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“Just that you were clearly out of sync at dinner and then you stage this big dramatic sex thing in the bathroom.” Dillon shrugged. “Feels forced is all.”
Vicky came to a halt and propped her hands on her hips. It was handier to stash them there than to grab hold of Dillon’s sweater and shake him up a bit. She couldn’t solve everything with violence. Sometimes a deft touch was needed.
Lord help them all.
“First of all, I can assure you, it wasn’t dramatic. If you’d been listening outside the door, you would’ve heard us laughing.” Well, laughing and…other things.
Dillon crossed his arms over his chest. “You forget I’ve known my brother even longer than you have. And he doesn’t have sex in public places, excepting that night in the gazebo. Hell, lately he hardly does in private.”
“Not that I want to be having this conversation with you, but we didn’t have sex. Just one of its many variations.” With that, she sailed past Dillon up the hall in search of her missing drink—and her missing lover.
Crisis averted. For now.
Chapter Eight
Cory looked down at the drink in his hand and tried not to bristle at Victoria’s laughter floating across the living room. The guests made quick work of sorting through and boxing some family photo albums and had already moved on to the spiked cocoa and conversation portion of the evening, something Victoria approached with gusto.
It was impossible for him to keep his eyes off her. She melded into the group so naturally, as if she’d always belonged. Her way with his family helped relax him as well, and he found himself making small talk and laughing much more than he usually did.
Just glancing across the room and catching her eye, or smiling as she wiggled her fingers at him from behind her cocktail napkin, improved his mood. There was no denying that her presence had made this gathering more pleasant. Tonight the buzz under his skin was desire, not discomfort.
Now she perched on the sofa between his mother and stepfather and seemed to be having a grand time sans her fake boyfriend. She’d flitted around him but essentially had avoided getting too close since they’d left the bathroom.
He swirled his brandy and considered her, unsurprised by the telltale tightening in his groin. Her about-face had taken him by surprise, especially since she’d been revving pretty hard herself and he hadn’t had a chance to reciprocate. Then again, if she’d decided he was some kind of pervert, maybe she’d resolved to seek her sexual solace elsewhere.
There was a reason he didn’t have a bevy of bed partners beyond his packed work schedule. He couldn’t share his proclivities with just any woman and be certain she wouldn’t gab to the wrong person. Despite her hesitation and his verbal assertions to the contrary, he’d believed Victoria could be the right one. At least for this. Since she refused to see reason enough to keep their relationship platonic, why not push the boundaries a bit?
It wasn’t as if he needed to play submission games all the time. But Victoria had asked for his ultimate fantasy. It required total trust and would result in maximum pleasure for them both. He’d ensure that.
Not that it would ever happen. She gave up control about as easily as he did. Still, a guy could dream.
Or he could take action. There was more than one way to reach a goal after all, and a smart strategist always kept his eyes open for new routes. Maybe this one was it.
He marched across the room and snatched her hand, drawing her with him so fast that whatever she’d been saying died on her tongue. “Sorry, darling. I need you.”
“Oh.” She let out an uneasy laugh. “Okay.”
She made her apologies to his parents before he tugged her away. He didn’t miss his mom’s and stepfather’s indulgent smiles. Just as well they think he was spiriting her away for another quickie.
“What’s gotten into you?” she muttered as he dragged her into the dining room and shut the door.
He leaned back and eyed her, sipping his drink slowly. Seeing her nervous sent a slow throb through his blood. An edge of fear made desire that much sweeter, and he could already see hers burning bright in her tawny eyes. “You’re avoiding me.”
“I’m not.”
Her answer was a little too swift, a little too heated. Just what he’d hoped for. He stepped closer and tipped up her chin with a fingertip. “Did I scare you?”
He didn’t know what answer he preferred more. No…or yes.
She shook her head and let out a tinkling laugh that didn’t soften the worry lines between her brows. “You couldn’t.”
“I think I could.” His finger wandered up to the corner of her mouth before sliding along the fullness of her lower lip. Her involuntary jerk made him smile. “You asked me for my fantasy. I gave it to you. Honestly.”
“I did ask.” Her throat bobbled. “I’m fine with it.”
“Are you now?” His nail trailed along her lip and she darted a look up at him, full of trepidation. And arousal. There could be no missing that. “Have you ever submitted to a man, Victoria?”
She jolted, stumbling back. He caught her with a hand locked around her wrist, holding her in place when he could tell she wanted nothing more than to retreat. But not just because she was unnerved. Excitement leaked from her pores, as fragrant as her earthy scent. “I…no. No, I haven’t. Not the way you mean.”
