Page 26 of The Billionaire's Bride
"And I still struggle to get students."
"It’s what you love," I insist.
"If only passion were enough to put food on the table."
"You’re only getting started." I lean forward, "If you persevere… As long as you are doing what fires you up, you are bound to be successful."
She blinks. "Wow, that’s some speech, Baron."
My neck heats. "It’s true, though," I insist. "You’re such an incredible dancer, Ava. Don’t give up."
She smiles and her green eyes light up. "Thank you," she murmers, "I needed to hear that. Maybe one of these days, I'll even have the courage to sign up for the World Belly Dancing championships."
"Oh, you definitely should. Bet you'd win the first prize too."
"I'd settle for simply not falling flat on my face." She laughs.
"You could never do that. You have too much talent to do anything but excel at anything that you put your mind too."
"Wow," she blinks, "you have no idea how much it means to me, to hear you say that."
Don’t lose faith in yourself." I gaze at her earnestly. "Promise me that."
She licks her lips and my eyes drop to her mouth. "Say you promise," I coax her.
"I promise," she whispers.
Her words are soft, her lips slightly parted. I move in closer, close enough to smell that jasmine and raspberry scent of hers. The blood instantly drains to my groin. My dick thickens. My thighs harden. I lower my head to hers, and she swallows. I push the hair away from her forehead and she trembles. I place my mouth in front of hers, close enough to share breath and a moan bleeds from her lips.
"Ava," I whisper, "fuck, you’re beautiful."
She stares into my eyes, her pupils dilated. Her chest rises and falls and color smears her cheeks. I brush my lips across hers—once, twice—and she sways. I slide my hand behind her neck, hold her in place as I deepen the kiss. I lick across her mouth and she gasps. I slide my tongue in between her lips and she moans. I press down on her chin and she opens her mouth. I suck on her tongue, sweep my tongue across her teeth, pull her close enough for her hair to brush my face. The scent of her sinks into my skin; the taste of her goes straight to my head. I slide off my stool, push her legs apart and step between them.
A groan rips out of me and she shudders. She slides her arms under my jacket, digs her fingers into my back, and my dick lengthens. I pull her to the edge of her stool, thrust my hardness into her center. She gasps, straining against me, thrusting her breasts into my chest. Something crashes to the floor and I tear my mouth from hers, stare at her flushed features, those dilated eyes that indicate just how aroused she already is.
"Ava," I whisper and she shakes her head.
"We shouldn’t."
"Why not?" I growl. "You want me, I want you."
"It’s not right, to Edward."
"Don’t talk about him," I snap.
She frowns up at me. "I thought we were all going to get along."
I snort, "I agreed to tolerate him."
"You agreed to give this arrangement a chance."
"Doesn’t mean I can’t kiss you."
"You can." She tilts her head, "Just know that I won’t sleep with you."
"Wait, what?" I scowl. "What the hell do you mean?"
"I’m not sleeping with either of you, until I figure out where this is going."
