Page 6 of Reckless Games

“A little,” I admit since he doesn’t seem like a man who misses any of my tells as I shift from one foot to the other and fidget. “What is all this?”

Adam smirks, so close to a smile I’m tempted to capture it to hold the warmth it draws inside me.

“The party?”

“This whole week. The party. The getaway. The invitation. What is it?” We’re all here on blind faith, and I can’t be the only one wondering, even if everyone else in the room probably knows better than to ask.

“It’s whatever you want it to be.” Adam drops his hands to his sides, even though there’s nothing relaxed about him. “Stay and find out for yourself.”

“I thought there was no leaving.” It’s what the invite said.

Not until the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eveand the cars arrive once more to whisk us away.

“Technically, you could try.” Adam reaches for my hair, brushing my curls behind my ear, before trailing his fingers down my neck. And I swear I’ve never been touched by a man with the way it lights my skin on fire because Adam makes my past year of celibacy feel like a lifetime. “But I might be tempted to chase you if you did.”

Heat pools in my belly as his fingers brush down my throat, my shoulder, my arm. A path that might as well be gasoline, and his devious stare is the match to ignite it.

I’m fighting for air, frozen with my empty champagne glass on the verge of shattering from my grip. And as Adam pulls back and smirks, there’s no doubt he’s relishing in the blush burning my cheeks.

“I have to attend to some things.” He straightens his suit jacket. “But tonight, you’re mine, unless you’ve already decided to run.”

He smirks, turning and walking away without so much as glancing back.

You’re mine.

I’m not sure what that means. But as my eyes follow Adam, disappearing through the crowd, and I take in the slowly evolving scene, I’m positive I’m in over my head.

People are already getting handsy and comfortable. And the silence from the hallway, when we all arrived, is now being filled with giggles and conversation.

“Welcome,” Adam’s voice echoes through the room, and I nearly jump.

I’m not sure a voice has ever been a turn-on before, but everything about the man now standing at the base of the staircase makes my head swim.

Adam rubs his palms together in front of him, facing the room. And we all fall silent for him.

“Thank you all for coming to my little party.”

Littleis the last word I’d use to describe it. And from his amused smile, I’m sure he knows that.

“For the next week, I want you to feel free to make my home, your home. Everywhere you can access is within limits. And beyond that, there are none apart from the code you agreed to before arriving.”

Code is a loose word for the paragraph at the end of the waiver I signed in the car. It boiled down toconsent is required, but past that, anything agreed upon is fair game. And while I wasn’t sure why that was necessary, it’s quickly becoming clear.

“If you need anything, my staff is on hand twenty-four seven to assist.” He claps his hands, and I jump, drawing the attention of the few people around me. “Other than that, enjoy. And happy holidays.”

I’m not sure a holiday greeting has ever been masked in the kind of wickedness his statement bleeds. But two words and I’ve never craved the holidays more.

Claps and a few whistles come from the crowd as Adam disappears with two men in suits, and I turn back to the bar to replace my empty champagne glass with a full one.

The invite and rumors might have suggested this holiday retreat is for indulging fantasies, but I assumed it was exaggerated. This kind of thing is for movies, not the real world.

Holiday parties are for dinner, dancing, fancy reindeer games, or something equally ridiculous. But as the room loosens and the evening progresses, I realize any rumors might be truer than I thought.

And I’ve never been so far from home.

Digging in my purse, I fish out the card I was handed when I turned over my invitation. It’s a small key card with a room number on the back.

“Already leaving?” A man’s voice comes up beside me, and I tuck my card away.

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