Tempt Me - By Shiloh Walker Page 0,1

go weak.

Fantasy material.

That’s what he was.

Fantasy material.

And she firmly pushed him into that little mental niche—he needed to be there, anyway. He had a woman with him, right?

Rocki shifted her gaze to the woman just as she gave Rocki a dismissive glance.

Rocki felt her spine stiffen, barely resisting the urge to narrow her eyes and give the bitch a scathing once-over. The woman wasn’t even bothering to give Rocki one—she’d already made her decision and done her dismissal—rude, that. It wasn’t anything Rocki hadn’t dealt with before and she didn’t give a damn.

But if the bitch was going to be that condescending, why was she in here?

Maybe it was hormones. Maybe it was the woman’s snide attitude.

Maybe it was the oh-so-sexy guy at her side. Rocki didn’t know. But something pushed her to do it. Something pushed her to ignore the woman, something she never did, focusing on the gorgeous guy instead.

Leaning against the wall, she hooked her thumbs in the front pockets of her jeans and gave the man a whimsical smile. “Is there anything I can help you find, sir?”

She had the darkest, brownest eyes Cole had ever seen.

An elbow jabbed into his side and he looked down, meeting his fiancée’s gaze. By society’s standard, Mara O'Keily was a beautiful woman. Hell, even he had to admit that she was.

Sometimes, though, she left him cold. Lately, it was getting worse. It wasn’t so much a case of pre-wedding jitters—they hadn’t even set the damn date yet. Mara wouldn’t exactly say why, either. First, they had to find the right ring—the one he’d chosen hadn’t been. Then, she couldn’t find the right dress—that had been an ongoing ordeal for over a year now. She also wanted them to have their own home built. But after Mara started showing him some of the ideas she had, Cole had decided that would be a better project left ’til after the wedding.

He had no problem investing money in a house, but she wasn’t thinking in terms that simple. Mansion was more like it. And outrageous and expensive didn't even cover the potential cost. Yeah, he had money, but that didn't mean he wanted her throwing it away.

Especially because lately, she was making him wonder just when there was going to be a wedding. Or if.

Still, he was engaged, and Cole didn’t take that lightly. He stroked a hand down Mara’s back and tried to remind himself that he wasn’t there to ogle the brunette salesclerk.

Although, damn…

Get it together.

He’d seen her when they were walking down the sidewalk. Hell, he’d noticed her before today. Weeks ago, really. But today, Mara had insisted on coming into the store, Lush & Lace. Cole had tried to talk her out of it, with no luck.

Mara was determined to get a look inside because her own lingerie store was opening a couple of blocks away next month. She wasn’t quite hitting the ambience the owner here had managed, either. Mara’s store, Divine, was sleek and silver and modern—hell, just like Mara, it was cold.

This place, though, it was just like its name.

Lush. He glanced back at the brunette and couldn’t help but think it described her as well.

“We’d like to speak to whomever is in charge,” Mara said, her voice taking on that tight, prissy tone she managed just a little too well. And a little too often lately.

The brunette lifted a slim brow and her mouth curled in a smile. She had a mole, Cole noticed. Right by her mouth. And damn if it wasn’t sexy as all get-out. Dragging his gaze away from her mouth, he made himself focus on her eyes. And he wasn’t the least bit surprised when she said, “I’m in charge.”

Mara stiffened, then recovered fast. She always had. She gave the brunette a polite smile and said, “I really need to speak to somebody other than the manager. When will the owner be in?”

“You’re looking at her.” She pushed off the wall and held out a ringless, manicured hand. “Rocki Monroe. How can I help you?”

Mara just stared at her.

Rocki continued to wait, that cool little smile on her pretty mouth. Whether it was because Cole couldn’t keep standing there while Mara was so rude or whether it was because he had some strange desire to touch her—or both—he reached out, closing his fingers around hers. “Cole Stanton.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Cole.”

He had the insane urge to bend down and press his mouth to that mole, then shift his mouth