Lusting (Carnal Sins Of Noah Trilogy #1) (9 page)

A split second later, Noah came out of the room, all arrogant, self-righteous and brooding. He’d left the top two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, teasingly flaunting the top of his bronzed chest…just the way she liked.

She handed him the cup of cool water with shaky fingers and watched as he lifted it to his perfectly sculpted lips.

Alexis watched him through her long lashes, as he drank the cool water.

She hoped he couldn't tell the affect he had over her when she watched his throat convulse as he drank. She swallowed, her pulse picking up speed and her breathing escalated.

How can a man make drinking water, out of a paper cup, look so fucking sexy!

Dear lord he made her want to throw herself at him and say 'screw friendship, one night's enough!' But she stopped herself just in time.

She watched Noah crush the cup in his hands and throw it in the trash next to him, his eye's never leaving hers.

His stare was intense, unnerving and almost unbearable. The tension between them thickened the air, making it hard for her to breathe. She felt the power he held back, it emanated from him, reaching to her, circling her in its dark swirls, sinking into her nerve-wrecked body.

Tearing his gaze from hers, he turned to walk away.

Looking back over his shoulder at her, his steely blue gaze ensnared her. "Have fun with your next client."

The red little devil on her shoulder made her say, "Oh, I will."

She saw his eyes narrow and his jaw clench, before he turned and left.

Alexis walked into Eden with her head held high and her best friend on her arm. Cadence received another invite from Harper earlier that morning, this time from himself with a bouquet of Cadence's favorite flowers: orchids. Exotic ghost orchids.

Cadence accepted and afterward had pounded on Alexis's door and dragged her dress shopping. They spent nearly two hours searching for the perfect dresses.

Looking down at herself now and Alexis couldn't regret it.

The dress she had on, encompassed anything she’d ever owned in her entire life! And was probably the most expensive thing she would ever own. Damn Cadence’s expensive tastes in clothes!

Harper spotted them almost immediately and walked right over to them, his eyes divesting Cadence of her newly acquired dress. She looked at her best friend and nodded in approval. Cadence was absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, especially in that dress that looked enchanting on her, her creamy brown skin resonated with perfection.

Alexis looked around and when she didn't see Noah, her heart plummeted.

Did he know she was going to be there and decided not to show up?

Cadence turned and saw her searching the through the crowd of people. "He's here, Lexi."

Nodding, Alexis excused herself and started to walk around.

A short, impeccably dressed blonde man with dark eyes intercepted her with a drink, "Would you care for a drink, Miss?"

Before she could decline, a silky deep voice interrupted, "No, she wouldn't."

The blonde man nodded, "Very well." And then he left.

Alexis slowly turned around to see who the man was that came to her rescue and had to bite the inside of her cheek.

It was Mateo, her dark angel. Her Lucifer.

Dear lord, he was even more handsome than she remembered.

But Noah’s more handsome
, the devil on her shoulder whispered.

Shut up!

She smiled, "Hi, Mateo."

He bowed and offered her his arm. “Ms. Monroe.”

Alexis hesitated.
Oh, what the hell
! Then laughed. She was with Lucifer...in Eden...making references of hell.

"What's so funny?" He smiled at her, his dark eyes crinkling merrily in the corners, when she took his arm.

"I was just thinking about that drink, it looked delicious with the fruit in it." She evaded easily.
Well, it did look delicious
.

He chuckled, "That was a "Sin"tini, the signature drink of Eden. And if I were you, I would stay away from those."

"Why?" She asked curiously as they continued to walk.

He looked down at her, the smile turning devilish, "There are apple slices in it."

"And...?" She asked completely confused.

"And...If you accept and take a bite of the apple offered, you are giving your consent to 'sin'." He explained, wagging his eyebrows.

"What?!"

A few people turned their way and she blushed furiously.

"It’s one of the rules of Eden. It’s a safeguard so that everyone will know what’s being offered and what isn’t. If a person doesn’t take the bite, then they aren’t interested. If they do…" Mateo shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid.

Excitement dripped down Alexis’s spine. "That’s a bit different. Noah doesn’t do ordinary, does he?"

Obviously
! The little devil on her shoulder muttered.

Mateo's eye's trapped her, the dark depths entrancing, seeking and she couldn't look away, "This..." he slowly waved a muscled arm around"...is a place where the wildest of fantasies come true, a place to fulfill anyone’s sensual desires…a place for sinning."

Alexis swallowed hard. She didn't know what to say. Her
mind worked overtime to come up with some excuse to leave. She shouldn't be here. Especially with Lucifer. No...He wasn't Lucifer...he was Mateo. Taking a deep breath to calm her thrumming pulse, Alexis broke free of his hypnotic gaze.

"Noah didn't mention that." She confided.

Damn. Was that her voice sounding so weak?
Mateo made her nervous. He was too damned sexy, for anyone’s good. In a bad way. He was the type of man that women lost their minds over. She didn’t want to be that woman. She wanted someone who was just as sexy and intense...but with less perfection maybe. Didn’t want a Mr. Perfect-in-every-way. She wanted someone… perfectly imperfect.

Like Noah
, her little red devil whispered.

"I bet he didn't," Mateo laughed, “It’s the responsibility of the person who invited you, to go over the rules. Sometimes, things become a bit tangled in the webs we weave.”

Alexis thought about that statement, as Mateo guided her toward the dance floor. "Would you care to dance with me?"

