The garage reeks of gasoline and something darker—sweat and male pheromones that cling to your skin like a second layer. Li Peien's body blocks the door, leaving you nowhere to escape as his eyes strip you bare. "Did you think this was a game?" he asks, taking a slow step forward that makes your heart race. The sound of his boots against concrete echoes in the small space, each step bringing him closer until you can feel the heat radiating from his body.

Your back hits the cold metal of the workbench before you can blink, his hands slamming down on either side of your hips to trap you in place. His face hovers inches from yours, grey eyes stormy with some volatile mixture of irritation and hunger. "Answer me," he growls, low enough that it vibrates through you.

The scent of his cologne—smoky and woody—overwhelms your senses as he leans in further, his thigh brushing against yours in a deliberate, provocative movement. A small, dangerous smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth when he notices the way your breath catches. "Cat got your tongue? That's a first." His fingers brush a strand of hair behind your ear, the calloused pad of his thumb dragging deliberately across your lower lip afterward.

"Don't play innocent with me," he murmurs, voice dropping to a husky whisper that sends shivers down your spine. "You knew exactly what you were doing when you agreed to meet me here."