“Then tell them no,Cara.” I look over and find Ares leaning against the doorframe. I take a minute to admire him. Wearing brown, distressed looking wingtip shoes and his legs crossed at the ankle, the hem of his maroon pants sit at the exact perfect length and fit. With the way he’s leaning I can see how well the pants fit across his backside. My gaze slides farther up, seeing a matching maroon jacket. The color looks amazing against his tanned skin, especially with his dark features. I can just make out the cuffs of his black button-down peeking out of his sleeves where his hands are balled into loose fists at his sides. Higher still, I note the top few buttons of his shirt are open, revealing his thick neck and a small bit of scruff along his jaw. Damn if he isn’t gorgeous.
His tawny brown eyes study me, and a flush steals over my cheeks as I bite the inside of my lip. Ares is like a dangerous secret everyone is dying to know. I swallow, trying to recall what he said. “I can’t tell them no, that would be bitchy.”
“Youcertainlycan tell them no, I’ll tell them for you if you wish,” he states matter-of-factly.
I blow out a pent-up breath. “No, it’s okay. I’ve just never had it done before. It’s probably for the best, Ihave no idea how to do makeup.”
Pushing off the wall, Ares heads in my direction. I stand my ground, even though I’m tempted to take a step back. Ares getting closeto melooking the way he does is not a good idea, especially when we’re supposed to be leaving soon.
“Tell them no if it’s something you don’t like.” He tilts his chin down and stares into my eyes.
“I will.” My voice is low, nearly a whisper.
“Good.” He places a chaste kiss on my temple after grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me toward him.
I’m still leaning in when he releases me and turns to exit the room, leaving me with scrambled thoughts and a desire to rub against him like a cat. “You can do this.” I give myself one last pep talk before heading out of the room and down the stairs into our empty main level.
The guys’ footsteps echo as they mill about in the kitchen. I see Milo first, he’s tugging on the sleeve of a soft gray jacket. “Holy fuck, Ijusthad this fitted, and it’s too tight.” He lifts his elbows, showing how constricted his movements are.
“Dude, you’re bulking up like crazy,” Ollie acknowledges.
“I’m not doing anything. I haven’t even been hitting the gym.” Milo sounds incredulous.
“It’s Laura,” Ares tells him. “You haven’t bonded with her so your abilities are growing, but she’s not filtering them. What did you expect to happen?”
I step down on the next riser hard enoughthatthey know I’m there. I’m not ready for another fight with Milo about bonding.
Dante pokes his head out of the living room. He’s eyes flash almost orange when he sees me. He continues around the wall and my mouth goes dry.Dante’s hair is mussed up in the front, falling across his forehead. There is someveryshort, butverymasculine stubble above his lip, and across his chin and jaw. My fingersactuallywiggle with the need to feel it.
His fitted, short-sleeved dark blue shirt is open at the neck with several buttons left undone, revealing his smooth skin. I’ve rarely seen Dante in anything but t-shirts, but now his shirtis tucked into a dark pair of jeans, which are cuffed at the bottom, showing off a heavy pair of black boots. The gleam of his black metal belt buckle catches my eye as he saunters over.
Dante dips his head low as he nears, giving me his customary greeting of a head bump, but his nuzzle doesn’t end there, his lips are near my ear as he makes a low growling sound in his chest. The stubble peppered on his jaw that I was longing to touch, grazes against my cheek, and I shiver.
In a flash I reach up and grab his face. Yanking it down to mine, my lips land on his biting and teasing. His large body softens at my touch, yielding to my demand.
My jaw aches and I know what’s happening, but I don’ttry tostop it. As I push my tongue into Dante’s mouth, I feel the harsh points on a few of my teeth elongating. I force myself to release his face in fear that my nails would score his skin. Instead, I let my palms glide down his chest until I wrap my fingers into the top of his pants. I jerk him closerto me,our pelvises joined. I feel his hardness pressing against me and a feral growl escapes my chest.
“I’ll go start the car,” Milo offers, breaking through the animalistic fog threating to overwhelm me. I slow my savage kisses and soften my lips as I release his pants from my grip. He makes a gentle sound, almost a plea, when I pull my lips from his completely.
“I’ll take two, please.” Ollie lets out a low whistle.
“Shut up,” Dante barks, his voice harsh.
I open my eyes slowly to see the fading tiger markings disappearing from my skin, no longer worried I could cut him, I reach up and palm his cheek again. The stiffness in his posture melts immediately.
“Sorry.” I wince, even though I’m not sorry for kissing him, just the way I went about it.
Dante crowds in really closely, his lips brushing against my ear, and he growls, “I can’t wait until you know you don’t need to apologizeto me,not for that. Take what you need. I love it.” I swallow a thick lump in my throat, almost panting when he pulls away.
Chapter 23
Ilift my hand when a young woman with artfully applied cat-eye liner picks up a bottle of foundation and a pink makeup sponge. “Rosa,” I call, she’s seated two chairs down from me. Another woman behind her is curling her dark hair.
“Yes,”
“I really don’t want too much makeup, is that okay?” I wince, my hair already feels stiff and tacky, and I do not want my face feeling like that after plastering a bunch of goop all over it.
“Assolutamente, none, some. Whatever you like,” Rosa answers, waving her hand about easily.
