I would not retreat. “If you don’t stop, you’re going to get a taste of Bea Arthur, my taser.”
I gripped the device in my pocket and watched him carefully. He was tall, well over six feet, and lean like a dancer. He moved with the grace of one too. I would really hate to hurt such a beautiful man, but I’d learned long ago that beautiful men could hurt you. Especially beautiful men.
I let out a sigh, pushing away the memories threatening to drag me down. “If you have no sense of self-preservation, just tell me what you want.”
He stopped about five feet away. There were crystal shards around his irises, cutting through the bright blue. Damn. I racked my brain trying to think of what this guy could be. A vampire? A shifter? A Fae? He could be any of them since his physical characteristics matched all of them.
No fangs though.
“Do you speak, or just loom menacingly?”
He cocked his head and stared me down. I got the distinct sense of being measured up and found wanting. The thought made me tug at my jacket and hug it tighter around me. My hair still sat in a messy bun on my head and I’d left the house with minimal makeup, positive I would be home before polite society rose for the day.
I forced myself to focus. Why was I thinking about what I might look like to him?
Oh, shit. He had some kind of glamour. It was the only explanation for why I hadn’t whipped Bea Arthur from my pocket and brought this guy down a few pegs. I forced out a long exhale, counting in my head before focusing on his gaze.
“Cut out whatever shit you’re doing. I asked you to stop; you didn’t. I asked you what you wanted; you didn’t answer me. By my count, I’m within my rights to stun your ass and run. I’m going to give you one last shot to act like a normal person and open your mouth.”
He let out a snort. “After everything I’ve read about you, you should have done it when you noticed I was following you ages ago.”
His deep voice and the slight crisp accent on his words pushed against me. Oh, yeah, that glamour got worse when he spoke. My head was spinning like I’d drunk a pitcher of beer.
I cleared my throat. “See, great, now we are getting somewhere. You’re right, I should have done it blocks ago but I’m already in trouble at work and I’m trying to be a good girl for the time being.”
“A good girl?” he echoed.
I shrugged and tried to relax my tense shoulders. “What do you want?”
“Would you believe me if I said I simply wish to speak with you?”
I waved at the alley. “Step into my office.”
He didn’t even pop a smile. Maybe I was losing my edge.
“I prefer to speak to you somewhere more private,” he said.
Oh, hell no. I knew how that story ended.
“Not going to happen. Tell me what you want or I’m walking away. Coffee and glazed donuts are calling my name.”
“Then let’s go back to your office. We can speak there.”
Something told me he was bluffing. He’d followed me from the Office. I had little doubt he could have walked in the door and spoke to me then. This man wanted to get me alone and he wanted to do it while cornering me. Maybe to see how I would react?
“You don’t want to go back to my office. Or else you would’ve walked your beautiful ass in the door and spoke to me when I was there ten minutes ago.”
Finally., I earned a smile. “You’re right. I do want to speak to you alone, but not at your office.”
“Stop messing with me. I’m not taking you to my apartment. If you want to talk to me, you can make an appointment like a normal person. As I said, my office hours are on my website. Although I should warn you, I probably won’t be back in the office for a while.”
“Is that why you’re trying to be on good behavior?”
I tapped the side of my nose and pointed it at him. Beauty and smarts. He might be a keeper for some lucky person.
“Well, if we’re done here, I think I’ll be going. Call the number on my website and I’ll get back to you. Maybe. I’m still not sure how I feel about this whole ambush in an alley situation.”
“I don’t have time to wait for an appointment. What I need is more urgent, and I’ve been told you might be the woman to help me out.”