Page 13 of Beneath the Sapphire Sky

“Well, yeah. This one’s not like that, there’s no gore. It’s more old school. And I don’t know why you thought the last one was so bad.”

He dug his fingers deep into her flesh and her eyes rolled back at the combination of pleasure and pain.

“That okay?”

“Mmm. Nice.” She tried to open her eyes but gave up. Dante’s hands on her feet were bliss. Dante’s handsanywherewere bliss. She’d take what she could get, especially since it was offered. “I ended up in your lap, is why. I hate jump scares, you know that. I think I was so scared I would’ve crawled inside you if I could’ve.”

She’d missed the entire last third of the movie, her face pressed hard into his shoulder, her hands up beside her face so she wouldn’t accidentally see what was making the awful sounds coming from the surround soundbar of her family’s large TV.

It had been utter pleasure, and complete torture. He’d wrapped her tight in his arms and made her sit through the entire thing, malicious bastard that he was.

Not that she’d complained. Sitting on his lap and getting to hold on to him had been a massive highlight of her week, maybe even her entire year; his warm, delicious skin separated from her mouth by his thin T-shirt, his heart beating beneath her ear, its pace speeding up in the more terrifying parts of the movie.

He’d had to move her on his lap, her weight apparently putting his thigh muscles to sleep because she’d sat in one place so long.

But he hadn’t pushed her off. A slow smile wound onto her lips. Sure, she’d been terrified—in parts—but that didn’t stop her milking it for all she could get and maybe pretending she was a touch more scared than she really was. If she hadn’t been so inexperienced, had been a bit more confident, she might have even tried to kiss him. Or more.

“I looked at the reviews. There’re no jump scares, I promise. And I watched your superhero movie last week. That should be more than enough payment.”

Belle cracked an eye open to look at Suze and Adele. “You guys wanna watch, too?”

Dante’s fingers stopped their wonderful massage.

“Nah, I’m headed home. I’m beat,” Adele said.

Suze nodded in agreement. “Me, too. I’m knackered.”

Belle couldn’t help the swirls of anticipation and relief as Dante’s hands resumed their fabulous stroking. She’d only asked to be polite, hoping like crazy she could have this time alone with Dante. Jack and her father would be fast asleep, their days starting and finishing much earlier than hers. She’d have him all to herself, which was impossible at his place.

The only one not still living at home was Angel, and he lived next door.

Literally.

She had a snowball’s chance in hell if she wanted him alone at his place. And she’d never get away with sitting on his lap overthere, either. The instant any of his family witnessed that, they’d have them married off and sprouting a brood of children before the movie was finished.

He slid her shoes back on and patted her on the thigh. “C’mon then. Let’s get moving if we actually want to see this thing.”

They said goodnight to the others and Belle glanced around the kitchen to make sure everything was in its place. Satisfied, she flicked the light switches off so that the only one left on was over the hob, and locked the back door, pulling it shut behind her.

Dante pulled a packet of microwave popcorn out of his jacket pocket and held it up. The outdoor twinkle lights that lit the short pathway to the house glinted in his eyes.

Belle laughed. “Yes, all right!”

“Did your costume turn up yet?”

Belle nodded. “Came this morning. I can’t wait! Max’s Halloween parties are always so much fun. I love seeing what everyone comes up with each year. It’s the only time I get to dress up.”

“Oh, I don’t know. You could always go to work dressed as a pirate or something.” He glanced at her sideways. “Or a serving wench.”

Belle laughed and shoved his shoulder. “Stop it. I don’t have enough up top to fill out one of those costumes.”

He looked her up and down. “Sure you do. Don’t those corset things push everything up anyway?”

“I’d still need to have somethingtopush up.”

He made a noncommittal noise and they stepped onto the paved verandah. Belle frowned at the low noise coming through the open living room window. A soft giggle and her stomach dropped.

She stopped dead.

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