Page 13 of Ruthless Savage

ERIU

I pull down the fiery-red minidress, hoping my behind doesn’t pop out of this thing as we stride up toward the frat house.

I don’t dress like a nun, but this is way too short. But Karen insisted, and I didn’t want to disappoint her or ruin my chances of Devlin eating his heart out.

Maybe that’s what he likes, women who dress like this. I guess we’ll see.

She wasn’t lying about my makeup either. I look like one of those pinup models: smokey eyes, pink lips, blush and shimmer on my cheeks. My hair is down, the large curled ends hitting the small of my back.

“You look hot,” Karen whispers. “Stop fidgeting.”

We stroll up the steps toward two guys who are checking people in by the entrance. They appear visibly high or drunk, I can’t be sure which. And they seem to only be letting the girls in and refusing many of the guys.

Peeking behind me, I find Devlin moving closer, his eyes concentrating on mine. For a moment, I find them drifting from my head to my legs, and I immediately shiver.

When I do, he catches himself and his jaw flexes.

I gulp down the nerves riding up my throat and fight to shake off the goose bumps threading my skin.

But that’d be hard to do.

He noticed me.

He was staring at me like a man would look at a woman he wanted, and it thrilled me.

I definitely noticed him too, but then again, I always do.

He looks incredible in a suit jacket, a baby-blue button-down beneath, with navy dress pants. Every sinew, every muscle is on full display. I start to wonder how he looks without his shirt on. I bet he has abs for days, and I crave to have my hands on him, to feel those ripples.

Oh my God… I can’t believe I’m picturing him like that.

My face goes hot, and I peer back at him, wondering if he knows what I was just thinking about. His eyes are hard and unrelenting.

Of course he doesn’t know what I was thinking. That would require him to read minds. Then again, this is Devlin we’re talking about.

I glance at the girls standing behind him, and they sure notice him too, whispering with each other as they peep at him with flirtatious smiles. Some of them are aware of my connection to him, but not all of them.

I don’t even know how he’ll get into the party. Those guys are going to wonder why he’s here. He doesn’t pass for a twenty-year-old. They’ll think he’s someone’s father, and Devlin won’t take no for an answer. Then we’ll have trouble.

Maybe I can convince them he’s with me.

As soon as we’re one person behind to get inside, Devlin strolls up to the back of me, his warm, howling breaths skating down my nape, making it hard to breathe.

“That dress is far too short,” that husky timbre drawls out with a deep whisper. “You shouldn’t be wearing it.”

I gasp when his palm cups my elbow, jolting every molecule. I’m not sure if he doesn’t like me in this dress because he’s jealous or because it doesn’t look good on me.

“Too bad I don’t care what you think,” I breathe with a quick glance behind my shoulder, swallowing down the jittering nerves.

His eyes turn arctic and dangerous, and a growl deepens in his chest. But he doesn’t say anything else, though his hand remains on me as we climb a final step until we reach the top.

“Hey, Karen!” One of the guys hugs her. “You two can go right in.”

When Devlin tries to follow us, the guy stops him.

“Whoa, dude.” He chuckles dryly. “I don’t know where you think you’re going, but you can’t go in.”

Crap.

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