Page 36 of Dare To Take

Eli falls silent beside me, and we both watch the movie. It’s easy to pretend that we don’t hate each other. The lines between us are blurring. Everything has shifted and right now, we’re just two people hanging out, watching a bunch of people get chased by a vampire. I snicker when one of the women gets covered in blood.

“That looks so fake.”

“They used to blend water, food dye, and corn syrup to make it,” he says. “Not quite in today’s league with the special effects, but I think that’s what makes them so much fun to watch.”

He jumps up when there’s a knock at the door. Instead of letting the waiter in, he accepts the trolley and brings it in himself. “Want to eat at the table?”

I shake my head. “We won’t be able to see the TV from over there.”

“You want to watch the rest of the movie marathon?” He uncovers the plates that hold our food. “It’s not all his vampire stuff.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I thought you wanted my dick.”

“I do, but I also want to watch TV while I eat.”

He shakes his head and chuckles. “Fine.”

He brings the plates over to the couch and places them on the low glass coffee table, before joining me on the cushions. I secure the sheet around my body and perch on the edge. The movie slides into another classic horror movie as we eat.

Taking a sip of my drink, I sense eyes on me. I glance in Eli’s direction. My pulse picks up and butterflies take off in my stomach at the look in his eyes. The sexual awareness between us is palpable. This attraction I feel for him is messing with my head. We’ve already fucked twice; I shouldn’t want him again.

His smile is knowing. I catch my lower lip between my teeth and wonder if he can somehow read my mind.

In an effort to shake it off, I pluck a fry from my plate and toss it at him. I laugh when it bounces off his chest.

Chapter 25

Eli

After she throws a fry at me, I retaliate. The gloves come off and we end up tussling on the floor. Tussling turns into touching, and the movie is soon forgotten in favor of fucking. When we finally separate, panting and sweaty, the movie is over, the food is cold, and the sun has set. I stand and reach down to pull her to her feet.

“You have ketchup in your hair.” I brush a finger over the tangled curls. “Why don’t you go and take a shower? I’ll clean up in here.”

“I haven’t got anything to wear, other than the clothes I came in.”

My lips quirk at her wording, but I refrain from making a joke. “It’s the penthouse, Hellcat. There’ll be complimentary robes in the bathroom.”

“Oh! I didn’t think of that.”

“I guessed that from your make-shift toga.” I wave toward the sheet, now discarded on the floor. “Rules of the world. The richer you are, the more they give you for free. The robes come with the suite booking. We can take them with us when we leave. There will also be toiletries in there. Take whatever you want.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

Her fingers run up my arm and tug at my t-shirt. “Don’t you need to shower, too?”

“I will. Once I’m done in here.”

“You could shower with me?”

I press a finger to her chin and tilt her head up. “You’re fucking insatiable. Aren’t you sore?” I hike an eyebrow. “Or did you fuck half of Michigan when you ran away?”

Hurt flashes across her face and she pulls away.

I catch her hand and tug her back to me. “I’m joking. I don’t think you fucked half of Michigan.”

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