Page 21 of Wicked Little Tricks

“What are you doing?”

“If I can’t learn your secrets through compulsion, there’s only one other way I know.” The suggestion in his tone let me know exactly what that way was.

“Oh,” I breathed. My mind was screaming at me that this was a very bad idea, but my body had other notions.

One of his fingers hooked the edge of my blanket, pulling it down to reveal my underwear and bare legs. He lifted an eyebrow at me, like he might actually care for my permission.

“I really did—” My words cut off as he slid one hand up my bare leg and pulled down the edge of my underwear with the other.

When I didn’t protest, he took the hand from my leg and pushed gently against my abdomen until I laid back on the bed. My underwear was gone before I knew it.

Holy hell, what was I—

His mouth found me, and I pressed my head backagainst my mattress. I briefly wondered if he somehow knew about my deal with Mistral and was trying to win me over to his side, then his tongue licked a delicate line and every thought I’d ever had left my brain. Both of his hands slid beneath me, cupping my butt and lifting me toward his mouth.

I wrapped my legs around him, giving in to a very bad idea as a groan escaped my lips. The blankets beneath me bunched up in my fingers as his tongue darted inside of me, making me see stars.

I could feel a hint of his magic working its way across me, more subtle than the earlier compulsion. I panicked for a moment, then that heavy magic cupped my breasts beneath my shirt and I let out a groan instead of a protest.

Pressure built in my core with every movement of his mouth, and every magical stroke across my bare flesh. He moaned against me, bringing me to the edge.

I was about to shout out all my secrets when something shifted. Something was off. I blinked my eyes and sat bolt upright in bed, clutching a hand to my chest as I tried to catch my breath. A hint of daylight still rimmed my curtains.

A dream. Gods, it had been a dream. Onehellof a dream.

As I tried to catch my breath, I realized I once again was not alone. My eyes darted toward my closed door where Sebastian was standing with his arms crossed. Wait,hadit been a dream?

I glanced at my closed curtains and the light visible there. It wasn’t actually dark just moments before. A dream, definitely a dream. Of course, that didn’t stop my heart from thundering and sure didn’t quiet the throbbing sensation between my legs.

I looked at the devil and his bored expression.

“What did you learn?”

I flopped back against my pillows, letting out a huff of breath. “Celeste isn’t in this realm. That’s all he knows.” Talk about déjà vu.

Suddenly he was standing over me in my bed, all too reminiscent of my dream. My body tightened in response.

“What did you trade for the information?”

I rolled my eyes, hoping the casual gesture would distract from my burning cheeks.“How do you know he didn’t just tell me out of the goodness of his heart?”

He gave me a look like I was being very silly, then his eyes lifted to the sleeping goblin on my bookshelf. The corner of his mouth quirked up, but he didn’t say anything else. He looked back down at me. “I will contact you when I have another lead.”

I frowned. “No way, man. I did your job. Our contract is done.”

“Our contract is done once my debt is collected.” His eyes drifted downward to what was visible of my bare lap. I quickly pulled the covers in place, blushing as I remembered the feel of his face between my legs.There was something in his eyes that made me wonder if he knew exactly what I had been dreaming about.

A knock on my door broke the spell. In the second I looked away, Sebastian disappeared, and I was left in my bed frustrated, confused, and honestly still pretty pissed.

10

The knock sounded againat my door, more loudly this time. “You alive in there, Eva?”

“I’m alive,” I groaned still laying back against my pillows. “Sort of.”

My door opened, and Braxton stepped in. He wore sweats and a white T-shirt with his feet bare, and his hair was tousled like he too had taken a nap. “I assumed you were sleeping when I saw your boots by the door, but then I heard voices. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Why would you need to make sure I’m okay?” I asked suspiciously. “It’s not like either of us are usually home all night.”

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