticipatory moment, Rachel thought he was going to kiss her. God help me, I want him to.

However, at the last moment, he moved his head to the side so when he turned, his mouth intimately brushed her ear, causing a shiver to run straight up Rachel’s spine.

“I mean, at the place where you put on a uniform and play a part. I mean, at Whipped.”

Rachel slowly turned her head, narrowing her eyes at the man who was now an inch from her face. How is he making the crowded tunnel feel as though it has emptied out and we are the only two standing here?

“Excuse me?” were the only words Rachel could seem to find and project.

“You see, Rachel—”

Oh god, the way my name sounds rolling off his tongue and slipping past those seriously lickable lips…

“The coat is a nice touch, but I’m sure if you took it off and threw a few stern words around, then maybe, just maybe, Riley would recognize you.”

Now that coming from his mouth reminded her of exactly who he was and how he knew her. Rachel got her ass in gear and took a step back, squaring her shoulders. “Well, as lovely as this has been, I’m already running late.”

She turned, ready to walk away with her dignity still somewhat intact, when his parting line reached her ears and made her blood boil.

“Yes, tardiness is really not something to be proud of. It shows such a lack of dedication to your destination.”

Twirling on the ball of her foot, Rachel took a step back toward the arrogant, infuriating wall of a man and tilted up her chin to him in a way that told him she was not running or backing down. “As far as I’m aware, I didn’t ask you to give an opinion.”

Those calculating eyes focused on her as he dipped his head, acknowledging her response. “You’re right.”

Rachel waited for a moment, sensing another annoying comment was about to come out of his mouth. Instead though, he stuck his hand in his coat pocket and pulled out something wrapped in white wax paper.

Is that candy? she thought as he methodically unwrapped it.

Keeping her eyes on his hands that were so dexterous she felt hypnotized, Rachel felt dazed when he pulled the candy from the wrapper and brought it up to his mouth, pushing it in between those fantasy-inspiring lips. Without a word, he refolded the wrapper. He didn’t ball it up or crinkle it; he folded it perfectly before pushing it back into his pocket.

Locking eyes with her, his mouth shifted in a way that let Rachel know he was sucking on the little square he had put in there, and she found she couldn’t move or remember what they had been discussing. Rather, all her concentration had zeroed in on his hard jaw that was flexing with each suck of—What did he put in his mouth?

“What was that?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

When he tilted his head to the side, Rachel couldn’t help but notice his left cheek bulge slightly as he pushed the candy into it. That was when he began to move, like a wolf on the hunt. As he took two steady steps forward, Rachel found herself retreating faster than she cared to admit. Standing against the side of the tunnel wall, she watched a smooth smile appear on his face, mocking her. He should have looked ridiculous, standing there in the subway walkway with candy shoved in his mouth, but no, he appeared to be the furthest thing from ridiculous that she could think of.

Sinful was what popped into her head—as if she needed the adjective to describe what her body was already screaming. The other thing her body and brain were in agreement on was run.

Run far, far away.

“Would you like a taste, Rachel?”

Gripping her bag tightly, she refused to cower. She took a deep breath and lifted up her chin to look him directly in the eye. There was no way she would let him intimidate her, and that was exactly what he was trying to do.

Catch me off-guard? Get me to lower my defenses? I don’t think so.

“And if I said yes?”

* * *

If you say yes, I’m going to have a hard time not pushing my tongue between those brazen fucking lips, was what Cole wanted to say as he looked down at the feisty woman in the tight leather pants.

Cole rolled the sugary confection across his tongue, moving it to the other side of his mouth, as he watched her eyes zero in on his lips. It was hard to believe it was rush hour downtown right now because, as far as he was concerned, the only other person in existence was the enigma who was Rachel.

So, let’s test a theory. Cole took the final step he needed. His coat was now brushing hers, and his shiny black Ferragamos were toe-to-toe with her black flats. Will she be brave? Or will she run?

He wasn’t usually a betting man unless poker counted, and he was pretty fucking good at that now. But if he were to place a bet, he’d bet that she would run.

Bending down just enough so their faces were back on the same level, he wasn’t surprised when she kept her blue eyes locked with his.

Let’s see if I can rattle that composure.

“If you say yes, I’ll give you my tongue to suck on, and you can take a guess at what it is.”

Cole had to admit that with the way her eyes automatically moved to his mouth, she provoked the devil in him. So, of course, he moistened his bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, and he took immense delight in seeing the shiver that she couldn’t seem control.

“So, Rachel, would you like that taste?”

* * *

Is he serious? Rachel thought as she stood with her back pressed to the tiled tunnel wall.

This was why she had been deliberately avoiding one-on-one time with him. She knew he was potent, and God help her, as she stood there in the crowded tunnel, she wanted his tongue in her mouth.

“As romantic as that proposition is—” she started before being cut off.

“It wasn’t supposed to be romantic.”

Swallowing once, Rachel tried to compose herself before continuing. “Then, what was it supposed to be?”

Standing up to his full height, which had to be around six foot four, he placed his hands behind his back. Once again, his cheeks moved, and his damn lips pursed as he sucked on the candy. He then seemed to push it to the right side of his mouth.

Rachel felt like she was being seduced by a piece of candy and a set of smart-ass lips. She needed to escape—Oh, at least three minutes ago.

“It was an overtly sexual offer, designed to provide you with the answer to your question.”

Shutting her eyes, Rachel tried not to let his voice slide inside her. She tried not to let it tingle all over her body, and she tried not to let that stuffy, I-am-better-than-you attitude stroke her sensitive spots.

I am trying and failing epically.

Knowing she needed to somehow regain the upper hand, Rachel let her eyes roam over his far-too-attractive face to his black wool coat, which was tailored to perfection, and she felt her pulse jump.

Watching his sharp, serious chin tilt down, Rachel inspected the blond stubble shadowing it, and she had to stop herself from reaching out and scraping it lightly with her blue nails.

“Like I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, as romantic as that proposition is, when I want to suck on your tongue or anything else, I’ll ask. Until then, no need to offer. It’s just embarrassing when I turn you down.”

Feeling rather pleased with herself, she lifted her hand and patted the lapel of his coat. It wasn’t until she remembered who she was dealing with that she realized, Bad idea.

Quicker than she could blink, his large hand was on top of hers, circling her wrist before she could think twice about it. He tugged her forward gently, and Rachel had no choice but to go. Suddenly, she found herself close enough to him that her breasts were pressed firmly against the wool covering his chest.