Into You

EIGHTEEN

HUNTER MAXWELL

Pulling the chair she was sitting on closer to me was easy. I had done it without thinking...but it was more comfortable to talk this way. Hearing her gasped in surprise made me smile.

"Do you still want to check out the room?" I asked huskyly before taking a bite of her strawberry cake.

It was tastier than the one on my plate. Her eyes narrowed, stabbing my fork when I reached for a second bite.

Greedy woman.

I gently laid my fork back on my plate.

In response to my question, she nodded her head. Then smiling cheekily, her lashes fluttering she asked, "What do you think of being my accomplice?"

To avoid trouble, it was probably safer to be with her. "Count on me as your sidekick."

Using my finger, I swiped the frosting from the corner of her mouth. I wanted to lick the sweetness off her lips, but this wasn't the right place with many eyes watching us.

And my type of play was private. Pleasing and teasing her was going to take a long time. The idea of the two of us filled my head. I'd let her rest only when she couldn't scream anymore.

It was difficult not to touch her, so I held her hand under the table. She blushed and leaned into the chair. I felt the warmth radiating from her body, and it made want her more.

Finally, after an hour, the organizers dimmed the lights. It allowed the dancers to perform for the guests. More alcohol was going to be served soon. There were no security guards stationed in the hallway. Exactly the right time for us to leave. If I wasn't mistaken the room was a bit further down from the dance floor and closer to where the ice sculptures were.

"So, are you ready Ms. Badass?" I didn't wait for a reply. I scanned the crowd before helping her up and leaving our table. Ace and his men did their part and discreetly blocked everyone from approaching us.

"What if they catch us in the room?" she asked curiously, tugging on my jacket. I glanced back at her. "They won't. We'll be in and out before they even know we're there."

I gave her a reassuring smile and we ran off.

Then I smirked. "It's not difficult to tell that we're lovers wanting some alone time."

"Oh, that's actually a reasonable explanation," she blushed. "You always have an answer to everything."

"If you feel uncomfortable about lying, we can make it real."

She pushed me toward the door but not before she looked left and right as if she were in a spy movie. "Be serious."

Funny how she was afraid of getting caught, but rarely did anyone try to offend me. My reputation for dealing ruthlessly with people who had crossed me in the past was widely known in our circle.

I opened the door and locked it behind us. A working fireplace and a brown leather couch decorated the somber gray room. Floor-to-ceiling shelves held thick old books. My first impression was that I had stepped into the past, especially in the corner with the heavily carved oriental wardrobe that dominated the room. I examined it, and found it empty inside.

There was a musty smell in the air that reminded me of old libraries. A massive oak desk sat in the middle, adorned with a single lamp and a stack of papers. While it was more of an office than a library, I understood why she thought it was one.

I observed her stare at one of the paintings in awe. The painting was of an older woman smelling a white rose. Her expression conveyed a sense of loneliness to me. But there was nothing impressive about the painting.