Love, Art, and Murder – Mystery Romance

God. How silly I must look, telling him I only want to be friends while relishing in his mouth on mine.

It was clear he could kiss better than anyone I’d ever experienced. What else could he do with so much swift, panty-wetting perfection? How would it feel for him to touch me even more in those intimate places where only Michael had caressed? Michael’s face hit my brain, and just like that I stopped the kiss. It was the best way to gain control of the situation. Michael had done enough damage. I didn’t need another man, so passionate, coming into my life and stealing my heart, not until I was ready to be stronger in situations like this.

Alvarez leaned away. “What’s going through your mind?”

“I’m thinking I’m not that good at pushing your advances away.”

“That’s a great thing.”

“Actually, it’s not. I want to be more assertive and—”

“Trust me. You’re definitely assertive. You practically forced me to do everything you wanted outside tonight, and you threatened me, too. I can still feel the stab wounds in my back from you saying you would have a team of lawyers fighting me.”

“Oh, stop it.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Well.” I bit my lip. “I can’t jump into another situation with another man.”

“Then let’s not jump. Let’s take tiny little steps and see where that takes us. I for one don’t have the time for a relationship. I never even considered dating anyone until I met you yesterday.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“It’s true.” He tried to kiss me again, but I avoided those skilled lips.

“How long has it been since you’ve dated someone?”

“Over ten years.”

Hadn’t he said that he’d known Reece for the same amount of time?

“So you stopped dating when you hired your assistant?”

“No. I stopped dating when Hex became a huge artist and my time became so absorbed in dealing with his fame and keeping him out of jail. My grandma presents her own special problems, plus there’s. . .”

“There’s what?”

“Nothing. All I’m trying to say is that with all that I had around me, I pretty much kept my. . . dating to one night stands or other things that were close to that.”

“Other things? You’re being very vague.”

“What I do in my off time isn’t the most endearing or gentlemanly thing about me. I would rather not look bad in your eyes. My point is that I never even considered anything more with a woman until I spent time around you today.”

“That can’t be true. With all the models that Hex invites, there had to be someone who caught your eye.”

“I usually stay away from Hex’s models and artsy friends. As you’ve seen tonight, I had no idea what the poor woman’s name was that died. With such tight security on the property, I pretty much spend my time absorbing myself in business and then leaving Hex to his friends. Most of the time I avoid them.”

The guard who’d gone in my room earlier now stood in the hallway with an awkward look on his face.

“Is everything okay in there?” Alvarez asked.

“Yes, sir. I checked the whole area. No one is in her room and there was no sign that a person came in there when she left.” He pointed to the small camera hanging from the ceiling. “This one has been pointed on her room all night. I’ve been told that no person, not even a maid, entered her room.”

“Thank you. That’ll be all.”

The guard nodded and didn’t leave the hallway, but gave us a wide berth of space.

Alvarez looked at me. A sly smile crossed his face. “Can I walk you into your room?”

I tried not to laugh, but it came out just the same. “No, sir. As my guard informed us both, my room is secure. I won’t need your protection.”

I would need someone to help me stop his lips or my need to have them on me.

He leaned his head to the side. “Are you sure about that?”

“Definitely.” I ducked under his arms and walked into my bedroom. “Goodnight, Alvarez.”

“Will we be hanging out tomorrow, as friends of course, just amigos?”

“You have a lot on your plate. Do you even have the time?”

“I’ll make it.”

“I guess so then. I do want to know any new details about these deaths—”

“No. I have the police dealing with that. When I see you tomorrow for our date, I want it to have nothing to do with that.”

“Date?”

“Sorry. A gathering among two amigos.”

I sighed. “Alvarez, I’m serious. I know I don’t seem that way when I’m allowing you to put your tongue down my throat—”

“Which I appreciate, by the way.”

“Stop it.” I blushed. “I just think we shouldn’t plan on anything coming out of this. We should just decide to have fun with no weird strings attached or any plans for anything more than hanging out.”