Years in the fashion industry where scads of women and men wearing nothing at all during prep backstage before a show had made her somewhat indifferent to the human body. Human coat hangers was how the models thought of themselves, to be dressed and made up and coiffed for someone else’s view.
But this man in this setting arrested her attention. He wouldn’t have made it as a runway model. He was too muscular. Broad back, defined arms, and a tight sexy ass. He exuded a flagrant virility that would never fade into the background. That meant no fashion buyer would notice the clothing if it were on him. While she was ogling him, he half turned to her.
“Can I help you?”
She should have averted her gaze. That’s what people did in awkward situations. But her gaze remained long enough to notice his strong calves, hard hairy thighs, and the shadow of his package. She’d seen it all on some of the most physically–blessed people on the planet. Still, it was more than a bit impressive, that flash. Not that she was interested, or looking, or even remotely curious.
“Who are you?”
Without being able to see them, Carly recalled his hard blue eyes and the force of his hands gripping her shoulders the night before. The rest of him hadn’t registered. Until now. No wonder she’d had the devil’s own time of it pulling him to safety. He must outweigh her by fifty pounds.
She realized she needed to answer him, but she was still having trouble making her mouth form words.
“If you’re looking for the visitor’s lounge, you missed it,” he said.
Carly suddenly remembered why the room seemed so dark. She was wearing sunglasses. She reached up to lift them to her forehead.
“I’m looking for Noah Glover.”
He turned fully toward her, expression set in challenge. “You found him.”
For a moment it all registered, every gloriously naked inch of him, and sensations sent a shiver through her body.
Her physical response so surprised Carly, she gave herself a mental shake. Whoever and whatever he was, he wasn’t a nice person. In fact, his attractiveness made her even angrier. How could a man who’d been blessed with so much, or at least enough advantages to turn heads while in a hospital bed, treat his dog, an innocent creature, with such cruelty?
Instead of ducking or reaching for the nearby bedding, he folded his arms and stood his ground, looking imposing and unapologetic. “You got something to say? Or did you just come by to get a good look at my junk?”
Unwilling to give in, Carly took a step toward the naked man, letting anger surge through to the intimidation she felt. “I came by to see the asshole who ruined my life.”
CHAPTER SIX
Noah didn’t know where to land his gaze. A most attractive woman had just appeared in his room after a knock. “Mr. Glover?”
She wore a black leather jacket, the expensive light-weight kind that clung to her lithe body. Underneath it she wore some kind of sheer black T-shirt that allowed her bra to show through. More amazing were the brown leather drawstring shorts cut high up on her thighs. Underneath she wore dark stockings that seemed to have been put in a blender before she put them on. The pairing showed off a toned body and legs so long and curvy he couldn’t help staring. She should have looked ridiculous, or vulgar. What she looked was sophisticated, and scorching hot. And angry. And, unless blusher came in sepia, the flush of her bare skin was genuine.
The linking of “bare” and this woman in the same thought sent a jolt straight through him. Yeah. About that. Suddenly he remembered his package was swinging in the breeze. That, and his bare ass had had her full attention.
She didn’t seem disturbed by his nudity. Of course, he couldn’t see her eyes. She wore circular black shades with thin silver frames that suited her slim face. And then she lifted them with two fingers to peek under them.
“I’m looking for Noah Glover.” She repeated his name through soft lips the color of black cherries.
He turned fully toward her, expression set in challenge. “You found him.” Something about her was vaguely familiar. Not that he’d have forgotten meeting her. Her hair was—well, the closest he could come to describing it was a fountain of tiny blonde curls that fizzed over her brow like a bottle of just-opened champagne. The sides were masculine short and darker. Yep, she was east coast hot. And furious with him. And he didn’t have a clue why.
Then it struck him. She was probably a news reporter. TV, judging by her glamorous style. She’d somehow wormed her way in here to get an exclusive. No wonder she was looking so impressed with herself. He’d give her an exclusive, all right.
He turned fully toward her and folded his arms. “You got something to say? Or did you just come by to get a good look at my junk?”
He watched her eyes widen at his blunt question. She looked taken aback. Not at all the way he’d have expected from a conniving reporter who’d thought she was about to get an exclusive. She looked, well, like a stranger confronted with a deranged man. And then the impression vanished.