“Never,” he growls, sliding his hand to rest just above the hem of my dress. “You just need more practice.”
His gray eyes are dark with desire, pupils blown wide. For a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me and end this exquisite torture, but he steps away instead.
“How about you take a turn?” I ask. “Maybe I can learn from watching how you do it.”
Ryder takes his position on the line. It’s clear he’s done this countless times before. He rolls his shoulders, muscles flexing as he narrows his eyes at the target.
Shifting his stance, he raises his arm and throws.
The first dart strikes the bullseye with a soft thud. One after the other, he throws the second, then the third in rapid succession, each one landing somewhere inside the inner ring.
Damn, that’s hot.
In an attempt to refocus, I scan the room for Sasha and realize she’s disappeared. I search the bar, the dance floor, even the corners where people are chatting, but there’s no sign of her flaming red hair anywhere. Come to think of it, Jax is missing, too.
I grin to myself. They’ve probably snuck off together.
Ryder’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “What’re you grinning about?”
“Sasha’s gone,” I say, glancing at him over my shoulder. “And so is Jax.”
A knowing grin spreads across his face. “Called that one.”
“You don’t think they...” I trail off, though the evidence is pretty damning.
“Oh, absolutely.” He steps closer, his body radiating heat. “Your friend works fast.”
“Hey!”
He shakes his head. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Fine. So does yours, apparently.” I laugh, but it catches in my throat as Ryder grabs my hand.
“Your turn,” he says, voice rough as he hands me the darts.
The challenge in his voice lights a spark inside.
When I turn to face the dartboard, I arch my back, knowing the move makes my ass curve up in the tight dress. I take my time lining up the shot, bending forward just enough to give him a perfect view.
When I glance back over my shoulder, his mouth is drawn into a tight line, hands fisted at his sides.
“Like this?” I ask innocently, wiggling my hips as I adjust my stance.
“Fuuuck,” he mutters under his breath.
I release the dart, and by some miracle, it actually hits the board this time. Not the bullseye, but close enough to count as a victory.
“Look at that.” I spin around with a triumphant smile. “I guess I’m a natural, after all.”
But my celebration is short-lived. Ryder’s eyes are blazing as he stalks toward me, full of predatory intent.
“You think you’re clever, don’t you?” he smirks.
The next thing I know, he’s grabbing me by the hand and pulling me across the dance floor, down a dark hallway and into an employee restroom.
Back pressed against mine, he walks me inside, then shuts the door and locks it, leaving us in total darkness.
Immediately on alert, all my senses, other than touch or sound, automatically shut down.
