“It’s Becca’s birthday, and I don’t want to ruin it for her, so I’m not going to bitch slap you right here and now, but believe me, this is not the end of this. I should drop you on your ass with the radio show, you arrogant prick!” Angel’s anger was causing a flush to rise on her cheeks.

Alex placed his elbows on the table, leaning toward her a little until he could literally feel the heat radiating between them. He longed to reach for her hand, to brush his fingers along hers, or lean into her just enough so their shoulders would touch, but he didn’t want to ruffle her feathers any further. He wanted to soothe her, to calm her, and get her to talk to him. “Are you certain that meeting me is such a bad thing? Weren’t you even the least bit curious about me?”

“Pfft.” Angel laughed sharply and lied through her teeth. “Not at all.”

“Oh, really? So you always remember the names of your callers?” Her face was flushed, and he could see she was royally pissed. “Look, after our conversation on the phone last week, I was… well, let’s just say intrigued. Don’t blame Darian. He’s my best friend, and he knew how much I wanted to meet you, Angeline.” His eyes bore into hers, and the electricity between them was tangible. The sound of her given name rolled easily off his tongue. It felt good to say it, and he found himself longing to hear his fall from her lips in the throes of passion. He’d certainly dreamed about her enough… but then he didn’t know the true seduction that he’d find in her voice. He’d dreamed about her as two different women and was delighted to find she was one and the same.

Darian and Becca simply sat there observing the other two who had all but forgotten about their presence.

“I wanted to see for myself if the chemistry I felt on the phone was as palpable as it seemed,” Alex continued. His eyes moved over her face and dropped to her mouth unwillingly. The last thing he wanted to do was disrespect her, but damn if he could help himself.

“Mmmm… and what are you finding out?” Angel leaned into him slightly, her eyes dropping to his mouth and then back up to his eyes seductively.

His lips quirked, and he wanted to reach out and touch her… to see if her skin was a soft as it looked. “I think it’s definitely worth exploring further,” he said so softly that only Angel could hear him. “And so do you. But we felt that the first time we ran into each other, hmmm?”

Angel audibly gasped. He did know they’d met before, however briefly. Her heart pounded in her chest, the seconds ticked by without a word being said as they stared at each other, neither one wanting to be the first to look away because it would be the same as surrender. Angel felt an obvious pull from this man, but she wasn’t enjoying it. It pissed her off that she had been manipulated into the situation, and she wasn’t stupid enough to allow his obvious charm to fuck her up. He was the type that could leave a woman in a boneless heap, sobbing after him when he was ready to move on. She had to admit she was still as attracted as she had been the day in the paint aisle. More, since both fantasy men were combined into one. Who wouldn’t be, but the warnings in her head were screaming loud and clear.

Darian finally cleared his throat. “Angel, are you planning on singing?” He broke into their conversation, knowing that if something didn’t give, Angel would probably go ballistic, and it would be he and not Alex who would get the brunt of it. Really, he couldn’t blame her. He’d basically ambushed them both and was beginning to wonder if bringing Alex here was such a good idea after all.

“No,” she answered shortly. “I’m plotting murder right now.”

Becca coughed and ignored Angel’s comment. “She did say she might do a duet with me tonight, though.”

Alex was still leaning on the table. He reached forward and picked up the scotch that the waitress must have placed in front of him during their exchange, but he was too caught up in the woman next to him to notice. “Yes, I would enjoy that. It will give me an excuse to look at you.”

Goose bumps broke out on her skin despite the close crowd and the heat within the bar. That damn voice, obviously very practiced in saying things women loved to hear. He was so sexy he was dangerous, and her worst fears were confirmed. The body and the face were perfect compliments to it and far better than she could have hoped.

“Hmmph,” Angel huffed. “You don’t seem like the kind of man that needs excuses for anything you do,” she retorted sharply.

“See how well you know me already?” he said suggestively, as his white teeth flashed in a perfect smile, and Angel’s heart thrummed inside her chest. She pushed the hair on her forehead back hoping her hands weren’t shaking so badly that they would give her away.

She ignored the intimacy in his remark but her insides melted despite her anger at both of the men for manipulating her this way. “Well, I don’t sing karaoke.”

