Beautiful Beast

He withdrew a glass sugar bowl from another cupboard and set it on the table.

“Have you had time to come up with a plausible explanation yet?”

She inhaled sharply. Obviously, she hadn’t.

“You weren’t supposed to be home.”

“Oh?”

“You usually go to your gym at this hour.”

“Should I feel flattered that you’ve been spying on me?”

Gabe set a slice of cheesecake and a cup in front of her and settled in the opposite chair. Instantly, the small room seemed to shrink even further. This had been a bad idea. He did not want to find her attractive.

“Your bad luck,” he continued. “I took a walk tonight, instead.”

“Isn’t it just?”

Her blush told him she hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“What did you expect to find in my basement?”

“Not those incredible sculptures.”

She was stalling.

“I didn’t realize you were so gifted.” The color in her cheeks deepened. She ducked her head and picked up her fork without looking at him.

“Gifted?”

That jerked her face up. “You’re extremely talented and you know it.”

He inclined his head in acceptance.

CASSY WATCHED HIM fork up a bite of cheesecake. He slid the morsel from his fork to his mouth and chewed with pleasure. She had never realized how sexy eating could be.

She quickly banished the inappropriate thought. There was nothing sexy about Gabriel Lowe. Okay, there was, but he was more dangerous than he was appealing and she’d do well to keep that in mind. Except, surely she didn’t have to be intimidated by a man who could create such sensitive works of art.

“Your sculptures look like something in a museum,” she told him honestly. “You shouldn’t be hiding them away in your basement.”

Too late, she clamped her lips shut. What was she doing, lecturing the man?

“I’m flattered.” He poured them both a cup of tea without expression.

Gabriel might not be crouching like the lifelike set of lions on his floor downstairs, but the resemblance was still uncanny. Like his metal counterparts, he, too, seemed to be waiting to pounce. Yet she couldn’t dismiss the idea that he was silently laughing at her.

“Why are you here, Cassiopia?”

She swallowed hastily. “I want what Beacher Coyle gave you.”

He stilled. Though the kitchen lights were on, an ominous darkness seemed to fill the room.

“Is that right?”

The mildness of his tone was a clear rattle of warning. She hoped her quaking was all on the inside.

“We’re engaged to be married.”

A mistake. She knew it the moment the blurted words were past her lips. She’d never been any good at lying. Why hadn’t she thought ahead, prepared something to tell him?

His glance went to where her left hand lay clenched at the edge of the table. “He never mentioned a fiancée.”

She wanted to look away but couldn’t. Her gaze riveted on that terrible scar. Gabriel and Beacher were close friends. Of course he knew she was lying, but she had no choice now but to keep going or admit the truth.

“We haven’t made a formal announcement yet.”

If only she’d had a few minutes to come up with something better than a phony engagement.

“He hasn’t bought you a ring yet, either.”

Her mouth went dry. “No.”

“Do you know the password?”

Cold, then heat, flooded her. Was he serious? He looked serious.

“You’re making that up!”

She was certain he’d made it up, but his expression never altered. Gabriel waited. Unnerved, she tried to think of something plausible to say and failed.

“Why would he tell you to sneak in through a window?”

“He didn’t. But I could hardly call you again and ask for an invitation, now could I?”

Dropping her fork to the plate with a clatter, she glared at him, defying him to contradict her. “You would have hung up on me again.”

Was that the faintest trace of a curve to his lips?

“Actually, I wouldn’t have answered your call at all,” he told her, unperturbed.

He reached for his tea cup and took a swallow. “Why didn’t Beacher come himself?”

Danger. This lion was waiting to pounce and tear her to shreds. She took a breath to steady her nerves.

“He couldn’t.”

“Why?”