Mark notices the change in my focus and follows my gaze. “Ray, huh?” he says quietly, his tone unreadable.
I stiffen. “What about him?”
Mark shrugs, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. “Nothing. Just... interesting choice.”
I lift an eyebrow. “Choice of what?”
Before Mark can respond, Cassidy and Ray approach, and the switch happens so seamlessly that I don’t have time to protest. One moment I’m in Mark’s arms; the next, I’m facing Ray, my hand in his, my heart hammering against my ribs. “Hey,” he says, his voice low and rough.
“Hey,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.
His hand tightens around mine, his other hand resting lightly on my waist, and suddenly the room feels too warm, too bright. The space between us is almost nonexistent, his body heat radiating through the thin fabric of my dress. He moves with a fluid grace, his eyes never leaving mine, and it’s all I can do to keep my breathing steady.
The music fades into the background, the laughter and clinking glasses around us melting away until it’s just him and me. His thumb brushes against the back of my hand, a small, deliberate motion that sends a shiver down my spine. There’s something dark in his gaze, a mix of desire and longing that pulls me in even as it warns me to stay away.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to avoid me?” he asks in a voice so soft it reminds me of velvet.
I swallow hard to avoid telling him I don’t trust myself around him. I don’t understand why my knees turn to jelly, and my blood rushes in my veins whenever Ray gets near me. I deal with attractive men every single day. Their beauty does nothing to my libido. But when Ray’s deep-set baby-blue eyes lock onto mine, all I want is to surrender to the heat in them.
Forcing a wry smile, I reply, “Paranoid much?”
His lips curve into something that’s almost a smile, but there’s no humor in it. “Or maybe you’re scared of what happens if you don’t avoid me.”
My breath catches, and I can’t find the words. He’s too close, his presence too overwhelming, and yet I can’t bring myself to pull away. The air between us hums with tension, the unspoken weight of everything we’ve been through, everything we’re not saying.
The music shifts, a faster tempo pulling other couples into twirls and spins, but we stay locked in place, moving to a rhythm that’s entirely our own. His grip tightens, pulling me closer, and I can feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat against mine.
“Ray...” I start, but the words falter on my tongue.
He leans in, his breath warm against my ear. “Tell me to stop, Sophia. Tell me to let go.”
I should. I know I should. But I don’t. I can’t. My silence hangs between us, heavy and telling, and when he finally pulls back to look at me, his eyes are filled with raw passion and scorching desire.
The moment stretches, the rest of the world forgotten. He steps back, releasing me as the song ends. I tell myself this attraction I feel is one-sided and get ready to say goodbye. Surprising me, Ray offers his hand. As I take it, he leads the way through the crowded space to a side door hidden behind the panels of flowers. My heart pounds against my ribcage as I walk past him while he holds the door for me. It closes behind us with a soft thud, and he bolts it.
The loud clank echoes in my ears, mingling with the thunder of my heartbeat. His gaze traps mine, and for a moment, neither of us moves. The space between us crackles, charged, until he steps forward, his hand rising to cup my jaw.
Every instinct tells me to step back, to breathe, to stop this before it starts. But I can’t. I’m frozen, drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
Before I have time to decide, Ray pulls me against his hard body, his lips claiming mine with raw intensity. Fire and ice flood my veins as I spear my fingers through his hair. He yanks at mine, and I melt. He walks us backward until I’m propped against a wall, its coolness seeping through the silk of my dress. Heat pools low in my belly, my knees weakening as his lips devour me. I cling to him, my body a riot of sensations I can’t contain.
“Fuck, that’s hot!” I groan, sucking his lower lip. When he chuckles against the sensitive skin of my neck, I beg, “Please, don’t stop.”
“I’m just starting, gorgeous,” he promises, his hands sliding down my curves as he kneels in front of me, his gaze blazing with intent.
8
SOFIA
We’re isolated in some kind of storage room with discarded furniture and props from forgotten parties. The humming of voices and music beyond the locked door might well be coming from a galaxy away for all I know. Everything is surreal, for sure. Yet the only thing that counts is that we are here. All the rest is background noise and backdrop decor for what’s about to happen. Goosebumps spread all over my skin as anticipation makes my heart hammer inside my chest.
“We’re doing this? Right here?” I breathe out.
“Only if you really want us to.” Ray offers me the wickedest smile in response.
His face is barely visible under the faint glow of the Christmas lights outside the panoramic windows. But his intentions couldn’t be cleared as his fingers move up my thighs, under the skirt of my dress, until they find the elastic of my panties. They remain there as he waits for my reply. At the same time, his dominance pours out of him in waves. He might be kneeling but I don’t question who’s in charge here. Ray is. And the submissive in me wants to come out to play so fucking badly right now.
“I do,” I moan because the desire to surrender to him has just multiplied by a million. “Sir.”