Looking around to find someone she knew, so she could have an excuse to turn him down, politely of course, she saw no one. Turning back toward the irresistible, soul-snatching dark eyes of Mateo's, she nodded, "Sure."

A new song started playing, she didn't know who was singing but, the melody mixed with the sensual voice made it a heady and erotic song to dance to.

And dance they did! Mateo could dance his boxers off, but he kept it decent for her sake. He twirled her around again and that was when she saw
him
.

Surrounded by girls lying around him, in his lap, reaching inside his opened shirt, touching parts she felt should only be touched by her.

And they were feeding him...from their mouths!

Alexis stopped dancing, fury bouncing off of her like she never felt before.

"What's wrong?" Mateo questioned and then followed her gaze.

With a deep sigh, he gently touched her elbow. "Alexis...”

She heard him, but, ignored him. Noah must've felt her electric eyes, because he suddenly looked up, directly at her and froze. Fiery currents blazed off of her, bouncing off the walls and the room suddenly seemed to quiet down looking on with interest.

Noah brushed away the apple he’d been nibbling on and stood. As Noah walked their way, she heard Mateo whistle.

"Someone's not happy." He murmured cheerfully.

Noah stopped right in front of her, blocking out everyone except Mateo, who stood next to her.

"What are you doing here?" His voice chillingly soft as he scowled down at her.

Not allowing him to intimidate her, she scowled back, "Ask your cousin." And she turned to leave. He grabbed her arm, gripping it tight.

"Let go of me." She hissed back at him, trying to release her arm from his steely grip.

"Noah." Mateo warned. "Not here."

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, ignoring Mateo.

"Away from you and who knows, maybe I'll accept some Sintini's and bite some damn apples while I'm at it!" She leveled on him a scorching frown that could singe the hairs off a bear.

Noah inhaled sharply, clearly trying to calm himself and she took advantage and yanked her arm away, flung her long hair over her shoulders as she turned on her heels, heading
toward the bar. She was there no more than a minute when she heard Mateo sit down next to her, chuckling in that sexy way of his.

"You really should do something about your temper sweetheart. It's sent Noah into a rage." He winked, still laughing.

"I don't care what he does." She lied, still fuming.

Mateo grinned, "Yes, it seems that you do." He waved over the bartender and ordered them two shots each.

Handing one to her, he held his up, "To new friends with fiery tempers!"

They clinked their glasses and downed the brown liquid.

It was smooth. Too smooth. The kind that would knock you on your ass without you realizing it.

Mateo handed her another, "And to the mighty who have fallen."

Whatever that means
.

They clinked and drank.

Mmm, this one was even better
.

Four more shots later, Mateo called a halt, "Ok, love, you've had enough for the night."

She nodded, the room moving in slow motion.

"Mateo...?" Her voice slurred.

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something...personal?" She whispered in a hushed voice, her eyes squinting so she could focus on him.

Dear Lord there are two of him! She couldn't handle two of him. One was hard enough!

Shaking her head to clear it, she regretted that movement and groaned as the room began to spin.

Alexis heard Mateo order her a glass of water and helped her to drink it.

"Easy love." He murmured soothingly. After she finished the glass, he asked, "Better?"

She nodded slowly, glad the movement didn't cause her too much trouble.

"Good. Now what's this question of yours?" He moved to help her to a booth seat all the way in the back.

She peered at him, "Are you Lucifer? Did you fall from the skies with your beautiful wings cut off?"

He looked astonished and somewhat amused, "Good Lord, Alexis, what did they put in your drink? Why would you think that?"

She giggled, tilting her head to look at him, "Because you are sinfully gorgeous, impossible beautiful and an amazingly sensual dancer. It's a sin. Has to be, you know." She said, nodding to prove she was right.

Mateo burst out laughing, "Well love, thank you for the compliment. But, I assure you I’m human, made from flesh and bone as you are."

With a dash of sweet sin and a sprinkle of pure sex extract. Hmm…sextract
.

He laughed openly, shaking his head at her and she realized she thought that aloud. Blushing clear to her toes, she muttered a half-apology.

"Sorry, I'm drunk, not blind."

"No, it's fine." He grinned. "But I can't help but notice that you are not as interested in me, as you are with Noah."

Her head snapped up, "How can you tell?"

She sounded disgruntled, even to her own ears.

He just smiled, "Give him time."

"Time? Why?" she quizzed immediately.

Mateo peered at her for a moment and then answered, "Because he's the best damn man I know and he deserves a
woman like you, to smooth his demons away. He just doesn't know it yet."

Chapter Eight

T
he first two weeks since her business opened, went extremely fast for Alexis. She was kept mercilessly busy during the day and even busier during the night. Cadence was falling hard for Harper and that handsome stud spoiled and lavished Cadence with everything. Alexis knew she shouldn't envy Cadence and should be glad for her, but, she was jealous damn it! She hadn't gotten any closer to Noah. Instead the distance between them were growing.

At least for her.

Oh, he would show up for his daily massage, but that was all she got...a moment of touching his hot, sexy skin and that's it. And the last two days, he just requested a cranial massage. No skin! Though his hair was deliciously sexy on its own, Alexis's frustration was growing out of control. And everyone around her were starting to notice, even sweet Katie who took
on more than she should, just to lighten Alexis's load. She was grateful for Katie; her assistant was a heaven send.