Page 48 of Handsome Devil

“Absolutely. Very helpful.” He nodded vigorously.

Dante didn’t reply, and she could tell by the stillness of his body that he didn’t believe a word she said. He silently watched Vance—whose eyes darted around the room—until awkward silence cloaked the air around the three of them.

Dante had no problem standing in discomfort, but she was not as blessed to have the same attitude he did. Unable to handle the uncomfortable quiet any longer, Annabelle spoke first.

“I guess I’ll see you on the courts as soon as I clear my schedule,” she said.

Vance took the lifeline she tossed him. “Definitely. We’ll catch up soon. I’ll see you both… uh, later.”

He scurried away, and Annabelle took the opportunity to separate from Dante.

“Was that necessary?” she asked, smiling through her teeth.

“We had an agreement,querida. We agreed neither of us would embarrass the other.”

“Yes. We did.”

“Then why were you flirting with him?”

“I wasn’t flirting?—”

“I could see you across the room. You were flirting with each other, in the middle of a party, only weeks after our wedding. What do you think people will say?”

“Don’t worry, Dante. No one would dare question whether or not we’re happy. I’m sure everyone here realizes how lucky I am.” Her smile tightened as she gazed up at him.

He bent low to whisper, so when he spoke, his breath brushed the shell of her ear. “Do not embarrass me, and I won’t embarrass you. If I’m not satisfying you, all you have to do is say you want more.”

He trailed a finger down the inside of her arm, and goosebumps popped onto her skin.

“Could your ego be any bigger?” she whispered the words against the corner of his mouth.

Laughter climbed up his strong throat, and his dimples made an appearance. “Querida, really, all you have to do is ask.” Dante placed a hand low on her back. His hand was so low, two of his fingers touched her ass.

He dropped an unexpected kiss to her cheek and let his hand fall away, purposely copping a feel of her bottom as he did, and then sauntered away. Bastard. Now she was horny in the middle of casino night, her heart beating fast and her loins heavy with want.

A few feet away, Khuyen watched her with a knowing smirk.

Annabelle shrugged, smiling like any happily married woman would who had been caught having a flirty moment with her spouse.

* * *

Dante foundVance in one of the other rooms, standing in a corner alone, texting on his phone. There were only a few other people in there. A man and women had their heads close together while they talked. Another man sat in an armchair talking in low tones on the phone.

He thought about Annabelle, elegant and exquisite-looking in a white dress billowing around her with each movement and offering teasing glimpses of her shapely figure every time the lightweight fabric settled against her body. He made his way over to the other man with anger percolating inside him and trying to claw its way out.

Vance looked up, and when he saw Dante, surprise filled his eyes. “Hi.” He glanced around the room—either looking for Annabelle or in a state of confusion as to why Dante had come over to speak to him.

“How are you?” Dante asked.

“Great. You?”

“Excellent.”

“Um, great party, isn’t it?”

Dante’s gaze narrowed a fraction. He obviously made Vance nervous, and the other man had a hard time figuring out what to say to him.

“Do you think my wife is beautiful?” he asked.

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