Page 12 of Wickedly Innocent

Arousal surged through me as Iremembered my dream. I kept my gaze trained forward as my breathingaccelerated.

“Don’t call me that,” I mumbledand he chuckled. He stepped closer to me as his hand trailed up mybiceps to my neck, leaving shivers in his wake. He slipped his handunder my hair and gripped me firmly, forcing me to look up at him.I gasped softly as the action sent awareness crackling across myscalp. His gaze flew to my lips.

“Why?” he whispered as he inchedcloser.

“B-because I don’t think you meanthe cute little forest animal in the cartoon and it-it’s notappropriate,” I stuttered. He was so close now I could almost tastehim. The pounding between my legs was making it hard to focus. AllI could think about was his lips on mine.

I nearly moaned as he stepped evencloser now, every breath I took caused my breasts to rub againsthis chest. He bent down and I thought he was going to kiss me untilhe stopped and stared into my eyes. “See, that’s the thing,” hemurmured as his lips lightly grazed against mine. Whatever game hewas playing, I was clearly losing as I trembled against him. “WhenI think of you, it’s the furthest thing from appropriate,” hewhispered before he gripped my hip.

“Lindsey, come see your room!”Anna’s voice broke through the lusty fog I found myself in and Ijumped back away from Ian. He let me go with a devious grin thattold me he knew exactly the effect he was having on me.

“C-coming!” I yelled as I tried toskirt around him again. I almost made it when he grabbed me again,causing me to look up at him once more.

“Not yet,” he murmured so quietlythat I wondered if he had said anything at all. I pulled away fromhim and practically ran for the hallway.

Once I was out of the room, Iexhaled in a rush and bent at the waist.What in the actual fuckwas that?I thought I had just imagined his interest in me theother night. All the little touches and the looks that told me hewould eat me up. Had it all been real?

I leaned back against the coolwall as I composed myself. My skin was too hot, too tight. Theaching between my legs had increased tenfold. I was so turned on Iwas sure a stiff breeze would be all it took to send me off theedge.

I heard talking further down thehall but only half listened to it. It almost sounded like Anna andMelonie were arguing about something. When I felt like I couldbreathe again, I pushed away from the wall and followed thevoices.

“I doubt she will even like it.She’s used to sharing a room with you anyway,” Melonie whined as Icame closer.

“It doesn’t matter what she’s usedto.” Anna sounded like she was about at her wit’s end with Melonie.“I’m giving her the option,” she said before she spotted me andbeamed. “Hey! It’s your birthday week, you get the big room toyourself if you want it.”

I flushed at the offer. I knew shewanted to do this for my birthday but I didn’t want the whole weekto be about me. “What about you two?” I asked.

“See, she doesn’t want it. I’lljust put my bag in here and—” Melonie tried to push past Anna butto no avail as she put her arm in front of her in the doorway. Ihad to stop the giggle from bubbling up as Melonie’s face bunchedup like she tasted something sour.

Anna kept her squinted eyes onMelonie as she spoke to me. “We are going to bunk together on theother side of the house. That way you have a room all to yourself,Ben has his own room next to ours where he can continue to becreepy.” Ben flipped her off and I did giggle that time before shecontinued. “And Dad has his own space as well,” she finished.

It took everything in me not toflush at the mention of her father again.When did my lifebecome one of those cheesy stories where the girl crushes on herbestie’s dad?I mentally shook myself and nodded at Anna.

“Sounds good, thank you.” Icleared my throat before Melonie rolled her eyes and very loudlystalked back the way we came, toward her and Anna’s room across thehouse. Anna shrugged like she couldn’t care less and grabbed me fora hug. She grinned at me lovingly as she released me and sighedtoward Ben.

“Come on, Bundy. I’ll show youyour room,” she said as she turned away from me. I snorted at herlatest serial killer joke but then cleared my throat as Ben lookeddown at me like I kicked his dog. I glanced into the open room tolook anywhere else but at him.

Ben stomped after Anna then,muttering something that sounded like, “Medusa.” I couldn’t stopthe grin from spreading across my lips as they all disappeared downanother hallway.

I walked into my room for the weekand couldn’t keep the awe out of my gasp. The room was gorgeous. Ithad the same floor-to-ceiling windows that were on the front sideof the house. Only these faced a snow-covered forest. The room waspainted a dull white with one accent wall in olive green. Thefour-poster bed with a sheer white canopy was against that wall.The cream-colored pillows and bedding were arranged artfully,practically begging for you to sink into them.

The walls were elegantly decoratedwith artwork that matched the rest of the aesthetic of the room.The perfectly polished floors were so clean and slick, I could seemy reflection as though I was looking into a mirror. Anotherfireplace arbored the wall opposite the bed where the fire radiatedwarmth through the room. This was by far the nicest room I wouldever sleep in.

I walked on quiet feet toward thewindow seat and sat down as I stared out at the lightly fallingsnow. It was still early in the afternoon so I could see all thewinter birds flying around and the squirrels still foraging fortheir next meal. It was absolutely—

“Beautiful.” A sinfully deep voicepulled me from my thoughts and I jerked around to face thedelicious figure that filled my doorway.

Ian was lounging against thedoorway as if he belonged there. One ankle was crossed over hisother foot and his arms across his chest. And he was staringdirectly at me.

I said nothing as we stared at oneanother, I didn’t know what to say. Just the sight of him had mypulse racing again. What was it with this man making all my goodsense leave me? His eyes raked across my body as I sat there. Nowthat I knew those looks hadn’t been just in my head, I could seehow much need was there in those eyes.

I watched as he unfolded himselffrom the doorframe and stood to his full height. He made no othermove to come near me and for that I was grateful. “So, you’re thefriend that had a birthday?” he murmured.

I nodded but said nothing.Didhe really not know that I was the one who would walk through thatdoor?

“Well, happy belated birthday,Lindsey.” The way he said my name sounded like a dirty word. Justthe way it rolled off his tongue made me want to clench my thighstogether.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

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