by the time I leave each day.”
She knew exactly when he left each day since she would watch him pass by her shop. Usually he didn’t as much as glance her way. He’d look straight ahead with that masculine “turn-a-girl-on” strut of his. She’d overheard a conversation between Tyson and her brother once, and Tyson joked about how Eli spent a lot of time in his office eyeing the penthouse fitness center across the street. He’d pick out the woman who could kick her legs up the farthest and she would be the one he hit on for the week.
“I got kind of excited about the delivery that came a while ago. It’s my Christmas merchandise,” she said as a way of explanation.
When he didn’t say anything or acknowledge her in any way, she smiled and added, “I guess you’re thinking that it doesn’t take much to get me excited.”
If she wasn’t sure about the darkening of his gaze before, she was definitely certain about it now. She could kick herself. Why did she say such outrageous things around him? Words that could easily be taken out of context?
And then when she saw his lips quirk into a smile, she almost lost her balance. The man was actually smiling. Gracious. This was the first time she’d ever seen him do so and thought he should do it more often.
Then she quickly decided that no, he should not. A stern-faced Eli Steele was sexy enough. A smiling one was too hot to handle.
He surprised her even more when a low, husky rumble that she figured to be a chuckle eased from his lungs. She felt her stomach quivering when he said, “I’m sure there are other things that could get you a lot more excited, Stacey.”
His green eyes locked with hers and she could feel air get trapped in her lungs. That was the first time she’d heard him say her name and the word off his lips sounded almost sinful. Definitely erotic. How had he managed that?
“Do you need any help?”
She blinked. He’d said something else. Actually asked her a question. This was the most he’d ever said to her. “Need any help with what?” she asked, afraid he might tell her.
“The boxes.”
“The boxes?” For some reason she couldn’t follow him. She was too overcome with the nearness of him—and that wasn’t good. Especially when his gaze was zeroing in on her with such intensity. No man had affected her this way since Wallace. And if she was completely honest with herself, she would admit Wallace had never given her this degree of a sensual high.
His smile widened. “Yes, the boxes. Unless there’s something else I can assist you with?”
That question had been more than a subtle come-on. Was he flirting with her? No, he wouldn’t dare, especially knowing Cohen was her brother. She figured that was why those “Bad News” Steeles always handled her with kid gloves. They worked in the same building so she saw him more than any of the others. He would drop by, make a purchase and keep on moving right out the door without a backward glance. Now he was holding a conversation with her. He was smiling. And he was looking at her like he wanted to get with her. And this time she was sure she wasn’t imagining it.
“No, I don’t need help with anything,” she said.
He nodded slowly. “You sure?”
“Positive.”
He stood there and his gaze slowly ran down the length of her body. It was as if he had X-ray vision and could see what she was wearing beneath her slacks and blouse.
She lifted her brow and figured two could play his game. Returning his stare with the same boldness, she checked him out. Boy, did she check him out. Her gaze roamed up and down his hard, muscular frame, appreciating every part of him her eyes touched. He looked good. So good that blood was rushing fast and furious through her veins. The man had such a perfect physique. Definitely impressive. She wasn’t aware that many muscles made up a masculine body. And he was still fully clothed.
She knew she should pull back, accept the fact that the man was way out of her league. But for some reason she couldn’t do that. She’d never acted so outright naughty with a man before and she was playing with fire doing so with this one. But she refused to back down.
Dazedly, her mind registered that he was slowly walking toward her. Something warned her that she should back up, escape behind her counter, but she couldn’t move. Her feet seemed glued to the spot. Moments later he came to a stop in front of her. She tilted her head back. She’d known he was tall but she hadn’t realized how tall until he was there, right in front of her without the counter between them.
“Why were you looking at me like that?” he asked.
How dare he ask her that after he’d all but undressed her with his gaze first. “And just what way was I looking at you, Eli?”
She saw something flash in his eyes when she said his name. It was the first time she’d ever done so. And just like when her name had flowed from his lips for the first time, he reacted instantly. It was as if saying each other’s names had demolished an imaginary divide that had separated them. Now with that divide gone, they were headed for forbidden waters.
He hesitated. Paused as if he needed to really consider if he should answer her question. And then, as if he decided to go for broke, he took a step closer to her. She felt her back press against one of the tables.
“In a way I suggest that you don’t,” he said, bracing against a wall, neatly easing her into a corner and blocking them both from anyone passing by her shop.
Good suggestion, she thought. And if she didn’t have that Carlson stubborn streak that would raise its ugly head sometimes, she would have kept her mouth shut. But there was something about the green eyes staring down at her that sent an arousing chill up her body. And then there was his mouth. A mouth that her gaze would connect to each and every time he came into her shop. A mouth that looked so doggone kissable, she could imagine not only kissing it but doing a lot of other things with it.
“You’re doing it again, Stacey.” His voice lowered and it sounded huskier than it had ever been. His frown should have been another warning. Again, she didn’t take it.
She crossed her arms over her chest. There was no reason to pretend she didn’t know what he was insinuating so she said, “So are you, Eli.”
Eli watched the way Stacey crossed her arms over her chest, making the way her breasts pressed against her blouse a total turn-on. He drew in a deep breath. What in the hell was she doing? This wasn’t just any woman he wanted to toss between the sheets. This was Cohen Carlson’s sister. He liked Cohen. He respected him. And definitely considered him a friend. The last thing Eli needed was to have the hots for his sister. Too late.
It had started the night he’d seen her at Cohen’s birthday party and escalated the day she had walked into his office to sign the lease agreement. He’d heard about Cohen’s sister, but hadn’t expected her to be such a stunning shock to his male senses. And a part of him hadn’t gotten over it or her since then.
She was right. He was staring at her, thinking that if given the chance, a perfect opportunity, he wouldn’t hesitate eating her alive. But he knew better. Drew and Eden didn’t raise a fool. He recognized warning signs when he saw them. But still, there was something about those luscious glazed lips she was nibbling on that got him right in the gut in the most arousing way.
“It’s
