Again, I opened my mouth to say something, anything to get my control in place. His hand moved up from my hip, over the curve of my waist, and cupped a breast, stilling my words. A finger rolled over the nipple, beading it to a stiff peak. A small moan crept from my parted lips, and when his scruff gently scraped the tender skin of my neck, I whimpered. My knees buckled. I sank against him, his steel body bracing me kept me from sinking to the floor. His free hand rose to my neck, his fingers wrapping one by one around my throat, tipping my head back to his shoulder. I closed my eyes, anticipating his lips on mine.
Instead, he ran his nose along my jaw. “So beautiful.” His hot breath ghosted my lips. When I tried to pull away, his grip on my neck tightened. Yet, all I felt was desire—raw, wanton, and unashamed. I opened my eyes and met his gaze. Mesmerized by the wild hunger in those smoky depths, I was vaguely conscious of my surroundings, that anyone could walk in on us, that Rayden—the abrupt reminder pushed me out of his embrace. I stumbled back a step, but his hand on my arm held me steady as if he expected my reaction.
“They’re ready to go,” I mumbled and walked out. Behind the closed door of my room, I leaned against it, breathing hard. “Oh, my God. How am I aroused by a man with whom I’d spent just one night?” Tilting my head back, I stared at the ceiling, trying to get my emotions under control. Rayden was a beautiful man, who’s touch left me craving him. How then was my body reacting to his father with such desperation? Why were my panties so soaked and the ache between my thighs so intense, I couldn’t wait for him to touch me, to kiss me, to satiate that burn? I closed my eyes and shook my head, hating that I couldn’t answer my frazzled brain. This was going to be a very long day indeed. The idea of hiding in my room popped into my head, and I immediately squashed it. Kyra would be on my case. With a soft sigh, I dragged my feet to the bathroom.
After the incident in his bedroom, I kept my distance from Drake. I sat behind him throughout the forty-five-minute ride in his SUV and kept myself plastered to the door to prevent catching his gaze in the rearview mirror. To my delight, when we arrived at the resort, they were hosting some ski race the family knew nothing about. Instead of sticking around until they finished, Kyra suggested we catch a movie.
“So, comedy or action?” Kyra asked twenty minutes later as we stood in the theatre foyer.
“Comedy,” Tamara and I said in unison, laughing.
At the same time that Rayden and Kyra both said, “action.”
Three pairs of eyes turned to Drake while I dropped mine to the floor.
“What’s it going to be, dad?” Rayden asked.
I looked up in time to catch Drake’s lazy smile before he said, “comedy.”
Tamara and I fist-bumped then laughed when Rayden rolled his eyes at his father. “You’re supposed to be on our side, dad. Since when do you like comedies.” His brow shot up.
“Sorry, son, I feel like a good laugh.”
“Fine. Comedy, it is,” Rayden muttered.
“Why don’t you and Kyra go watch the action movie, and we three will take in the comedy.”
Tamara’s suggestion had the blood freezing in my veins. The last thing I wanted was to be alone in a dark theatre with Drake next to me. My fear stemmed not from avoidance but more from my reaction to his touch if my response in his bedroom was anything to go by. The lack of space in the theatre would result in our bodies touching at some point. Like a goddamn magnet, his gaze pulled mine. The corner of his mouth twitched as though reading my mind. His tongue rolled over his bottom lip like he couldn’t wait to taste me. I ignored the tiny quiver the thought invoked and looked away.
Thankfully, Rayden declined. “Nope. Comedy it is.”
My glee, however, was short-lived when I found myself in a seat between Rayden and Drake. How the hell that happened, beat me. I was about to ask Rayden to swap seats with me when Drake leaned close to my ear.
“Relax, princess. I won’t bite. Promise.”
An abrupt shiver skimmed the ridges of my spine. Gulping down my gasp, I glanced at him, but his eyes were on the screen. Was my state of panic that obvious?
“Popcorn?” he held out the treat without looking at me.
“No, thanks.” I picked up my slush instead and downed half of it, then stopped with a soft groan.Shit.I shook my head and rolled my jaw as brain freeze hit. Hearing Drake’s soft chuckle, I turned to find his eyes on me, one brow cocked as if questioning my stupidity. Without thinking, I stuck out my tongue. He laughed harder. Smiling at my childishness, I shifted my gaze to the screen. Thankfully, the others laughed at a scene, and a couple of minutes later, I managed to stay my arousal to concentrate on the rest of the movie.
When we returned from the movies, I decided to go for a walk to cool my nerves. Given I was an anxious wreck all through lunch, I needed space to breathe, away from Rayden’s family. I left them chatting about Christmas Eve dinner. Slipping my phone out of my pocket, I dialed Ruvash.
“Hey, sweets,” his voice crackled over the air. “Sorry, reception’s not the greatest here. I’m on some mountain.” Ruvash was on a backpacking trip with his friends.
“That’s okay, just wanted to hear your voice.”
“What’s wrong, Sia, I might be a million miles away, but I can hear the dejection in your voice.”
“You might want to sit for this one.” Running a hand through my hair, I turned around and walked backward as though worried Rayden would sneak up on me. “You remember my Prince Charming?”
“Yeah, the old willy.”
I laughed at his description. “Well, he’s Rayden’s father.”
“What!” Ruvash’s bark hit my ear, and I jerked the phone away. “You’re fucking kidding me,” he was saying when I brought the phone back to my ear.
“I’m not. Dire predicament.”
