Page 77 of A Deal with the Bossy Devil

He slighted closer. And I honestly hated, hated,hatedhow good he smelled. It was so inconveniently distracting.

“Cinnamon,” he said, dark eyes swimming over my face. “That’ll be your safeword. If you use it, I’ll play nice like those guys in your books and stop whatever it is I’m doing.”

“So youdoknow what cinnamon roll means.”

“I may have done some research. Is that what you’re into? Nice, wholesome guys who are sweet and supportive?”

“Yes. Obviously.” Wasn’t that what everyone was into?

His mouth quirked. “I see.”

“Waldois your safeword,” I decided before he could expose me to whatever depravity was running through his mind. “Let’s just get this over with. Tell me what we’re doing.”

Adrien’s gaze continued its lazy swim across my features. “The game is simple. For the next half-hour, I’m going to try my best to seduce you. The timer stops when the food arrives.”

I frowned. “And?”

“And all you have to do is… not melt into a puddle of lust on my lap.”

I blinked at him slowly. Sarcastically. “You’re joking.”

“Nope.”

Good lord. “You cannot seriously be this cocky. Apuddle of lust?”

He grinned. “I give you fifteen minutes, tops. By thirty, you might be on your knees, declaring your undying love for me.”

My mouth twisted into a disgusted scowl. He looked like he was mostly serious. It was concerning. I was concerned for him. “Dude.”

He tried holding back his grin. He failed miserably. “I’m assuming that means we have a deal?”

“Just to be clear, you’re going to try and seduce me, and all I have to do is not, like… somehow end up on your lap?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

“You’re fucking delusional,” I told him. “And I mean that with genuine sincerity. Check my nose.”

“You’re really that confident?” he asked, his eyes dancing with playful amusement. He was really enjoying himself. The fool. Wait until he got a taste of bitter failure.

I couldn’t wait to turn that smile upside down.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Ever. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and I, Ria Sanchez, am never going to be tempted to go anywhere near your lap.”

“Except the sky famously turns a mixture of orange, pink, and purple at sunrise and sunset, and gray when it’s cloudy.” He looked incredibly pleased with himself. “And grass withers to brown in the winter.”

I blinked at him. “Don’t be a smartass.”

His dimples popped as he chuckled. “I don’t think you of all people have any right to call anyone a smartass, Sanchez.”

“Is this part of the seduction? Have we started? Because if so, you’re doing terribly. I’m less seduced now than I was two minutes ago.”

“Really? Because you’re smiling quite a bit.”

“I’m definitely not smiling,” I assured him.

“You’retryingnot to smile. That’s not the same thing as not smiling.”

“It’s also not the same thing as smiling. Do you see what I mean about the arguing thing?” I said, my arms uncrossing. “I literally can’t remember a time when we weren’t fighting.”

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