The raw, desperate reaction shoots straight to my cock.
Overwhelming heat floods me. I shift closer, grinding the solid line of my erection against her lower back. Letting her know exactly what she does to me, exactly how much I crave her.
She plucks the glass from me. Her small, calloused fingers slide underneath mine. Tiny scars stand out on the soft skin of the back of her hand.
From training or from fights?
Somehow, those marks only heighten her allure.
I’m losing the tactical advantage, distracted by her body, her scent, and those soft, desperate pants.
I want to shove her against the pillar and strip that dress off her. Fuck her right here in the shadows while?—
Thunderous applause erupts, and Nika jerks. She stumbles forward, breaking contact and putting three feet of space between us. She weaves slightly on her heels before regaining her balance.
I lean against the pillar to conceal my reaction as she spins to face me fully.
A flush colors her cheeks, and her chest rises and falls too fast. Her breathing’s ragged and uncontrolled. She looks…
Wrecked.
She may insist she only wants the necklace, but I know better. And damn if I don’t want her too.
With blown pupils, she appraises me, her gaze traveling down my chest, my stomach, and stopping at the bulge straining against my pants.
Her lips curve into a knowing smile. “You lie, too, Max.”
“Oh, I never said I didn’t want you. I may be an asshole, but at least I’m an honest one.”
She raises her untouched beverage. “My turn.”
Then she whirls around and drifts toward the bar.
I watch her go, admiring her swaying hips and stunning ass. Those blood-red heels click against the marble in perfect rhythm, betraying none of the wobble from moments ago.
She winks at me from over her shoulder, and I salute her with my glass.
Checkmate.
With a little wave, she heads toward the exit.
Dammit.
I’m trailing behind her before I even consciously decide to do so.
She can’t leave. Not now, with the tension between us ready to snap.
Her glossy white hair disappears through the ballroom doors, and of course I follow.
She’s the center of my gravity now too.
Chapter 7
Nika
I don’t run from the hotel. I walk, my heels clicking against slick pavement in a confident rhythm that suggests I know exactly what I’m doing.
Behind me, the gala’s golden glow spills through the windows, the auctioneer’s voice carrying all the way out here.
