Page 21 of Beneath the Sapphire Sky

A light gasp. Belle caught his stare glued to her chest. He looked away quickly, his cheeks heating.

This could become a very good night indeed.

Chapter Nine

“So how aboutit?”

Belle grinned at him over the lip of her nearly empty wineglass. Her dark brown eyes glittered in amusement from behind the jewelled cat mask.

Dante did his best to hide his answering smile. If only she knew where his mind went with that one. Then again, maybe not.

“How about what?”

He couldn’t see much of her face, but he could tell she was teasing him.

Her husky laugh ricocheted through his blood. She jerked her head in the direction of the temporary outdoor dance floor. “Dance with me. You promised. Plus you need to save me from Sleaze Guy over there who keeps trying to touch my ass.”

Dante frowned and looked over to the other side of the dance floor. “You never said he was creeping on you. You want me to go sort him out?”

“No. Just come dance with me.” She leaned up to his ear as if pretending to kiss it. He managed to control the shudder that ran down his spine at the thought. The sweet fruity scent of her grape bubblegum lip balm swirled into his lungs and fried his synapses. “If I hang off you for a while and you pretend to be into it, he’ll leave me alone.” She patted his bicep. “You’re way bigger than he is. Built. He won’t want to mess with Aquaman.”

He nodded and gestured toward the dance floor. “After you.”

She grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her. The tail of her cat costume flicked then settled into a hypnotic twitchwith the sway of her hips. He couldn’t pull his gaze from her delectable ass.

How in hell was he going to get through this with her hanging all over him? The entire world would see how she affected him. Well, all of the Crossing, anyway.

It would be pure torture and perfect bliss all rolled up in one gorgeous package.

Purple PVC. Damned glittery purple plastic.

She stepped onto the crowded dance floor. The Cow was full to overflowing with characters from the cute to the grotesque. The massive smile on her lush mouth drew his gut into a tight knot. Blonde and dark brown hair feathered across her forehead, her super-short pixie cut shaping around her face.

She slid her arms up around his neck and pressed herself hard against his front.

His eyes nearly rolled back in his head at her imprint against him.

Shit, hell, bugger, and bastard!

Every single curve and hollow of her front rubbed him. He closed his eyes to try to get some semblance of control.

You’re inpublic, idiot. Settle the hell down!

“Bloody hell, Dante. Relax a little. At leastpretendto like it. He’s watching. Put your hands on my butt or something.”

He slid his hands down her waist to cup her butt and pull her against him. He dropped his head to her neck so that no one would see his face. He couldn’t help it; he squeezed the flesh beneath his hands and nearly moaned.

“You’re lucky we’re friends, brat.”

She chuckled into his chest. “Isn’t that what friends are for? Getting each other out of sticky situations?”

“Sure is,” he murmured. “I require payback one day.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just make him leave me alone and I’ll do whatever you want.”

Oh, sweet Jesus. Kill me now.

Image after image of exactly what he’d get her to do to pay him back barraged his brain. The beat changed and she tightened her arms around his neck, her belly rubbing across his crotch, tight and slow.

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