7. Evelyn
Shockingly blue eyes met mine from across the market, captivating my attention. They were so pale that they were almost silver, practically glowing like a wolf’s keen gaze. The man’s stare punched my chest like an arrow, painfully intense. His entire demeanor radiated power and masculine hunger that should’ve scared me…but the thrill that raced through my body made my belly flip with trepidation that wasn’t entirely fearful.
His face might’ve been carved by a master sculptor, hard planes softened by full, sensual lips. Stubble darkened his square jaw, giving him a rugged appeal that captivated me. He was tall and broad—even bigger than George.
George.
Guilt lanced my heart, and I quickly tore my eyes from the beautiful stranger.
I’d been ogling a man right in front of my fiancé.
Cautiously, I peeked up at George, and I released a relieved breath when I found his attention fixed on the food truck menu. The man I loved hadn’t caught me staring at someone else.
I forced a smile to hide the worst of the guilt that still made my heart twinge with every beat. I’d never looked at another man before.
Admittedly, I’d never seen a man as gorgeous as the dark stranger with the shining wolf’s eyes. Any woman would’ve been captivated. I was only human.
But I loved George, and I’d never betray him, not even in thought.
Determined to distract myself, I fished my phone out of my purse and immediately opened the camera app.
George’s disapproving sigh ghosted over my neck, but he didn’t rebuke me.
I released another relieved breath and cast my gaze around the market, hunting for a good shot. Luckily, the alluring stranger had disappeared into the bustling crowd.
For a moment, I wished I could photograph him, to capture those stunning eyes. I wondered what finer details I would be able to see if I were closer to him. Did he have laugh lines around his eyes and mouth? Did his olive skin glow with a dewy light under the sun? Did strands of silver shine in his glossy black curls, showing signs of maturity?
The man would be stunning at any age, his features classically handsome and boldly masculine, despite the softness of his mouth. His lips were full, sensual. But there was nothing remotely soft about his powerful aura.
Would I be able to capture that power through the lens of my camera? Or would it elude me, impossible to fully convey in a still image?
I shoved the thoughts away, struggling to dispel the aching guilt that constricted my chest. Instead of searching for the alluring man, I focused my attention on the flower stall. The blooms were stunning, flashing every color of the rainbow in fragrant bouquets.
I lifted my phone and framed a shot, only somewhat satisfied. The composition was good, but I could capture more vibrant images with my Nikon camera.
George hadn’t allowed me to bring it out with me. My photography hobby was a distraction, and my ordeal with the cartel had proven that I couldn’t afford to indulge in my art. This moment with my phone would have to be enough to satisfy my artistic urges.
“Come on, Evie. That’s enough.” George plucked the phone from my hand before I could frame a second picture. “I’m hungry. Let’s get something to eat.”
“Okay,” I agreed with a sunny smile. The corners of my lips barely twitched with strain.
I could endure this lifestyle for a few short years. I could bear the isolation at the apartment and live in George’s protective shadow when I did venture out into the world. Eventually, he would get his promotion, and then we could truly start out lives together in Albuquerque. I could endure anything for him. He was my whole world, and I was utterly devoted to his happiness.
Glossy black curls caught my attention, and I turned my head to search for the man’s stunning eyes before I could stop myself.
But it was just the vendor at the flower stall, a tall, clean-shaven man who was several years older than the handsome stranger who’d captivated my attention.
Guilt nipped at me again, and I forced all thoughts of him from my mind. I was totally devoted to George, and I wouldn’t allow myself to betray him even in my own mind.
I tucked myself beneath his strong arm and followed him to the food truck. If my fiancé was hungry, I wouldn’t dawdle and delay. His contentment meant everything to me, and I would never do anything to jeopardize that.
I resolved not to think of the stunning stranger with the striking eyes ever again.
Soft lips brushed over my cheek, a tender kiss that made my skin flush. Warmth flooded my body in a slow wave, undulating through me to reach my fingers and toes. A deeper heat gathered at my core, throbbing to the point of aching.
The world was hazy, and I strained to make out his perfect features. The high cheekbones and sharp jaw wavered, as though I was peering at him through a wall of water. But his stunning eyes pierced me nonetheless, the silvery glint cutting right into my heart. It pounded in time with the throb between my legs.
I tried to reach for him, but I couldn’t move. A soft whine of need caught in my throat, and his sensual lips twisted into an arrogant smirk.
He leaned into me, gliding toward me in slow motion. As he neared, I still couldn’t quite make out the finer details of his face, but his eyes commanded my full focus.
Then those sensuous lips caressed mine, and heat surged through my body, turning my core molten. My tongue traced the shape of his soft mouth, and my sensitive nerve endings tingled with carnal awareness I’d never known before. I was hungry for more, desperate. The ache between my thighs tormented me, and I tried to press myself against his massive frame to seek some relief.
I remained stuck in place, unable to touch him. All I could do was submit to his scorching kiss, melting as he thoroughly claimed my mouth.
I’d never experienced anything like the decadent sensation of those beautiful lips caressing mine. No kiss had ever come close to this one.
Not even with George…
I jolted awake with a gasp, my stomach twisting with guilt. I glanced over at my fiancé, and relief washed through me when I realized I hadn’t roused him. He’d slept peacefully beside me while I’d dreamed of another man, the stunning stranger I’d seen in the market.
My cheeks flamed, and I touched my fingertips to my lips, as though I could brush away the phantom tingle of the sensual kiss.
It was just a dream, I reasoned. It wasn’t as though I’d been unfaithful.
Still, guilt gnawed at my gut, chasing away the last of the strange heat that’d filled my belly.
I squeezed my eyes shut and resolved never to dream of the beautiful man again.