Page 20 of Underground Prince

The candlelight licked at his cheek. He remained in a relaxed repose, his eyes glistening with swaying fire.

My lips tingled under his study, and I licked them.

He inclined his head, as if to say, Touch me if you dare. Trail those wet lips of yours down my chest.

The air swelled with rough promise. I gritted out, “Well, uh, stay comfortable and I’ll be right back.”

Stay comfortable?

I retreated to my room, allowing my breath to heave, pant, expelling his seduction so I could come at him normally again.

This wasn’t good. I couldn’t jump him, satisfy myself, and dump him like I so intended.

Though I wasn’t afraid. No, even worse.

In this game we played, I wasn’t the one in control.

Too annoyed to focus on outfit choice (he’d seen me in naughty lace, anyway), I threw on a cream t-shirt and jeans, bunching my hair at the top of my head and swiping under my eyes. I refused to make myself up for this man and appear as anything more than a casual weekday evening.

The irony wasn’t lost. I thought of how I’d prepared for Matt versus what I was doing now. What I didn’t ponder was the meaning behind it.

Theo was in the same position I left him in, his skin basking devilishly in the candlelight. A nervous twinge kicked up in my belly and I resisted the urge to punch it down.

“Ready,” I said. I reached for my purse on the couch, my chest almost brushing up against his arm.

He didn’t shift or otherwise make room for me to grab the bag. Theo’s arm was warm and hard beneath my left nipple, and I stilled at the sudden heat, the instant need to fall into his lap, straddle him, jerk his head back and catch his lips with my teeth.

The mere thought almost had my legs moving into position. And when I turned to glance at him, he was gleaning it all from my face.

Swallowing, nearly choking, I hooked my purse and sprang up.

“Should we go?” My voice sounded clogged.

Theo held my gaze for a moment longer. His eyes were dark, melted caramel. His voice was as soft as the candlelight. “You’re resisting me.”

I stepped back a millimeter. “No.”

He stood, reminding me of a penned animal again, stalking until he was in front of me. My chin reflexively notched up the closer he came.

“Yes, you are,” he said.

“No,” I repeated, more whisper than voice.

The corner of his eyes lifted with his smile until his lips were pinpricks of feeling against mine. They moved, brushing against me like rose petals as he said, “Keep trying.”

Cool air breezed across my face when he stepped around me, nothing but his scent and the static afterglow remaining.

Holy…

Taking in the subtlest, most gaping breath I could, I blew out the candle, swiveled on my feet, and followed him out the door.

* * *

“You have a chauffeur?”

Theo opened the passenger door of a black car shining like an oil spill under the streetlights.

“Just a town car,” he said. I might’ve heard a chuckle, but it was hard to tell with Theo. He slid in behind me.

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