Page 167 of Steps

“Yeah, you showed me at the Back River party thattime,” he says, again stopping me from picking up another wine bottle. “Nope.”

Just then The Weeknd’sParty Monsterstartsplaying. “Ugh, love this song.”

I grasp his hand and haul him to the middle of theliving room, cutting my eyes at Kelly and her friend. She snickers at me thenturns away.

Ignoring her, I position before Varen, pull hisarms around my waist, and grind on him to the tempo of the sexy music.

“Oh, whoa, okay,” he gasps, sounding amazed.

I chuckle in a flirty way and tell him, “Maybe Ishould be a little wilder. Don’t you like those types of girls?”

He grips my waist and nibbles on my ear. “No, I’mturned on by one good girl with a bad side.”

Giggling, I twist and rest my head against hisshoulder, inhaling his arousing scent. “What if I stay bad tonight?” I pressinto him until feeling his bulge.

Varen swallows hard and licks his lip. “Careful,princess, I may have to give you a spanking.”

We chuckle softly. He caresses my back and swaysalong with me to the song, then lowers his head to kiss my cheek.

“I love you just the way you are,” he whispers.

Head starting to spin, I press my eyes closed andbreathe deeply, relishing the bliss of being with him.

We continue like that into the next song.

“I never had anything good,” I muffle into hisshoulder. “Can I keep you forever?”

“What’s that?” he asks, lifting a hand to my head.

I ease back a little to look up at him. “Nothing.I love you, too.”

“Pfft.” He shakes his head. “Took you long enoughto say it back.”

“Thirty minutes!” Finn shouts to the room. “Timefor shots!” He raises a tray of clear liquids while his friend stands at theisland pouring more.

Everyone roars and heads over to him.

“Shots of what?” I ask innocently.

Varen spins back to me. “Shots of nothing for you,miss. Don’t even think about it.”

I eyeball him. “Well, you’re drinking.”

“I’m not having any of that shit. I’m driving.”

“Oh.” I glimpse Kelly downing the liquid whilescrewing up her face from the taste. She laughs it off with her friend and goesfor more. She flicks across to me and flashes a cocky grin. A challenge,perhaps. The sight of her pisses me off, probably because she used to be myboyfriend’s fuck buddy.

“Babe?” Varen says, drawing back my attention.“I’m getting water for you.”

“K. I’ll be here.”

He ambles to the kitchen. I groove a little to themusic until my eyes land on a tray on the coffee table. I mosey closer and archto see what it is. “Brownies?”

I pick one up and bite into it. “Mm.” My eyes bugout. The texture is just right. It isn’t dry, and the taste is impeccable.

Varen returns and hands me a bottle of water. Ifinish eating and wash it down.

He crinkles his forehead while observing me. “Uh,did you just have one of those?”

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