It’s only when his hand rises towards my face that I notice the single red rose in his hand. He slips the flower behind my curls, biting back a smile as he does. I hold my breath. I feel just like a mouse caught in a trap, with my predator licking his lips, ready to eat me alive. Before I can open my mouth, he’s pressing into me and grabbing my trench coat, wrenching it apart and down my arms. I gasp, both shocked by his actions and the cold licking against my skin. “What the he—” “You wore the dress I bought you,” he interrupts, his mismatched eyes roving over the entirety of my body. I swallow and give him a look. “I wore it out of convenience. I hate dress shopping.” He barely acknowledges me—we both know that’s not why I wore it—and focuses his attention on every inch of my body. Flames lap at his pupils as the heat in his gaze intensifies. My coat dangles in his hand, and I glare at it, willing it to magically appear back on my body. A cold sweat breaks out across my forehead. I feel exposed, and the way he’s looking at me is searing me from the inside out. I’m just... really fucking uncomfortable right now. I hold my hand out expectantly. “Are you done holding my coat hostage? I’m freezing.” His eyes finally draw back to my own. A shiver snakes down my spine, slithering against my shot nerve endings. God, the way he’s looking at me should be fucking illegal. Instead of doing as I ask, he grabs my outstretched hand in his own and inspects it closely, his brow lowered as he concentrates. “The hell are you doing, Zade?” The slightest curl to his lips and my mouth instantly dries. I'll never get over how easily he morphs from man to beast. “Just trying to picture what ring would look best on your finger,” he says lightly. As if he didn’t just send my heart flying into my throat. Swallowing, I slide my hand from his. “What if I don’t want one? I would say no.” Slowly, he drags his eyes up to mine, and the intensity of his stare has me questioning why I just can’t be agreeable for once. It would save time and spare me from his smooth lines that never cease to fail. At least not completely. Maybe I’m just addicted to the fear and excitement he awakens in me when he looks at me... just like that.