Page 12 of Fire of the Fox

With a final icy look, I tried walking past him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. He pinned me against his chest and leaned down to kiss my neck with aggressive lips. In the past, this would’ve thrilled me to my very core, but now it just sent a repulsed tremor through my body. I slammed my elbow into his rib cage, and he quickly let me go.

Slipping away from him, I turned back for only a second. “You disgust me, Dax! I’ll never want you again. Do you understand?”

He recovered from my verbal blow and straightened. His hands balled into fists. “You’re such a fucking loser! I hope you know that no one will ever want you.”

His words cut into me, and I couldn’t help the build up of emotion that wanted to escape. His lips curled with a cruel tilt at the sight of my eyes watering, and he glanced around us until he spotted a girl with long brown hair nearby. She was drinking herself away when he grabbed her hand and pulled her face close to his, her eyes looking completely swept away and mesmerized by him.

Poor girl.

He glanced sideways at me with an evil glint in his gaze before looking back at her. “Do you wanna dance with me, beautiful?”

Her mouth dropped open, and she nodded in bobble head fashion. He turned up his charm before leading her away into the sea of bodies. Dax threw a look over his shoulder at me and laughed when he saw me staring after them.

Rage sunk its razor-sharp claws into me. He was toying with me, but I wouldn’t let him. Not anymore. It was my turn to be the ringleader.

Glaring at the spot where he’d been standing, I adjusted my shirt a little, showing off more of my cleavage. Dallas would be so proud. I pulled my hair out of the ponytail, letting the curls cascade down my back. I received a few appraising looks from guys and girls around me, but it wasn’t them I was going after.

I turned in the direction of Cinnamon Roll who still leaned against the wall. His eyes devoured me as I approached him with a confident walk. All the hesitation from earlier had been replaced by fiery determination. The guys on either side of him gave me impressed once-overs as I closed the distance, but Cinnamon Roll kept a straight face, communicating solely through the desire in his eyes.

When I reached him, I grabbed his hand and turned, pulling him toward the dance floor. He followed willingly as I navigated us to a spot in the center. Dallas was a few feet away, grinding on Rance. When she saw me, her mouth hung open. Her eyes darted between me and Cinnamon Roll.

She quickly nodded at something behind me. It was Dax dancing with the girl. Dallas gave me a look that practically said, Does this have something to do with Dax being here? She didn’t miss a thing.

I flipped my hair over my shoulder and held my head higher to show her what I thought about him. Screw Dax! Two can play his game.

I glanced in his direction where he danced erotically with the drunk brunette. He noticed me looking, and smugness lit his eyes until he caught sight of me holding my new partner’s hand. Confidence pulled my shoulders back, and I turned to look at Cinnamon Roll for the first time since leading him there.

Amusement glittered in his amber eyes, and something else danced there as well. Something smoky and alluring. Something that seemed to promise seductively wicked experiences should I add gasoline to that flame in his gaze.

Working to cool the heat from my cheeks, I forced myself to glance sideways at Dallas where she danced with Rance. I memorized her steps and the movements of her body. When the music built to a part with the same beat, I readied myself. I pulled his body nearly against mine and closed my eyes, mustering every ounce of courage I had. No backing out now.

Letting go of my hesitation, I lost myself in the music and the warmth radiating off my dance partner. I wrapped one arm around his neck, and my body moved against his to the beat. I spun around and rolled my hips, grinding close to him with my backside. Dallas cheered me on as I replicated her moves, trying hard not to encroach on his space too much. This guy didn’t move with me, though. He stood there and let me dance on him.

My nerves were starting to get the better of me. Was he supposed to just stand there? Was I doing it wrong?

When the rhythm changed, I faced him again. I was out of breath, and I tried sneaking glances at Dallas for more moves as I swayed in sync to the music. Before I could, my partner crooked his finger under my chin and turned my head to look at him.

Color crept up my cheeks as he peered into my eyes and asked in a deep, velvety voice, “I’m going to assume you’re trying to make that guy over there jealous?”

Dax was still in the same spot dancing with his new date, but he watched us with a grimace and furious eyes.

Looking back at Cinnamon Roll, I said, “I’m not trying to make him jealous. I just want him to see that I’ve moved on and don’t want him.”

He glanced at Dax, then turned his attention back to me. The music was beginning to climax again, and the sight of his growing smile made my heart pound against my chest. I swallowed hard as he said, “Well then, why don’t we do a better job?”

He wrapped his arm around my waist to pull me flush against him, leaving no space between our bodies. He grabbed my arm and brought it up around his neck before his hand scorched a trail of fluttering heat back down my arm. His grip came to rest on my hip, but not before searing my bare skin where my shirt failed to cover my sides.

I was already breathless, and we hadn’t even started dancing again.

His smile widened as the music crescendoed. Our bodies lined up in all the right places, and a sickly-sweet heat burned through my core with every push and pull of our bodies. We moved in sync, and there was no stopping the excitement spreading across my lips or the pink stain, no doubt, on my cheeks.

He spun me around so my back was to him and held my arms behind his neck before placing his own on my hips again. He moved our bodies together while trailing featherlight kisses along my neck.

Liquid fire flooded my veins, sending a buzz through my chest. I closed my eyes and held my breath at his touch. The roll of his hips and the press of his hands against my sides evoked brief flashes of wicked thoughts. Thoughts that involved him and me, far less clothing, and just as much breathless activity. I was prepared to pass out at any moment now from the dizzy euphoria he was eliciting within me.

When the song was over, I faced him again. We were out of breath and laughing. He was beaming at me, and I couldn’t help but return the look, even when he leaned down to press our foreheads together. My eyes slipped closed, and I bit my lip as we started swaying to the new song, our breathing heavy and our skin sparking with excited shivers at the other’s roaming hands. That exhilarating emotion was short lived, because a grip took hold of me by the shoulder and spun me around.

Dax stood there, looking like a kid who’d just had his favorite toy stolen. His wild eyes flicked from me to my dance partner then back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

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