Page 21 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“Yes,” I whisper, my hips moving. I want more. I want the explosion. I want him.

“You’re not as wild as you like people to think. You’replaying the game. You’ve played it your whole life.”

“Yes.”

“You don’t get to play it with me.”

There’s an edge to his voice, and I open my eyes. He’slooking up at me, and it’s more than just desire I seethere. “So this isn’t a game?” I whisper.

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends forward, his tongueteasing my clit as his fingers find my G-spot. I writhe against him, that pressure building. My nipples goingtight, my body going tense as the explosion comes closer and closer and closeruntil—

He pulls away, and I hear myself whimper.

He stands, then kisses me, his hand cupping my sex.“Goodnight, Frannie,” he whispers, and his use of my nickname again after I’dsnapped at him has me melting even more.

His lips brush my ear. “And no finishing yourself off.” Hepulls back to meet my eyes. “Obey,” he says, then heads back inside, leaving mehot and needy and desperately wanting him.

Chapter Eight

He liked her.

No, not just like. He actuallyrespected her.

More than that, he was attracted to her. Attracted.Wasn’t that a lame word. It was more than attraction.It was primal. It was need. He wanted to possess her.To claim her. To wrap her in his arms and keep her safe and close and his.

And if that wasn’t the damnedest, most bizarre thing ever…

Simon shook his head, trying to clear those crazy thoughts.Frannie had turned out to not be the bitch from hellthat he’d expected. Great. Good.

And, yes, he was attracted to her—something that was clearlymutual, and something that he was more than willing to pursue, especially nowthat he’d tasted her. Had felt her responsiveness. Her need.

Her trust.

He’d told her to obey, and she had. This woman who’d livedher life and her career by grabbing control. With him, she’d surrendered,almost without question.

It was humbling. Surprising.

And one hell of a turn-on.

But love?

No way.

Lust. It was lust. And so long as it was mutual, what wasthe harm in pursuing it?

He pushed the thoughts away as he watched her interactingwith her fans. They’d been at the con now for almost four hours. She’d been ontwo panels, after which she’d chatted with anyone who’d come up until the conorganizers had kicked them out of the room for the next event.

Now they were in the hotel basement, the only place shecould find where the fans could come, and they’d be out of the way of otherpanels and events. The line was huge, but Frannie had promised all the fansthat she’d stay and sign autographs for everyone. A few wanted to ask about herother work, but most were there because of her Blue Zenith superhero movies.Films that Simon knew meant far less to her than her smaller passion projectslike the upcoming Spiraling.

But while the Blue Zenith movies might mean less to her, itwas clear that the fans didn’t. She didn’t simply sign her name to a profferedprogram. Instead, she talked with each person, even the ones who were too shyto start the conversation themselves.

Every fan left with a smile and a memory to be cherished,and it was all because Frannie cared. She was, in a word, nice.

And Simon was surprised to realize that he wasn’t surprisedat all. Before this assignment, he would have laid money that she blew off herfans, barely deigning to scrawl her name when they asked for an autograph, moreoften just lifting her nose and ignoring them.

Now he knew the real woman, not the celebrity bitch he’d concocted in his mind and not the controllingfemme fatale that the press chattered on about. She knew how to grab control,sure, but that was self-preservation.

The bottom line was that she respected the fans. And theyloved her for it.