Incipient A Dark Paranormal Romance - Bianca Scardoni Page 0,110

besties thing was a stretch. Whatevs.

“I love your costume by the way,” said Carly, ignoring Morgan as she continued to grin excitedly. “Trace must’ve been all over you,” she said with a swoony look in her eyes. She didn’t give me a chance to respond when she grabbed my hand and started hauling me toward the center of the room. “Let’s dance!”

Feeling a little self-conscious since I didn’t have my liquid courage keeping me company, I peered up at the people around us as Carly started swinging her hips in line with the hip-hop song playing. Realizing everyone was too busy dancing and having fun with their friends to notice me, I felt my apprehension ease and joined Carly.

Four songs later, I’d forgotten there was anyone in the room with us at all. It felt so good to drop my walls and let go, to dance as though absolutely no one was watching.

But someone was watching. I could feel his eyes on me and the hum of his body the moment he entered the room. Glancing back, I met Trace’s eyes and smiled as I continued to move my body to the music. He bit down on his lip as moved along the edge of the room before settling his back against a wall, watching me through a perfect, unobstructed view.

“Gosh, I love the way he looks at you,” cooed Carly as she leaned in to whisper-yell into my ear. “I hope I find someone that looks at me like that someday.”

At her words, I looked back at Trace again and felt my cheeks warm. His brilliant eyes were fixed on me as though I were the only person in the room.

I could live to be three hundred years and I’d never tire of the way he was looking at me.

Feeling emboldened, I stepped it up a notch, rolling my hips to the beat as I imagined myself putting on a private show just for him. Torturing him with the pop of each hip and the subtle sway of my ass. It had been so long since I let myself dance, I’d forgotten how much I loved it.

How freeing it could feel.

My arms lifted over my head as I winded my hips, slowly dropping into a couching position before making my way back up the other way. Firm hands gripped my waist, and I knew it was Trace. My body always knew when it was him.

He stepped up behind me, moving with me as I continued to roll and wind my hips, pushing back against him as he tightened his grip on me.

“You’re driving me crazy,” he said, his hot breath in my ear as he moved his body with mine.

That’s kind of the point, I answered without speaking, knowing he could hear me perfectly. Twisting around in his arms, I flattened my palms against his chest and continued dancing, smiling to myself as heat broiled in his eyes.

He managed to make it another fifteen seconds before he yanked me forward and then threw me over his shoulder like I was the Jane to his Tarzan. Laughing, I immediately threw my hand back to keep my shirt from riding up and flashing everyone at the party as Trace lugged us out of the living room and down the corridor to the downstairs washroom.

He flicked the lights on and set me down, his eyes never veering from mine as he reached back and locked the door.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked, knowing full well what he was doing. It was written all over his face, from the wayward look in his eyes to the impish curve of his lips.

He stalked forward and cupped my cheeks, pulling my mouth to his as though he had been starving for it. Heat skirted over my skin as he parted my lips and deepened the kiss, my stomach clenching deliciously as he brushed and swirled his wet tongue against mine.

My hands slid down from his chest and then circled his waist, my nails digging into his back as I pulled him closer to me. The music and prater from outside the door had long since faded into the background, leaving only the sound of his beating heart competing for supremacy against mine.

A low rumble sounded in his chest as he winched me into his arms—slowly dragging me up his body, his mouth never leaving mine. Moaning against his lips, I wrapped my legs around his waist and locked them at my ankles. He