“Oh, only in the shower?” He couldn’t help letting himself imagine her delicious body, naked in the shower. It was fucking impossible to avoid thinking about sex when he looked at her. Desire surged through him with a force he’d never known.

“Something like that.”

“Now that’s a picture…” Alex let his words drop off suggestively.

“Angel used to si—Ouch!” Becca grunted when Angel kicked her under the table, shooting her a warning look.

“Surely, for your friend’s birthday? She seems to want you to. Come on, I dare you.” Alex played with her, and she couldn’t help but smile. Becca laughed out loud.

Of course, he’d have to dare me. Okay, you fucker. Just get a hold of yourself, Angel, she told herself sternly. Stop swooning over this bastard. And, now!

“Well, when you put it like that…” she purred sweetly. Alex got a satisfied look on his face until her tone changed to all business and her arms folded across her chest. “Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is, Mr. Big Shot? I’ll do it, but for $5,000 to a charity of my choice.”

“Angel’s a big philanthropist, Alex,” Darian interjected.

“So you’ve said,” Alex answered, his eyes still locked on Angel’s face.

Angel shot Darian a warning look that asked him how much he had shared about her with Alex and then challenged Alex. “Well?”

“Done.” Alex didn’t hesitate, his brilliant green eyes never leaving Angel’s.

Why does he have to be so beautiful? Why did it have to be him? Angel asked herself as her heart plummeted like a boulder in a landslide. It fucking figures.

Becca perked up and pushed the song menu in Angel’s direction, her eyes dancing with laughter. It was still open to the same page. Angel pulled the book forward, and Alex used looking at it with her as an excuse to lean closer to her once again. He could feel the sexual tension between them, his body was reacting to her nearness, and there was little he could do to stop it. It was damn embarrassing, and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. She smelled incredible, her perfume wafting around him in a delicious cloud that he’d gladly get lost in forever. If everyone else in the bar dissipated into thin air, he wouldn’t have noticed. She made him hungrier than hell, and he felt like a gift from the gods had just been dropped in his lap. Only she was snarling instead of purring like he’d prefer. No matter. He’d overcome. He always did.

Angel glanced at Alex over her shoulder, a question clearly on her face. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Alex looked perplexed, and he shook his head and shrugged slightly, like it should be obvious to her what he was doing. “Looking at the songs with you, of course.”

“Oh, no. If you pick the song, the price goes up.”

Alex laughed out loud, and, to Angel’s chagrin, she found the sound very pleasant.

“You drive a hard bargain, but I’m willing to concede if it gets you up on that stage. Money is no object. Will double do?”

“Are you hoping to humiliate me by picking something completely ridiculous?” She leaned back and opened both hands toward the book, indicating that he should have at it.

“Not at all. Consider it nothing more than a birthday gift for the lovely Becca. I’m simply buying.” Alex glanced at Becca and shot her a panty-dropping smile that went all the way up to his eyes. He was obviously enjoying himself, which pissed Angel off even more.

“Fine.”

Angel focused on Becca, who raised her eyebrows and bit her lip in an attempt to hide a mischievous smile.

“This one.” Alex pointed to a song in the middle of the page, not even looking to see what it was. He couldn’t seem to rip his eyes away from Angel, and he didn’t really care what the song was. Any would serve his purpose

“Wow. Is that your version of the scientific method?” Angel mocked sarcastically and leaned forward to see which one he selected. Alex found her response amusing, and his smirk became more pronounced. Her brown eyes darted between the two men. “Are you shitting me with this? Do you even know what this fucking song is about?”

This incredibly intelligent and beautiful woman had such a potty mouth. It was a conundrum, another paradox about this stunning creature, and Alex loved it. He felt sure that he’d discover more and more that he would enjoy about her as time went on. He found himself unable to consider that he might not have that option.

“Look, if you can’t do it, just say so,” he challenged with a lopsided grin, and Angel’s heart bounced around the inside of her chest in response.

“Fuck you,” she shot back.

A laugh burst from his chest, and Angel knew that her quick temper unwittingly set her up for the glib reply. “Whatever you say. It would be my pleasure.”