Austin caught the tail end of Ethan's call as Kaius held the phone to his ear. Her heart leaped at the mention of Eliot's name. Her son was just outside the auction venue.
She rose abruptly from her seat, smoothing her dress with practiced elegance. "The auction's over. I should be going."
As she turned to leave, her chestnut waves brushed against Kaius's cheek.
This close, Kaius couldn't help but study her. Her vivid blue eyes met his, calm and unflinching.
The graceful arch of her brow, the fullness of her lips, the way her gown clung to her frame in all the right places—every detail drew him in.
His eyes drifted to her waist, impossibly slim. A quiet spark of heat settled low in his spine.
His skin felt too warm beneath his clothes, the air suddenly denser around him
