Tempting Darkness [17+] ✔

Chapter 17

       Adriel stepped closer to the guy, his grip tightening on the clipboard as that hard jaw clenched tightly. "Listen—"

       "Oh, hello there." Those insanely bright gold eyes were suddenly locked on mine, and that smile was directed at me. "How can we help you?" I felt my heart stop. It wasn't possible for someone to be that unearthly handsome. There was something else that made me pause though, something that stirred deep in my stomach. It was a weird Déjà vu feeling, like I had met the guy before. Like I knew him.

       Adriel whipped around faster than I expected, those dark eyes blazing angrily at being interrupted, until they landed on me. The fury quickly left his expression, and that gaze widened. "Oh, um, I—I..." I was stammering like an idiot. Never before had I actually got flustered around anyone except Adriel. Now there was two insanely attractive men staring over at me expectantly, and heat suddenly flamed the back of my neck. "I'm just here for Adriel." It was harder that I would have liked forcing those words out steadily.

       Dri blinked, and then that stupid smirk was pulling across his insanely kissable lips. "Awe, I see." The golden man said as I came to a stop at their side. I couldn't hold his gaze for long and I found myself staring at his dark green t-shirt rather than at his beautiful face. He was practically glowing. "Adriel, you didn't tell me you had a lunch date. I wouldn't have held you so long." Gold-guy's smile turned sly and those bright eyes flickered to Dri.

       "I didn't know either." But Adriel's voice didn't sound upset, and when I glanced up at him there was only light shining from his dark gaze. Don't fucking blush, Larkin.

       This was ridiculous. I didn't get flustered over men, no matter how ridiculously attractive they were. I forced my gaze to the gold-guy and put a smile on my lips. "I'm Larkin, nice to meet you..." I let my voice trail off as those ridiculously gold eyes flickered back to my gaze. I had to literally repeat over and over again in my head not to look away. The feeling that washed over me whenever our gazes locked was one of complete and total unworthiness. Like I wasn't worthy enough to be near him. It was a very unnerving feeling.

       But then the guy's smile turned genuine and ease washed over me. "Micah, and it's very nice to meet you, Larkin." Then he did something I was so not used to that my mouth actually dropped open. Micah lifted my free hand, the one that wasn't holding Adriel's lunch, and kissed the back of it. Those shimmering eyes flickered to mine as he did, and it was like the ground beneath my feet disappeared.

       "Alright, that's enough." Then Adriel was suddenly taking my hand from golden-guy and puling me against his side. I would have shot him a narrowed look if my mind wasn't spinning. Dri wasn't the jealous type, but I could have sworn that was what was flashing through that dark gaze.

       Micah stepped away with a small laugh, those bright eyes seeming to glisten in the sun. "Yes, I believe it is. I should be off, anyway. Too much to do in too little time I'm afraid. I'll leave you to your lunch, Adriel." That gaze flickered from mine to Dri before he stepped away.

       "I'm sorry," I stopped him as he started to turn away, and my heart gave a little flutter when that gaze locked back with mine. "But have we met before? You seem really familiar."

       Micah's lips pulled up at the corner, his gaze never leaving mine as his head tilted curiously to the side. "I would never forget such a pretty face." And then he turned and walked down the hill without a backward glance. My eyes stayed trained on his back until he disappeared into one of the work trucks. Despite his words, I could not shake that familiar feeling.

       "You done staring?" Dri's tone had taken on a hard edge, and the fingers that were wrapped around my hand tightened.

       "Done being jealous?"