Forsaken Angels: Lucifer

Ch 4: Not Quite Human

Cassandra

I ought to move away. Go to bed. But Luce's magnetic allure is too captivating. His touch ignites a burning that flows through me, making every nerve end buzz with an intensity I have never felt before. Each stroke of his thumb ratchets the tension up another notch, and my body hums in response. This is a dangerous game to play, but I can't bring myself to stop.

His eyes lock with mine, their dark depths unreadable. What is he thinking? Does he feel this strange draw, too? As if there's a thread between us pulling us closer. If only he wasn't so damned attractive. I must remember who he is. My boss. An angel. Lucifer.

He's Lucifer fucking Morningstar.

If that's not reason enough for a cold shower, I'm not sure what is. But I'm still not moving. I need to break out of this trance, this painful attraction I've been trying to ignore since meeting him which is now holding me hostage to his touch.

"Is this how you treat all dates?" I quip but my tone is more breathless than mocking.

The hint of a smile touches his lips as he glances over at me. He's sinfully sexy in the dusky room, with his black hair ruffled and a dark shadow of stubble covering his jaw. He's not wearing his tie or suit jacket, and the sleeves of his shirt are rolled up, showing off his powerful arms and the expensive watch on his wrist. The top buttons of his shirt are undone, and a tantalising hint of his chest is visible in the deep V.

"No. I usually don't stab them with shards of glass."

A laugh escapes me. "No, I mean the complimentary foot massage."

There's a moment's silence before he answers. His dark gaze meets mine, and my pulse flutters in my throat.

"I may have got carried away," he admits. "Worry not. I'm not trying to seduce you. I'm well aware tonight was not a real date."

When he places my foot on the couch, I almost miss his touch, and for a treacherous moment, I wish it had been a real date.

"Good," I say, tucking my feet underneath me as I sit up straighter. "I have no interest in being another notch on your bedpost."

Amusement sparks in his eyes. "Don't be silly. I would never be so crass. Besides," he adds with a crooked smile. "I would never ruin a good bed by damaging it like that."

I raise an eyebrow, unable to refrain from teasing him. "So you touch all your employees' feet in this manner?"

The richness of his laughter washes over me like a warm wave. "Only the ones who injure themselves in my penthouse."

"And how often does that happen?"

"This is starting to sound like an interrogation." The corners of his mouth twitch, and he raises a dark eyebrow. "Jealous, Cassandra?"

The dark glimmer in his eyes makes my breath hitch and I quickly shake my head. "What? No. Of course not." Why are my cheeks so hot? "And it's Cass. No one calls me Cassandra."

He leans a little closer and I catch a whiff of whatever cologne he's using. Something dark and dangerous like him. "Trust me," he murmurs. "You would know if I was trying to seduce you."

A thousand butterflies explode in my abdomen. If he can get me this wound up without even trying, what might a conscious seduction be like? Desperate to break the spell, I latch on to the one thing I'm sure will put a damper on the situation.

"Like all those women who have disappeared after dating you?"

He pulls back, and a frown appears on his face. "Pardon?"