Page 27 of His Dark Hunger

“Okay, sir.” She blinked at him as though she was a little kid and he’d just promised her an ice cream.

“Okay?” His thumb caressed her chin. “Think you can handle my demands for the night?”

He considered kissing her again but decided against the idea. Not that he didn’t want to, didn’t wanther—having her around meant he always craved her, and having Jonah in residence had proved to be something of a buzz kill—but truly, they had other things to do than just enjoy each other. He had four of his oldest friends—hisonlyfriends, really—about to arrive, and he wanted everything to be perfect.

That was the only problem with Amy. She might be the sweetest distraction he’d ever known, but a diversion she stillwas. He wanted to be there to greet his guests, and she—his little server for the evening—should be liaising with Leonard about the timing of the first course.

“I’ll have to, sir.” She managed a small smile.

“That’s right.” He fisted her hair gently, once again toying with the idea of devouring her, but the headlights stretching through the glass behind her convinced him there definitely wasn’t time. “You have to, little girl. The guests have just arrived.”

Chapter Ten

Dinner

Amy

Peering around the door frame, the nervous energy swirling in her stomach knotted. Five men were waiting for her in Kyle’s enormous dining room, all of them dressed in fine-looking suits and quaffing the bottles of red wine she’d left on the table, while she trembled in the same kinky outfit she’d worn for Kyle on numerous occasions.

At least he saved me from the initial torment of serving them drinks.

She pressed her lips into a hard line as she watched the guy with the dark blond hair nearest her drain the latest bottle, her anxiety rearing. Kyle had offered to deal with the wine so she could focus on delivering the food, but if they were running out of bottles, then she’d have no choice but to get in there and replace them.

Time to put on my big girl pants.Her fingers tightened on the wooden frame.I’ve got this.

She knew she did. She’d overcome greater adversity with Kyle in the last few days than she’d ever thought was possible, and, in that time, she’d started to learn about herself. Whatever happened, she could handle five men… even if the dread tethering inside her begged to differ.

“The first course is ready, lassie.”

She turned at the sound of Leonard’s voice, simultaneously agitated and relieved by the news. Avoiding Kyle’s guests since their arrival had seemed like a plausible plan, but hiding from them wouldn’t work for much longer. Better that she got in there and faced them. Maybe that would quell the rising waves of trepidation in her tummy.

“Thank you, Leonard.”

“He has ye back in that costume again, I see.” Leonard grinned, eyeing her breasts as she stepped forward.

“I like the outfit.” Reaching for the first of five small plates of Caprese salad, she was once again struck by how little her near-nakedness appeared to bother her around Leonard anymore. Sure, she didn’t love the guy, and she’d have preferred not to be dressed that way in front of him, but after days of dancing to Kyle’s drum, there was an ease to her movement that had been sorely lacking before. “I think I look rather good in it.” She lifted her chin, daring him to defy the point, and the stunned glint in his eyes conveyed how little he’d anticipated her pushback.

“Aye.” His hands rose in a gesture of conciliation. “Ye do.”

“Thanks.” She suppressed her wry amusement at his discomfited response.

Let him feel awkward for a change. She was fine with that.

At first, she’d been ashamed to be dressed up like a naughty maid for their employer—she thought she was too old, too ugly, and too damn unworthy of the attention—but being half-dressed a lot of the time and experiencing pleasurefrom Kyle seemed to have forged an unexpected benefit. She’d grown accustomed to being virtually nude, and in doing so, an odd acceptance of herself had settled over her. She wasn’t as young as she used to be, but her body was still beautiful, and despite the way she’d treated it in recent years—thanks in large part to her limited finances—she deserved to finally be at peace with that concept.

Kyle and his constant desire to see her, she realized, had helped her become more comfortable with her own body. His passion for her was enveloping, like a protective veil, and meant the judgment of others, like Leonard, was less effectual than it used to be. Taking the first two plates from him, she could only hope the defensive quality would extend beyond the chef to Kyle’s friends.

She crossed the floor to the door she’d concealed herself behind and pulled in a deep breath. This was it. She’d go in there with the same confidence she’d just exhibited to Leonard and make Kyle proud.

Fuck it, I’ll make myself proud!

She still hadn’t had the opportunity to speak to Kyle about her trial ending or what happened next, but she knew what he expected from her that evening, and there was a strange solace in that.

Pushing the door open, the click of her shoes resonated around the immense room, ending whatever conversation had been flowing at the other end of the table.

“I have your first course, gentlemen.” Apprehension shifted her into gear, forcing her chin to rise as she started thelong and agonizing walk down the length of Kyle’s oversized table.

“Aww, here she is.” Pride echoed in Kyle’s voice, and as her gaze flitted to his out of instinct, she watched him motion in her direction. “The lady of the moment. Guys, may I introduce Amy.”

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