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An act. Put upon. And yet, it was like becoming drunk, but it wasn’t liquor. It was his attention, no matter how fake. She craved more and more. She wasn’t sure she cared how authentic it was, as long as it spiraled inside of her like joy.
She wanted... In ways she’d never allowed herself to want. It hadn’t been safe on the streets.
But she wasn’t on the streets any longer. She let her hand slide up his arm, curl around his neck. She let her fingers drag across the skin, soft here, like the ends of his hair. She trailed one finger along the line of his hair, then down his jaw.
He stiffened. Looked down at her—not in the disdain she feared, but in a kind of alarmed warning.
She didn’t mind that at all. She was enjoying this too much. The harsh cheekbones, the sensuous mouth. She outlined it all with her finger, letting her body press more and more against him as he moved her. She felt the large, hard length of him pressed to her and shuddered out a sigh.
She wanted him. Because this seemed so fleeting. She wouldn’t be a princess forever, and even if she escaped with her money at the end of this and built a new, quiet, safe life somewhere, it was hard to believe a desire like this would ever follow.
The hand on her back seemed to tighten. “You are playing a dangerous game,asteri mou.” It was an order, a warning. Sharp. Dismissive...almost.
But when she looked from his mouth to his eyes, all that gold told a different story. So she smiled at him, with all she felt swirling inside of her shining through.
“Life is a dangerous game, Lysias. Why not play?”
CHAPTER SIX
THEBOLTOFneed that slammed through Lysias was alarming. His little Al was dangerous, that was for certain. Who would have guessed that might extend past her abilities as a spy?
A hundred thoughts seemed to fight for purchase in his mind. Over the alarming fog of lust, of want. Therewasrational, sensible thought buried underneath those layers. But he struggled to bring them to the surface.
When heneverstruggled. Not anymore.
The music ended. He knew that much from the brush of bodies around them. So he used the hand on the small of her back to lead her away from the dance floor.
He had a plan, and he had to enact it. He could not be distracted by what she was offering. He knew exactly who he wished to slip the namePrincess Zandra Agonasto, but he would have to tear his gaze from Al to find the other woman and that seemed impossible.
No. Nothing was impossible. Not for Lysias Balaskas. He searched the crowd, looking for his quarry. But Al and her wandering hands were a distraction. Enough of one that he led her out of the main room and into the hall. He moved her swiftly, taking her hand in his so it stopped its distracting trip down his shoulder blades.
He cornered her in a little alcove, where he was all in shadow, and a small shaft of light crossed over her face. He meant to lecture her. Tell her that some things were more important than a little flutter of lust, and she would need to learn this lesson.
But looking down at her, he couldn’t seem to find any of those important words. There was only the knowing curve of her smile, the way her breath caught when he moved closer. That impossible burst of heat and need, unfamiliar in its intensity.
Where had this come from?
He meant to ask her—she must know. The words were on the tip of his tongue, he was sure of it. But her mouth was a dangerous, dark red. It glistened, beckoned to him, like a drug. She was a drug.
And he gave in.
He covered her mouth with his. It wasn’t just heat here, but power. He smoothed his hands over the fabric of her dress, tight enough that it allowed him the delicious tour of her body as he used his to press her against the wall behind her.
He did not think of where he was, what his plan had been. His only thought was that she felt like velvet, smelled like something dark, spicy, exotic.
She pressed against him, moaning into his mouth. Her hands clasped in his hair. It was wild. Reckless. And Lysias did notmindthese things, usually quite enjoyed indulging in them, in the right setting.
But this was more... Just more. And it had to be stopped before he forgot his purpose. He pulled away from her, kept her pressed to that wall and held her at arm’s length.
She looked up at him, those dark depths were hazy with lust. With need. And the need echoed so deep within, he nearly forgot himself and everything he was here for. Her breathing came in little pants, and...this was not the place, but that did not mean there wasnoplace.
“Go wait for me in the car,” he said, or growled, the fight for control taking over everything.
“But...”
“You want to play dangerous games...you will win dangerous prizes. I will have you in private, Alexandra.”
She let out a sound. Maybe anoh. Her tongue darted out, pink against her now smudged lipstick. Then she nodded and turned away from him, walking toward the exit.
