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The man chuckles. "There is, so be careful." But… His eyebrows lift a little. "Not too careful, if you know what I mean."
I take another sip and try to suss out the alcohol flavor. Usually, alcohol tastes very strong to me. But my second sip confirms that there is absolutely no alcoholic undertone.
I don't know if I should be more or less worried about that.
"So what are you doing here?" Burn asks. "Are you from out of town or something?"
I take another sip of the elixir while Olivia answers for us both. She shakes her head. "Nope. We are from Harwicke, born and raised. We're just not usually out socializing with this set of people." She looks around her, taking it all in. "I guess we’re normal."
I snort, and she looks at me, elbowing my ribs. I hide my reaction to it by taking another long drink of elixir. When I look up, I find Burn staring at me with a mischievous smile.
His piercing blue eyes skewer me, seeming to be able to see to the bottom of who I am and how much I am worth. I glance away, but the feeling that I am being judged doesn't fade.
I hate to think what I am worth in Burn's estimation. If I had to guess, I would say not much at all. But in the next second, he surprises me.
"Has anyone ever told you that you have very pretty eyes?"
"My eyes?" I croak, suspicious. “What do you mean?”
"Yeah. They are sort of a deep blue that you don't see every day. They’re sexy."
He thinks I am sexy? The idea is unfathomable.
My cheeks turn the color of a beet. I open my mouth to respond. But Burn just shakes his head and laughs.
"Don't argue with me. I can tell that you want to. You just need to relax and enjoy yourself at this party. You're so freaking uptight."
I glance at Olivia, my brow furrowing. But Olivia is talking to another young man, her body turned a quarter of a turn away from mine. She is entirely absorbed by the conversation and seems to be having a good time.
I swallow. Is Burn right? Do I just need to stop imagining that everyone at this party is out to get me?
Burn's big hand comes down on the back of my shoulder like a burning brand. I tried to brush it off and wiggle out from under his grasp, but he just grips me harder. "I know what we need."
The words are spoken in a loud whisper, and his face is suddenly very close to mine. Close enough that I can smell his aftershave, the delicious bergamot scent winding around me. I close my eyes for just a moment, inhaling the scent, and a shudder runs through me.
Is this normal? Do other girls go to parties just like this one to have handsome men like Burn complement their eyes and touch their shoulders? Because if so, I can suddenly see why these parties keep happening.
It feels deliciously good to have someone as gorgeous as Burn paying attention to me.
"You know what you need?" he asks.
My eyes flicker open and my lips part. I look up into his aquiline gaze and think about how it would feel for him to kiss me. Would it feel nice? When I find being kissed by this handsome rich boy very thrilling?
I lick my lips, feeling a vague want.
I am very aware of Burn's sudden movements, of where his hands are, of every expression that crosses his face. I think… I think I might be tipsy. I've only had a little bit of the elixir, which I am still clutching, but I am having an out-of-body experience somehow.
Burn tilts his head towards the back of the room. "Have you ever been to the VIP area?"
I frown, shaking my head. "This is our first time here,” I say by way of explanation. As if that were the only reason that I hadn't been invited before.
"You should come to the back area with me. Your friend as well. We should all do a shot. And then we can play a game."
"A game?" With a snort, I ask the question, "What kind of game?"
I’m uneasy with the amount of attention Burn is paying me. Why is this rich guy with his carved cheekbones and his beautiful blue eyes interested in me?
He shrugs a shoulder, his gaze leaving mine and wandering down to my shoulder. He sweeps away the bit of copper-colored hair that he finds there, pushing it back with his fingers. His skin brushes against mine ever so slightly, but it causes a shock wave to run through my bloodstream.
