The Viper (Untamed Hearts #1)(16)
He looked larger than life in the late-afternoon sun with those impossibly broad shoulders and large, bunched biceps covered in tribal tattoos. She couldn’t help but notice that every inch of him seemed wound tight and ready to jump—like a tiger stalking prey. She blinked, understanding for the first time all those warnings Jules had been leveling at her in regards to Marcos.
This wasn’t the kind, handsome angel from the crash site.
This Marcos looked deadly.
He took off his sunglasses when he stopped in front of them. His light gaze rested on the steely grasp Grayson still had on her arm. “This is the part where you let her go.”
“Excuse me?” Grayson huffed in that annoying superior voice of his that had always embarrassed Katie when he used it in public, usually toward someone parking their car or waiting on them at a restaurant. “This is my wife and—”
“Ex-wife,” Katie corrected before Grayson could finish. She was still staring at Marcos in shock, unable to believe he was really standing there in front of her. “What are you doing here?”
Marcos broke the dangerous staring contest he was having with Grayson. He let his gaze run over her hotly for one long moment, making more goose bumps dance over her arms. A small bit of the tension eased out of his powerful frame, and the look in his beautiful eyes became warm just like she remembered. “I got your messages.”
“My messa—” Katie cheeks heated when she realized what he was talking about, and her voice was a squeak of acknowledgment. “Oh.”
There was a quiet moment between them, one charged enough that Katie was actually breathless to be in his presence again after so long. Strangely enough, she could feel it off Marcos too. That electric frisson of need so overwhelming it actually showed on his face and translated into something tangible enough that even someone as romantically challenged as Katie could sense it. As if remembering they weren’t alone, Marcos cleared his throat and turned back to Grayson, his eyes narrowed in warning once more.
“Yeah, I’m gonna have to insist you get your hands off her.” He eyed Grayson’s hold on her arm pointedly. “Now.”
“I don’t know who you think you are—” Grayson started, but he let go of Katie as requested and took a protective step back from Marcos.
“He’s a friend,” Katie answered, her cheeks still burning in embarrassment and something much more carnal. “We met through Jules Wellings.”
It wasn’t a complete lie.
“Oh, fantastic,” Grayson spat, because Jules wasn’t exactly his favorite person after getting Katie a more than fair settlement in the divorce and severely depleting those money market accounts he was so proud of. “This is just the sort of person she would introduce you to. She’s married into a family of criminals and—”
“We have to go now.” Katie was so thrilled to see Marcos, even with the craigslist fiasco, that she grabbed Marcos’s hand before she could think better of it. His palm was just as rough and calloused as it had been the night of the accident. She looked up at him with a smile. “Late lunch. Early dinner?”
“Sure.” Marcos grinned back, before his gaze darted to Grayson once more in warning “Later, cabrón.”
The dismissal was obvious, and it made it clear that Marcos wasn’t used to men arguing with him. He almost gave the impression that he was doing Grayson a favor by dismissing him.
“You can’t just—” Grayson sputtered in disbelief, his eyes wide as he gave Katie a look.
“Your girlfriend is waiting,” Katie said sarcastically as she pointed over to Ashley, who was standing by her car now and not so subtly watching the exchange.
“But you barely know this guy and—”
“We’re taking separate cars,” Katie offered before Grayson made a scene with some ridiculous excuse to protect her, even if his apprehension around Marcos was palpable and more than a little thrilling. “Bye, Grayson.”
“I’m texting you later,” Grayson warned as he looked at Marcos with distrust.
Katie shrugged with indifference. “If that makes you feel better.”
“I’m over there.” Marcos pointed to his white truck as he pulled her away before any more could be said. “Follow you?”
“Sounds great.” Katie didn’t want to let him go, so she decided to walk him to his pickup even if they had an audience.
Katie couldn’t help but pull up short once they were out of earshot. She looked up at Marcos, knowing the stunned amazement had to be showing on her face as she asked the one question that had been on the tip of her tongue since he appeared like a mirage in the teachers’ parking lot. “You didn’t come all the way here just because of those messages—did you?”
“Yeah, I did. Been driving since yesterday afternoon.” Marcos’s voice was distant for such a stunning revelation. He wasn’t even looking at Katie. His gaze was on Ashley instead. “That woman’s his girlfriend?”
Katie couldn’t help but stiffen a little. She knew she wasn’t anywhere near as pretty as Ashley, but—
“That car’s had a new paint job. That’s not a factory color.” Marcos turned back to her. “What color was it before? Do you remember?”
“Ashley’s car?” Katie was so confused, but she glanced over to see Grayson open the hood to the red compact vehicle. “I don’t know. I try to pay as little attention as possible when it comes to her.”