Page 6 of Her Power Play

Far away.

My eyes shift past her. I look around the room, and that’s when I see her. The woman I’ve been looking for. She came. She’s standing against the wall, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else but here.

The woman in front of me starts to speak, but I don’t want to hear anything she’s got to say. I’ve got one focus, and one focus only right now. Ignoring her, I take one step to the side. I know it’s rude, but I don’t care right now.

My legs begin to move as I head straight for Cupcake Girl. I know when she realizes I’m heading her way, because her entire body stiffens. Her cheeks turn bright red. I can see her blush from here, and I fucking love that I make her react that way. I act like I don’t notice it, though.

Walking directly to her, I stand in front of her, so close that I can touch her if I want. I don’t. At least not yet. I want her to need my touch when I do finally feel her skin against my fingertips.

Instead, I lift my hand and place my palm against the wall. Dipping my chin slightly so that I can look directly into her eyes, I smile. I’m close enough to her that it would take little effort to kiss her.

“You made it, Cupcake Girl,” I murmur.

“Ruby,” she breathes.

Humming, I shift my face a little closer to hers, so close that it would take almost zero effort to kiss her. “I know your name, Ruby.”

“I shouldn’t be here,” she mutters breathlessly.

No. She shouldn’t. She should be in my bed, where she belongs. I have a feeling that if I told her that, though, she would freak out and run away. Ruby isn’t someone I can look at and just say the first thing that pops into my head. She needs to be wooed a little.

And while I’m not necessarily overly confident in the wooing department, I’m going to give it my best. Because there is more to Ruby than just her sweet cupcakes, and I’m going to find out everything I can… multiple times.

SEVEN

RUBY

I can’t breathe.

He’s so close to me. I can smell his bodywash and shampoo—it’s a cedarwood-and-bourbon combo. It’s out of this world, and I want to run my nose along his entire body to see if he smells like that everywhere.

I’m sure it does—every-single-where.

Inhaling through my nose, I let the air out through my mouth, slowly and deeply. Mainly so that I don’t pass out completely. And then he leans forward, his mouth almost touching mine before he shifts to the side, and I feel his lips on the shell of my ear.

“I’m happy you came.”

His whisper sends a thrill of desire up and then back down my spine. He’s happy I’m here. This cannot be real. This cannot be happening, but then I feel his teeth nip my earlobe, and I almost melt right here on the floor.

Liam shifts his head back slightly, but he stays close to me. The hand that’s not pressed against the wall next to my face curls around my waist. My knees tremble the moment he touches me. Then I feel him flex his arm, tugging me forward, my body pressing against his chest.

His hard. Rock hard. Chest.

“What is happening here?” I ask in a whisper. I am so confused, and I want this to be real, but it feels like it might be some sort of cruel joke.

He chuckles, and I feel really stupid for asking. “We’re getting to know one another, Ruby.”

My lips twitch into a smirk as my gaze searches his. “I don’t remember getting to know anyone by standing so close to them before.”

He doesn’t even flinch, and he doesn’t shift backward at all. He stays close to me, so damn close, and whatever resolve I thought I had—it’s completely gone.

Vanished.

Trembling against him, I can’t help but wonder when my knees are going to completely give out and send me down to the floor.

“Get used to it, Cupcake Girl, because we’re going to be even closer before the night is through.”

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out, and that’s because someone walks up beside us. Both of us turn our heads, and I’m met face-to-face—or rather, face-to-chest—with a man I’ve never seen before.