Page 12 of An Heir Made In Hawaii (Hot Winter Escapes)

“For once we agree.”

His chuckle caressed her skin. She swallowed hard and tried to focus on the dancers as their hands wove a story in the air, their bodies moving in perfect harmony. At the end they paused before lowering their arms to their sides. Thunderous applause broke out. The dancers bowed. As they walked off, a small orchestra set up on the adjoining patio began to play. A sensual, jazzy melody wound its way over the crowd.

Slowly, Anika turned to face Nicholas. Her breath caught in her chest. His all-black ensemble, from his coat and pants to the collared shirt with the undone top button giving a tantalizing glimpse of his chest, made her think of a demon.

Or the devil.

The man had certainly tempted her in more ways than one over the last couple of days.

He returned her frank perusal with one of his own.

“You look beautiful.”

Pleasure bloomed in her chest. She glanced down at her dress, an off-the-shoulder sky blue gown with a bodice that clung to her like a second skin until it flared into a waterfall skirt that showed off her legs in the front and fell in gentle waves in the back down to her silver sandals. She’d discovered it in a secondhand clothing store back in Bled and bought it for herself.

But the heated gleam of appreciation in Nicholas’s eyes certainly didn’t hurt.

“Thank you.” She cleared her throat. “I was worried.”

A smile spread across his face.

“About me? I’m touched.”

“Worried I might have sent you running back to your penthouse with your tail between your legs.”

He leaned down. “I think you’re more worried that I’m not scared off, Anika. It would be easier, wouldn’t it, if I was, instead of thinking about you constantly?”

Speechless, she stared up at him.

“I need to mark this on my calendar. The first time Anika Pierce has never had a witty comeback.”

Thrown by the heat in his words, scared by her body’s response, she latched on to the first thing she could think of.

“Don’t think you can seduce me into signing that proposal, Nicholas.”

The teasing light disappeared in an instant, replaced by a harsh intensity that made her swallow hard.

“Dance with me.”

Her mouth dropped open. “What?”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the dance floor. She opened her mouth to tell him to go to hell, tensed her arm as she prepared to yank out of his grasp.

But she didn’t. Because a wicked, decadent part of her wanted one dance, just one, with the man who made her feel sexy and beautiful and vibrant.

He’s still a colossal ass.Doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself.

Comforting herself with that thought, she followed him out onto the terrace, placing her now-empty glass on a passing tray. People were dancing, most just swaying in place, although some executed a few complicated moves that made her eyes widen.

Nicholas suddenly turned to face her. She managed to stop before running into him, but his abrupt turnabout left her mere inches from his chest. He released her hand and she knew a moment of embarrassment. Had he dragged her out here just to make a fool of her? Was this payback for her grilling him at the end of his presentation?

And then he touched her. Electric shock spiraled outward from where he placed one hand, possessively, on her lower back. His other hand rested briefly on her hip, then drifted slowly up her side, his fingers nearly grazing but just barely avoiding her breast before they trailed down her arm. By the time he wrapped his hand around hers and spun her into a turn, anticipation beat a tempo so fiercely in her veins she almost felt faint.

“I don’t use sex to get what I want.”

His words penetrated the haze of pleasure that had descended over her. She blinked, then focused on the irate expression on his face.

“I find that hard to believe,” she managed to retort.

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