Page 64 of Dare To Live

I direct my gaze to Harper, who’s chatting with a group of girls. “Does Harper?”

“Harper has a magic everything.” He laughs softly. “Seriously, though, Eli. Do you know what you’re doing?”

“I’m doing what I should have done years ago. I’m reminding someone where she belongs.”

“Well, far be it from me to stand in the way of committed stalking and possible kidnap. Just ensure the makeup sex makes whatever you do to annoy her worth the effort.”

“Who says I’m going to annoy her?” I turn to glance at Arabella, who’s sitting beside her mom watching the auctioneer.

“Aren’t you?” Gabe’s voice is dry.

“Until she wants to fucking murder me.”

He slaps my shoulder. “Good man. Then you should go and get started. I have to go and behave like the irresponsible rock star they all know and pretend not to love.” He winks at me and crosses the room to pull Harper away from the girls and thoroughly kiss her.

I return my gaze to Arabella. From her stiff posture, and the way her fingers are tucked between her thighs, as well as the determined set of her jaw, I know she’s purposely not looking at me. I pull out my cell.

Me: You’re not fooling me. How wet are you right now?

Her spine snaps taut and her head turns to find me when she reads the message. She drops her cell onto her lap without replying. I laugh quietly.

Me: Why give me your panties if you’re going to ignore me? Every time I turn my head, I catch the scent of how aroused you were when you took them off. That’s what you wanted, right? That’s why you got yourself off before you gave them to me.

Her eyes widen noticeably, and she stabs at her screen. Her response comes through seconds later.

Arabella: I DID NOT!

Me: Liar. I bet if I ran my fingers up your thigh, they’d be soaked in seconds. Tell me you’re wet for me, Kitten. Tell me you’re thinking about me feasting on your clit. Tell me you want me.

Her tongue sweeps out over her lips.

Me: How about a sample? A taster for the night to come. There’s a staff restroom down the hall. Red or green, Kitten?

She reads the text, and glances over at me, then returns her attention to the dais in front of her. Two more items are sold, and then she turns and says something to Elena, rises to her feet and walks out of the room. I wait until she reaches the doors, before setting off after her.

She walks at a rapid pace along the hallway, casts a look to either side of her, then slips through the door of the restroom. When I tap on the door a beat later, it opens, and her arm comes out to pull me inside.

“I’ve changed my mind.” She reaches for the panties in my pocket.

I catch her wrist and twist her arm up behind her back, pulling her against me. “No take backs.”

“Don’t be childish,” she snaps.

“Then stop being a coward.” I dip my head to run my nose along hers. “What scares you more, Hellcat—the fact that you desperately want what I give you or that none of your lovers since have ever made you feel the same way I do?”

“That’s not true.”

I spin her around to face the mirror. “You’re such a fucking liar.”

I stroke a finger over her cheek, along her jaw, down her throat and across the neckline of her dress.

“You never did answer my question.” My fingers dip beneath the material of her dress and brush over her nipple.

Her lips part, eyelashes lowering before she forces her eyes open to stare at me through the reflection.

“Look at how your body comes alive for me.” I dip my head to press a kiss to the curve of her throat. “Tell me you respond like that to everyone.”

“I do.”

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