Page 67 of The Boy I Hate

He took Renee in his arms and started swaying. “It can be only fingers.” He turned her out, letting her travel until only the tips of their fingers connected. “Or the whole body.” He yanked her forward again, slamming her body against his, her thigh between his legs. “When the song changes, so does the person you’re dancing with. Fairenough?”

Renee grinned and took the microphone. “Couples will be eliminated as we go, so be creative and don’t let that happen.” She raised her eyebrows. “There’s a prize at the end, but you’ll have to wait to find out what it is. Have funeveryone!”

28

Chapter Twenty-eight

It didn’t take longbefore everyone was grabbing a partner and heading for the dance floor. There were different couples, some conservative, some not, yet it didn’t take long before the scene that unfolded in front of them looked like it could have come out of a Vegas nightclub. Deciding she didn’t really care about prizes, Samantha turned to leave, but then she felt a hand rest on herlowerback.

Mark stood just behind her, his lips close to her ear as he spoke to her. “What do you say—want to make himjealous?”

She laughed, because this was a horrible idea. She wasn’t a dancer, and she wasn’t about tostartnow.

But then Devon came to stand beside her and draped his arm around her shoulder. “Who are we making jealous?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked over the dancefloor.

Her eyes shifted downward, then she looked over at Mark. He caught her eye and winked to let her know it would be okay, then handed her a shot glass filled with some sort of brownliquid.

“Drink,” he said to Samantha. Then he turned to Devon and lifted his chin. “It seems,” Mark began, taking her glass that was now empty, “that Samantha has an admirer—but he’s too much of a pussy to come over here and get her. So we’ll have to drawhimout.”

Devon choked on his bottle of Corona and glanced around the dancefloor. “Who?”

Mark waved him off. “Doesn’t matter, Devon. What matters is that we make Samantha look like the most delicious morsel in the room.” He took Samantha’s arm, handed Devin her clutch, and bowed to her. “May I have thisdance?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think this is a good idea.” But then she saw Tristan already out there, dancing with the redheaded hussy she’d seen him with earlier. The ginger turned to face him, her legs long and elegant as she walked around him, trailing her finger alonghisbody.

Mark pushed her toward the dance floor, then pulled her around and gripped her fingers firmly in one hand. “Changeyourmind?”

Her lips curled in a playful grin and she nodded. “Do yourworst.”

As though her invitation flipped on a switch, Mark grinned and starting dancing like a Latin lover. He lifted her up at the arms—just high enough where her breasts almost hit his chin. He grinned. “Good girl.” Then he gripped the backs of her thighs, adding enough pressure to urge them to spread. Her eyes widened, but he lifted again, causing her legs to straddle his waist. “Lean back,” hewhispered.

She did as he said, and he used her body to form a soft sweeping motion across the floor, causing her long hair to dust the ground. The people around them squealed with approval, and he pulled her up again. “I think we got his attention.” But then he placed her on her feet again and whipped her out inaturn.

Tristan was right there watching her, staring at Mark before raking his eyes over Samantha. But he wasn’t angry like she feared; he was actually grinning. She bit her lip, her stomach tightening with deliciousness, because the look on his face told her he knew exactly what game she was playing, and she was pretty sure she’d just startedawar.

Tristan placed his hand on the small of the redhead’s back and lifted her thigh to hook it on the top ofhiship.

Mark turned her back in to his chest, and soon her body was pressed against hisagain.

“Looks like we have a challenger,” he said, placing both of her hands around his neck and gripping her hips to move them to the rhythm. She took his lead, moving when he told her to, letting her body sway with each beat, each pulse, and soon they were dancing as one. Hips together, handslaced.

The music changed a second later, and the DJ’s voice sounded from the loud speakers. “Nowswitch!”

Samantha spun around, looking for her next partner, and right there behind her was Devon. He grabbed hold of her hand and spun her into his chest. “I don’t know who this other guy is, but I still owe you for the dirt incident.” Hegrinned.

She giggled, partly because she was having so much fun, but partly because the alcohol was starting to affect her beyond her own control. She took hold of Devon’s hand and turned herself around again. Wiggling her bottom against Devon’s thighs, she glanced over atTristan.

He had the blond he’d been talking to earlier, but he was barely paying her any attention. His eyes were focused on Samantha, eating her up with every move. She grinned again, then turned around and hooked her leg up to the top of Devon’s hip. He caught it with his hand, lifting her up to drag her foot along the floor. She had no idea how she’d gotten so lucky, but her two dance partners could have easily been finalists on Dancing with theStars.

Soon the music changed again, she was spun out into the crowd, and her hand was yanked back behind her. She was pulled into a dark alcove over by thestairwell.

Tristan’s head was close to her neck, his voice low and textured. “If we don’t leave soon, there’s going to be a fight,” hepromised.

She tilted her head back, allowing him better access to her throat. “Oh yeah?” she whispered. “Withwho?”

He laughed, because although he was partly serious, this was a game and they both knew it. “Whoever touches you next.” He pulled back a little, just enough to look at her eyes. She palmed the side of his face, her legs already shaking. Because it wasn’t a look of playfulness and lust that stared back at her. It was one of passion, of a need so great it ripped her heart right out of her chest—it was one of admiration, and she wanted to be looked at like that for alleternity.

She pulled in a deep breath, not wanting this dance to end. “Take me to your room,” shewhispered.

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