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“That was acheap shot,” she gritted out, sizing up his position and the distance to thepile of pillows.

“I told you.Without full knowledge of your adversary, you’ll invariably lose the battle.”He smiled at her again, that same predatory smile that seemed almost morenatural to him than his ironic one. Until now, she’d never known this side of Andereven existed. “You have no idea how low I’ll stoop to win a challenge.”

It only took Loria moment to figure out what to do. “You’re right. Well played.” She beamed athim, using her broad, sunny smile in the hopes that it would put him off hisguard.

He didn’t drophis guard, but, as he gazed down at her, she saw a brief expression in his eyesthat was just a little softer than usual.

So she acted.

She reached outand grabbed his crotch, taken aback when she felt he was slightly hard. Pushingpast that distraction, she squeezed him there—making sure not to genuinely hurthim.

When hegrunted, she slipped past his looming figure and made a dash for the pillows.

She’d almostreached them when she felt a strong arm wrap around her middle, heaving her upuntil she was slung over one of his shoulders like a bag of grain.

She howled inoutrage and flailed her arms and legs. To no avail. Ander’s arm was unyieldingas he braced her in position until he reached the bed and unceremoniouslydumped her back onto the mattress.

Gasping,flushed, and more excited than was entirely reasonable, Lori said by way ofexplanation, “You’re not the only one who will stoop low to win.”

“Evidently.”

“That’s whatyou get for tickling me.” She stuck out her chin to show her determination andher unwillingness to be cowed by his stalking intimidation.

He stood nextto the bed and stared down at her. He’d gotten tenser and the feral, dangerouslook was even stronger in his eyes. Every muscle in Lori’s body tightened asshe waited in breathless expectation.

She knew he wasgoing to do something. But she had no idea what he would do.

Then he did it.

He grabbed herankle again and started to tickle her foot. Lori squealed and squirmed, but shecouldn't free herself. Ander was relentless as his strong, skillful handsworked over one foot and then the other. And then started traveling up hercalves to the sensitive spots at the back of her knees, pushing up her cashmerepants as he went.

Lori writhed onthe bed, overcome with gasping laughter and merciless torment. She tried toresist, tried to pull away and fight his hands. But Ander was as good attickling as he was at everything else. She was helpless, at his mercy, as hishands moved up to tickle her belly and sides.

He was leaningover her now, and Lori was practically screaming with both delight and agony.Her legs hung off the bed, and she tried to get her feet on the floor to giveherself some leverage. But Ander adjusted against her strategy, using theweight of his body to hold her in place.

His hands hadmoved under her tank so he could tickle her bare skin. Lori wriggled and archedand squirmed beneath him. She gasped out, “Oh God, Ander! Oh God! Ander!”

Ander was hotand strong and substantial above her, and, in the blur of her tickle-inducedhaze, she caught a glimpse of an expression on his face that was half-militantand half-warm.

It was thewarmth in his eyes more than the militancy that shifted the nature of herphysical sensations. She couldn’t stop squirming. Couldn’t stop rocking beneaththe weight of his lean, firm body. Couldn’t stop panting and choking out hisname.

But thestimulation had somehow transformed into something just as delicious, just astorturous, but it didn’t make her laugh.

She arched herspine, shamelessly trying to rub her breasts against his chest. Her arms flewback above her head so she could fist her hands in the bedding. “Ander,” shegasped, a jolt of deep arousal slicing through her.

He didn’t missa beat. Just pushed her tank up even farther and leaned down enough to take oneof her breasts in his mouth.

Lori moaned ashe suckled her nipple, and his hands started to caress and fondle her sides,belly, hips and thighs rather than sustaining the tickle-assault.

His mouth andhands felt so much better on her body than Phil’s had. And it wasn’t justbecause he was more skillful. It seemed natural to feel Ander above her, feelhis lips on her breast, his hands on her bare skin, stroking secret parts ofher no one else had ever touched.

Her legs stillhung over the side of the bed, so she tried to wrap them around Ander’s body.He was wearing far too many clothes, but she didn’t want to take the time toget rid of them. She rubbed her hot arousal against the bulge she felt in Ander’spants, only a few layers of fabric between her flesh and his.

“Ander,” sherasped, tossing her head back and forth with a desire that was quickly spinningout of control. “Condom. Now.”

He pulled hishead from her breast and released one of her thighs. He stared at her for aminute, his eyes hot and oddly unfocused. Then he pulled off her cashmere pantsand stood up for just long enough to grab a condom from his case and rip itopen.

He fumbled withhis pants and boxers until he’d freed his cock. Then he rolled on the condomand moved back into the position he’d taken before, braced above her, half offthe bed.

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