Page 94 of Cruel Prep (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 1)

But I know that fighting his orders won’t get me what I ultimately want. It never has. It never will.

So, I swallow down my disappointment and open the box.

Inside is a bright red dress… if it can be called that.

I hold it up and see large slits going directly up the front of each thigh, nearly to the hip. A red string is laced up the slit to keep the fabric from flapping open and revealing too much, though I think that line might already be crossed.

“Is this for me?”

“It isn’t for me,” Finn laughs, stepping into his closet and pulling out a garment bag—his suit, I’m sure. “Put it on.”

I hold it up again, my frown deepening. “Finn, I can’t. It’s—”

Finn whips off his shirt, showing off the golden tan torso I’ve actually started dreaming about, and my words die in my throat.

When he shoves down his jeans and is left standing in a pair of black boxer briefs, I forget all of my arguments entirely.

God, I want him.

I want him so badly that I’m willing to do just about anything to please him.

Anything to make him touch me.

To get him to give me what I want.What I need.

So, I bite back my hesitation and pull the dress on.

The slits go up so high that the vibrating panties are visible, so I hike the tight skirt of the dress down as low as I can and pull the panties up. It’s a very indelicate procedure, made all the more indelicate by me nearly losing my balance on my heels and falling on my face, but I manage to stay upright.

I feel naked. Even more naked than I was just a second ago.

With no panties on and the whole of my thighs and hips on display through the laced-over slits, I can’t imagine walking into a school dance like this.

Showing Finn my body is one thing, but my teachers will be at the dance.

My momwill be there.

As I stand in the mirror, studying myself from all angles, I try to explain this to Finn, but he doesn’t seem to hear me.

“My boobs are popping out of it, and one wrong move and my pussy will be on display for everyone.”

“Mypussy,” Finn says, walking up behind me and wrapping his arms around my middle. His hand smooths down my stomach—every dip and curve of which is visible through the skin tight material—until his palm is directly over my heat.

I turn in his arm so we are facing one another and take a moment to marvel at the beauty of him. He has on his suit pants, but no shirt yet, and I drag my fingernails down his pecs and abs.

“That’s just it. I don’t want anyone to see any part of me … except for you.”

I’m surprised by the truth of my words.

Finn seems to be surprised as well. His hands grip my waist and pull me towards him possessively.

For a moment, I feel like I might finally get what I’m so desperate for. Release. Surrender.

Until, just like every other time we’ve had a tender moment all night, Finn pushes me away suddenly and goes to the bed where his shirt and jacket are laid out.

He shrugs into the white shirt, buttoning it with expert fingers. The material is fitted perfectly, showing off the taper in his waist and the strong, square lines of his shoulders.

I turn back to the mirror to hide my disappointment.

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