When he’s not making idiotic thieves pay financial homage to the Family, who owns everything in Los Regalos, demon Simon LaRue mixes cocktails at the Dusty Star Casino & Lounge. If you want a drink with pizzazz, you ask Simon for the Virgin’s Kiss.
Miranda Boson is a scientist raised by an aunt who believed in intellect over emotion. She knows something is missing from her life. After all, she’s never had a friend, a lover, or even a birthday party. When her aunt dies and leaves her a fortune, she jumps at the chance to do something unexpected and fun. She’s delighted when Hot Spot Destinations books her on a fantasy vacation to Los Regalos.
When Miranda stumbles into the wrong section of town and is nearly mugged, Simon rescues her. Their attraction is undeniable. Miranda is hoping for an affair to remember. What she doesn’t know is that Simon adores her body, but it’s her purity that really turns him on. There’s nothing sexier to a demon than an innocent soul begging to be corrupted. And all it takes to start the hellfires burning is a real virgin’s kiss…
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EXCERPT
The bar was badly lit, crowded, and smoke-filled. All the same, Miranda spotted Simon right away.
And he spotted her.
He patted the bar top. The crowd parted and allowed her to sit on the stool.
“Neat trick,” she said as she slid onto the worn leather. “Got any more?”
“Yes,” he said, flashing that wicked grin that made her stomach flip-flop. “How about we go somewhere private and I’ll show a few of my better ones.”
She shrugged, trying to remain cool in his saliva-inducing presence. That, and she had no idea how to flirt.
He leaned on the counter. His eyes were such an odd color, caught between gold and amber. There was something animalistic about their shape. Come to think of it, his whole demeanor was animalistic. The idea of being his prey was both terrifying and exhilarating.
If he was really chasing her… what would he do when he caught her?
“So, you said something about a Virgin’s Kiss?” she asked casually.
The words were barely out before his lips captured hers. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, a swift hot attack that made her knees go wobbly. She grabbed the edge of the bar to keep from toppling over. The mad kiss went on for longer than all of eternity. She felt a ball of fire burst inside her, its heat radiating to every point in her body.
Simon let her go and she nearly fell off the stool. Shaking and discombobulated, she couldn’t quite get her breath back. Against the wall was a mirror that ran the full length of the bar. She saw her own shocked reflection: the dazed look in her eyes, the swollen, wet look of her lips.
He studied her, his expression a cross between arrogant and lustful. “How was that?”
“I was referring to the drink,” she said, her voice quivering.
“It helps if you’re specific. That way we both know what you want.” He whipped out a cocktail shaker and starting pouring liquid into it. Out of the five liquids he poured, the only one she recognized was pineapple juice. He also added a pinch of pungent black powder.
“Is that pepper?” she asked. She didn’t know much about alcoholic beverages, but really, who put pepper in their cocktails?
“It’s not pepper. It’s my little addition of magic.”
“Magic?” She couldn’t keep the cynicism out of her tone.
“Yes.” His left eyebrow quirked. “Don’t you believe in magic?”
She laughed. “I’m a scientist. Trust me when I say magic does not exist.”
He only grinned as he shook the concoction. Opening the top, he strained the mixed drink over a glass filled with ice. He added a cherry then slid the Virgin’s Kiss to her.
Miranda sipped the drink, which tasted tangy-sweet and strangely smoky. It was lip-smacking good. Before she knew it, the cocktail was gone. The cherry sat forlornly among the ice cubes. Simon plucked it from the glass.
He traced her lips with the sticky sweet fruit then he laid it on her tongue. She closed her mouth and he pulled the stem out. As she chewed, he watched her, his gaze dark and hot.
“Thank you for the drink,” she said, reluctant to leave. She was just getting the hang of flirting. “I have reservations at Joy.”
His animal eyes pinned her. “I’ll see you again, Miranda. Sooner than you think.”
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