Page 7 of Dancing with the Enemy

“You look beautiful,” I say, and when she blinks in shock, I can’t resist adding: “Though there’s no need to dress up for me, sweetheart. You could seduce me in a garbage bag.”

True, all true.

“Such high standards.” Violet rolls her eyes, but she can’t hide the pink tinge to her cheeks. She’s pleased to see me too. “You should really work on that.”

“Oh, I am.” Every time I make her blush, or laugh, or roll her eyes, I’m raising the bar. Isn’t that obvious?

Violet lets me cup her bare elbow and draw her into my arms, though we’re far away from the dance floor. Her body curves against mine and her arms wind around my neck, even as she scowls at me from beneath her bangs. She might hate me, but her body disagrees.

“I’m working incredibly hard,” I say.

And it’s true: I’m working hard to torment her.

Towinher.

To make her feel as jumbled up and lost as I do; to make sure I’m not in this alone.

Because it’s not fair that I dream about Violet Moore every night while she swans about, living her carefree life. It’s not fair that she wrinkles her nose at me, full of contempt, and meanwhile I bite my fist in the shower every morning, choking back her name.

She’s stolen my power. Ensnared me with her witchy ways.

ButIknow she wants me too. She can’t hide from me.

Spreading a palm over her lower back, I press us closer, sealing our bodies together. Violet’s heart beats rapidly, knocking against my chest, and she’s so soft, so feminine, her scent laced with berries. My stomach growls.

Yes.It’s taken us too damn long to come even this far.

“I loathe you,” Violet murmurs, though she’s gazing up at me through her lashes.

My chest burns. “The feeling is entirely mutual.”

“I’m serious,” she says, even as her arms wind tighter around my neck; even as she pushes onto her toes, bringing our mouths a single breath apart. “You are the most irritating man I’ve ever met. I go to sleep every night cursing your name.”

“Stop flirting with me.”

Our noses brush together, and we’re spinning in slow circles—never mind that the band is playing a fast song. Never mind that this is public. Colleagues glance over at us and whisper, and there are a few muffled laughs. We’re causing a spectacle, but I don’t care.

Ido notcare.

“If you kiss me,” I say, “I’ll call for HR.” Our mouths get closer, almost brushing together, and my heart’s booming now, pulse slamming in my ears. Every cell in my body is tense, on edge, urging her todo it, do it, do it.

Will she do it? Will she kiss me at last? I’ll die if she won’t. I’ll keel over onto the nearest sun lounger, struck down in my prime.

“Ifyoukissme,I’ll chew off your tongue,” Violet returns, and she’s plastered so close I can feel every curve and dip of her body against mine. Could map her with my eyes closed. It’s everything I thought it would be: hot and sweet and agonizing.

Despite the turmoil inside my chest, my shrug is casual. “Might be worth the risk. Do I even use my tongue that much?”

Violet snorts. “Iknewyou’d be that kind of guy.”

And she’s so aggravating, such a shameless little harpy, that I growl as I duck down to nuzzle her ear. I’m squeezing her hips now, hard enough to wrinkle her dress, and I should ease off on her but I can’t. We’ve started something here and I can’t stop it, no matter how many of our colleagues keep stealing glances. My body has taken the wheel.

If I step away, I’ll break the spell. This will be over too soon, and what if I have to wait years for my next taste?

No. Need to drag this out. Need to commit every detail of this moment to memory: Violet’s warm skin, her husky voice, the scent of chlorine from the nearby pool. All of it.

Because she said so herself: this woman loathes me. And who can blame her? Over the last few years, I’ve made it my personal mission to wind Violet Moore up like a clockwork doll. I’ve pushed and prodded and teased until she can barely stand five minutes in my presence, and it’s all my fault, all my own short-sighted idiocy, but something about this woman short-circuits my brain.

Monkey see, monkey tease.

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