Page 28 of Rejected Mate

Callan was doing fine, but his smug attitude was grating on my nerves. Besides, it was time to work on my plan.

“Let’s go… over there.” I nodded behind me to where Ares and Laurel were dancing. “Closer to the open window. I’m a bit overheated.”

Callan’s eyes narrowed, but he complied. “You aren’t hot,” he quipped. “But, yes. As you wish.”

He began to waltz me in the direction I had indicated. Soon, we were twirling near Laurel and Ares, exactly where I needed to be.

Over the music, I heard her talking, though I couldn’t discern what she was saying. Her high-pitched voice droned on and on, with Ares nodding between turns. He wasn’t speaking much, which I took as a good sign. It meant his attention could be diverted.

When we were close, I threw my head back and laughed as if Callan had said the most hilarious thing I’d ever heard. Leaning close, I whispered, “Maybe I judged you too harshly. Your dancing isn’t so bad.”

His eyes watched me calculatingly. He nodded and then pressed his lips to my ear. “I know what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing?” I said, pushing my smile to its limits.

“It’s fine. I also quite enjoy making Ares squirm. He deserves any torture we can create. Here, let me help you.”

Callan stopped dancing mid-step, pulled me in, and kissed me.

I was expecting to hate Callan’s lips on mine, his body pressing close to me until I could feel every hard inch of him. I was expecting my gag reflex to kick in or my hands to reach for his throat—desires I would have fought to make sure Ares thought it was the best kiss of my life.

What I was not expecting was toenjoyCallan’s kiss.

But I was.

A lot.

It was clear he’d been with a lot of women. The kiss was passionate and sexy, his expert lips and tongue bringing me more pleasure than I ever would have thought possible. One firm hand held my back while the other gripped my cheek, his thumb slipping along my jawline as he pulled me in closer. My body awoke with desire as my hands fisted into his jacket. Pressing against him, I left no room for doubt I was enjoying every inch he had to offer.

“Get a room.” Laurel’s voice cut into my ecstasy.

I let go of Callan and stepped back. He gave me an impish grin before leaning in to whisper, “If that was acting, you deserve the Oscar.”

Oh, crap!Acting. I was supposed to be acting, but I’d gotten lost in the moment. Or was it another example of vampire enthrall? I stepped away from Callan and whirled to look for Ares, but he was gone, his back disappearing through a far door.

He’d left? He’d left his own ball? Had he seen and become upset? Or was he simply unamused? Had I made a terrible mistake?

I looked for answers from Laurel, but she was heading toward the washroom. I thought to follow, but saw two of her minions flocking after her. There was no point in trying to talk to her in front of an audience.

When I began to leave the dance floor, a hand closed around my wrist.

“Where are you going, princess? We are surely not done here.”

I stared down at Callan’s hand clamped onto my wrist…

And then I hauled back and punched him.

It hurt like hell, but the sound my fist made when it crashed into his perfect jaw was completely worth it.

He stepped back, holding his cheek as his eyes narrowed.

“Never kiss me without my permission again,” I said, a finger on my uninjured hand in his face. “Or more than your face will be hurting.”

His eyes narrowed, but then the sliver of a smile appeared. “As you wish, princess.”

Unable to process any of what had happened, I whirled on my heel and made a beeline for the door. I could go back to my room, lick my wounds, and think.

Pushing open the door, I slipped into the hallway. No guards. They were all busy inside. It wasn’t like I could escape with the spell they had on all the windows and doors. I didn’t need guards, anyway. I could find my room by my damn self. It was down the hall, two lefts, then a right.

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