Free Devlin Dynasty 2: Fall Fury Page A

need to talk to. Excuse me,” Logan said, leaving Max standing alone with Shannon, and utterly unable to breathe. He tried a deep inhale, but only succeeded in picking up her subtle scent. The woman was going to drive him insane if he didn’t have her soon.

    Her eyes told him that she wanted the same thing. And yet a wariness shadowedher face. That and the cool breeze around them warned him that this wasn’t goingto be easy.
    “You take my breath away, Shannon,” he said.
    Her cheeks colored a deep pink. “Thank you. You look amazing in a tux,” shesaid, then sucked in her lower lip as if she regretted giving the compliment.
    “And you look good enough to eat.”
    She arched a brow. “Said the wolf to Little Red Riding Hood.”

    She had no idea how close she’d come to being completely accurate. “Do I looklike the big bad wolf?”
    Her eyes widened. “Um, no. Not at all. Shall we mingle?”
    “How about we dance instead?”

    “I don’t think so.”

    He felt the chill in the air, figured it was her magic. She was purposely trying toevade him, but why? Maybe he was getting too close? Or perhaps he was gettingunder her skin, making her feel off balance.
    Good. He liked her that way. Easier to pounce. “Afraid of the big bad wolf, areyou?”
    “I’m not afraid of anything. We’re here for business, Max, not personal pleasure.”
    “So, you’re indicating you could receive personal pleasure from me?”
    She huffed out a sigh. “No, that’s not what I meant and you know it. Now do youmind? There are a lot of people I want to talk to tonight. Influential people. People who will spread the word about The Rising Storm casino.”
    “In other words, you don’t trust yourself in my arms. You’re afraid of me.”
    Her eyes narrowed, shooting icy daggers at him. Perfect. Why he enjoyedtormenting her, he didn’t know. Probably because she provided such a passionatereaction to his teasing. If she didn’t care about him, she wouldn’t react like shedid.
    “I’m not the least bit afraid of you.”
    “Prove it. Dance with me.”

    “This is ridiculous.”

    “Coward.”

    “That’s it.” She marched onto the makeshift dance floor, then turned and held out

    her hands. “Okay, Fred Astaire. Show me what you’ve got.”
    He intended to.

    Chapter Five

    Did Max have to look so breathtakingly handsome in a tux? Shannon kept asmuch distance between the two of them as possible, hoping to at least manage toappear cool and calm, though she was anything but.
    Damn, he smelled good. And the tux molded itself to his body like it had beensewn on. She found it difficult to resist running her hand over his shoulder,feeling his muscles bunch tight and hard underneath the jacket.
    He looked dark, dangerous, like a secret agent.
    Or a man with a secret. Something about Max signaled warning bells in her head,but she couldn’t put a finger on it.
    “I don’t have leprosy,” he said with a teasing smile, then yanked her flush against
    him. Her bare thigh brushed his leg.
    She swallowed, then looked around, hoping for something or someone to rescueher. Not that he appeared to be willing to let her go. She felt imprisoned, as if shecouldn’t pull away if she wanted to.
    The really bad thing was, she didn’t want to.
    He shifted, pulling her even closer, if that was possible. “Would you relax? Idon’t bite.”
    Ha. That remained to be seen. Or not seen. No. Bad mind, bad. Don’t go there.
    “Unless you want me to. Do you like a little nibble, say, on the neck or
    shoulder?”

    Her gaze flew to his. Tiny wrinkles crinkled at the corners of his eyes when heflashed that gleaming grin.
    “Yes, I see it in your eyes, Shannon. Makes me really curious as to other things

    you might like.”
    If she could find her voice, she’d tell him in no uncertain terms that she wasn’tthe least bit interested in his bites, or anything else he might have in mind. She’dbe lying, of course. Visuals entered her mind—being