Page 71 of Worth the Shot

I stare at my reflection in the mirror before opening the door. A deep burgundy dress, rich without being over the top. Thin straps, a fitted lace bodice that cinches tight at the waist, then loosens into a soft, draped skirt that moves when I do. There’s a slit up the leg—just enough to make it interesting without screaming for attention. I smooth my hands down the fabric one last time before reaching for the handle.

The door opens, and I step out. For a second, no one says anything. Brennan is leaning back in the chair, content, like he’s been all afternoon. Then he looks up—really looks at me—and everything about him stills.

His eyes track slowly, taking me in from head to toe, like he’s committing every inch of it to memory. And just like that, I know.

“Laney…” he says quietly, like he forgot how to speak for a second.

I shift under his stare, suddenly very aware of the slit, the way the fabric clings, the way he’s looking at me like I’m something he doesn’t quite believe is real.

“Well?” I ask, trying for casual and missing it completely.

He pushes to his feet, closing the distance between us like it’s not even a question.

“That’s the one,” he says, voice low, certain.

My breath catches a little as he stops in front of me, his hand finding my waist like it belongs there.

“Yeah?” I manage.

He nods once, eyes still on mine. “Yeah.” A beat passes. “You’re not wearing anything else.”

Just then, a phone rings somewhere in the distance. The saleslady snaps out of whatever trance she was in as she watches us and says,

“Oh, I need to grab that. I’ll leave you two to it.”

Brennan’s eyes flicker over me from head to toe, hungry look on his face. His eyes finally find their way back to mine and his mouth is practically breathing into mine.

“I should probably get out of this dress. Wouldn’t wanna ruin it before the gala.” I manage, voice cracking and barely a whisper.

“Yeah, would be a shame if you couldn’t wear it,” he says, voice thick with desire.

“Maybe you can…” I trail as I back away, hand sliding down to his as I pull him slowly back with me. “Help me out of it since she seems…busy.”

He licks his lips, breathing in hard before he swallows. “I can do that.”

He steps in with me, the door clicking shut behind us. The woman’s voice carries faintly in the background, caught up in a conversation that doesn’t sound like it’s ending anytime soon.

I turn my back to him, and feel him move in close. His hands lift to my hair, sweeping it gently over one shoulder. The brush of his fingers along my neck sends a shiver down my spine.

His lips find the spot just beneath my ear, soft and intimate, and a quiet moan slips out of me before I can stop it. One hand finds the zipper, the other settling at my waist, pulling me into him until there’s no space left between us.

Just as the dress falls between us, his hand sinks lower. I lean back into him, breath uneven as his fingers trace the outline of my thong. My knees buckle the second he slides them aside, inserting a finger inside my wet heat.

“Fuck, Delaney,” he breathes into my hair, voice rough, like he’s barely holding it together. “God, you’re so fucking wet.”

Fuck. I’m about to lose my goddamn mind.

This man gets me so hot I can barely breathe. No one has ever had this kind of control over me, ever.

His touch deepens, more deliberate now, as he adds another finger and his thumb finds my clit, massaging with just the right amount of pressure to make me lose all self-control. My legs shake, breath heavy and my body reacts before I can even think. His name slips out in a moan before I can stop it, and he lets out a low laugh against my neck.

“Easy,” he murmurs, though he doesn’t ease up at all.

My legs shake, my hands gripping at his arms as everything narrows down to the way he’s touching me, the way he knows exactly what he’s doing. The way he knows my body so well already, better than anyone ever has.

“All mine,” he whispers in my ear with certainty, fingers still pumping inside of me as he rubs my throbbing clit. “All fucking mine.”

“All yours,” I breathe out before I lose all control, letting go entirely.