Skin Deep by Megan D. Martin

completely perfect, except he wasn’t Cain. Not to mention that she couldn’t stop thinking about the way he smelled. It wasn’t an unpleasant scent, but like Cain had said, he smelled sweet, as if he’d taken a bath in some sort of cherry syrup.
    She found her mind drifting to Cain throughout the meal, only to be jolted back to reality when Luke frowned and said her name. Although Cain wasn’t the only thing that kept drifting through her mind. The strange appearance of the white tiger from the night before riddled her thoughts as well.
    “So, if you don’t mind me asking … who was that guy in the shop earlier today?” Luke broke the silence on the drive home. Kiera parted her lips, not sure what to say. She didn’t want to talk about Cain, not when her feelings for him were so enraged and keen all at once.
    “Just some weird guy I met at a bar. No one important.” She focused her gaze on the cherry air freshener that hung from the rearview mirror.
    “He seemed pretty into you.”
    “You think so?” Kiera wanted to smack herself for the excitement that was laced in her voice. Luke noticed it too, judging from the dark look in his eyes as he glanced at her.
    Shame flooded her cheeks. Here she was on a date with a wonderfully handsome man whom she’d liked for months and she was going to blow it over some asshole. They drove in silence for some time. It wasn’t until he pulled into Dye Hard’s parking lot and opened her door that she finally worked up her nerve to speak.
    “I’m so sorry, Luke. I hope I didn’t make tonight horrible for you. I really did have a wonderful time. I’ve just been a little preoccupied here lately. A lot of things have happened and I’m still trying to take everything in.” It was a weak explanation, she knew, but she felt better for saying it.
    “I get that. Hell, everyone gets preoccupied with life. And I know a lot has been happening for you, I mean, damn, look at you. The weight you’ve lost is almost crazy, so I know you’ve been busy. I just hate that someone else got to you first.”
    “Oh no, it’s not—” Kiera’s words were cut off by Luke’s lips pressing into hers, along with his body roughly mashing her against the side of his Jeep. She was stunned for a moment and stood stiffly, not moving. A shiver of fear pricked as old memories attempted to flood her mind, making her fingers tremble. She clutched her coat, desperate to stop the familiar anxiety before it bubbled over. This is Luke. Not Roth, she yelled internally.
    After several heartbeats she relaxed and kissed him back. His lips were soft, warm, and moved against her own smoothly. He was a good kisser, but something was different. It failed to heat her in the slightest.
    After a moment, she broke away and smiled shyly up at him. She knew she had to be red with embarrassment.
    “You sure you don’t want me to take you all the way to your apartment? I don’t mind.” His words came out husky.
    “No, but thanks.” She sidestepped him and he gave a curt nod.
    “Okay then. I have your number now … so I’ll call you.”
    She smiled and hoped to God he would get back in his car and leave. She couldn’t take any more awkward silence tonight. Luckily, he did after a quick goodbye.
    Kiera stared at his disappearing taillights with a mixture of emotions. Mortification, disgruntlement, and happiness swirled inside her. She sighed with a sense of relief. Her first date in years was over and she was glad for it.
    Luke’s car had just disappeared over the hill when a rough hand grasped her arm and jerked her from the dim streetlights into the shadows of darkness.
    Cain’s body shook as he snatched Kiera from the sidewalk and pushed her against a tree. He was rougher than he’d intended to be, but there was no helping that. He panted like a motherfucking dog. He’d tried to stay away—truly, he did. He followed Kiera and the human to an expensive steakhouse and watched them like fucking