Page 47 of One Night Seduction

She pouts but lets it go easily as we make our way inside the hotel lobby. Everyone begins heading in their own direction when I reach for Arianna, pulling her to the side. Her brows furrow as she looks at me before I hand the bag to her.

Tilting her head to the side curiously, I speak.

“Just because you don’t need it, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it.”

Understanding crosses her face, but I turn and move towards the elevators, sliding inside before she can say anything or attempt to refuse my gift.

Ten minutes later, we are all heading to a restaurant just down the road. Dinner goes by very uneventfully. Kelly fills most of the conversation, per usual, and everyone pretends to listen. Except for Arianna and Tyson. He keeps whispering in her ear, making her giggle, and it’s distracting as fuck.

I don’t even realize I’ve got a death grip on my steak knife until the waiter comes over to collect our plates. Releasing my weapon, I notice Tyson watching me with an amused expression. I narrow my eyes at him because I truly don’t understand what he’s playing at.

After our early dinner, the twins beg us to go to the ice cream shop, where everyone but Kelly gets something. She watches us all with distaste as she begins scrolling on her phone. My eyes move around the group to notice one person is noticeably missing. Panic fills me momentarily before Tyson catches my eyes, pointing in the direction of the gazebo. Ifollow his direction, and a swell of relief fills me as I see Arianna snapping pictures while somehow holding her ice cream cone.

“The kids and I are gonna head in for the night,” Marissa says as she begins hugging everyone.

“Night is still young, anyone up for grabbing some beers?”

“Make it a vodka soda and I’m in,” Kelly says as she glances up from her phone.

“Of course, can’t have you consuming more than three calories, princess,” Tom mocks.

She shoots him a narrowed look and shoves his shoulder before continuing to type on her phone.

Slowly, Tom and Kelly begin moving towards the closest pub as Tyson and I pause, glancing towards Arianna. Tyson attempts to wave her over, but she doesn’t see him, too infatuated with the woodwork of the gazebo at the moment.

“I’ve got her,” I say as I begin crossing the street.

“I’m sure you do,” Tyson mutters behind me.

I don’t pay him any attention, though. I’m only a few feet away from her when she turns to the side. I just stand there and watch her for a moment, enthralled, the way I seem to always be when I’m near her.

I watch as her mouth wraps around the top of the ice cream cone, a small amount coating her lips. In the next moment, she sees me beside her. Slowly, she lowers her camera, turning to face me fully as I close the distance between us.

As if I were possessed, as if I had no control over my body whatsoever, I keep moving until our bodies brush against one another. She looks up at me, her tongue darting out to wipe away the vanilla ice cream coating her lips. Missing a little, it begins to drip down her lower lip, and I reach out, brushing it away with my thumb. It’s meant to be a quick move, but it feels like I take minutes to do so.

I can hear her breathing hitch, her pupils dilating as I slowly pull away, lifting the tip of my thumb to my lips and licking it clean. Almost like if I try hard enough, I can taste her, not just sugared frozen cream.

“We’re heading to a pub,” I rasp. “Let’s go.”

Surprisingly, she doesn’t argue or ask questions. Instead, she nods, throwing the rest of her ice cream away in a trash can and following after me.

Chapter Eighteen

Arianna

When I step into the pub, I can feel that my cheeks are still flushing from outside. No, it definitely isn’t from the tepid spring temperature. It’s from Logan staring down at me like I was on the menu, like I was his dessert. Then, when he reached out and wiped ice cream off my lip before sucking it off his finger? Fuck, I’m surprised I stayed standing. In my head, I passed out then and there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so simple yet so erotic in my entire life.

My eyes land on Ty instantly, who is already at the bar with two drinks. He hands me a shot as he lifts one for himself.

“What is this?” I ask.

“Tequila,” he shouts over the music.

“Oh god, what are you trying to do to me?”

“Hopefully get you drunk enough to fall into bed with me,” Ty teases.

Throwing my head back, I laugh at that before taking the shot. I set the glass down against the bar top as I cock an eyebrow at him.