place in town.”
She kissed his ear, sending a thrill through him. “You smell good.”
“You smell better,” he replied, inhaling deeply of her perfume. It was sweet, feminine, with a surprising hint of spice. Just like Chloe. He pulled back to look at her, unable to explain the change in her. “You okay?”
“Never better.”
“Drunk?”
“On life.” Her eyes sparkled. “On trying new things.” She tapped a fingertip on his chest. “Even on taking chances.”
“Not you,” he teased and she laughed.
“Me.” She nodded wisely.
“We’re out of rules,” he felt obliged to note, ignoring that thirteen was still on the list.
She widened her eyes. “Then maybe we should start on your list.”
“I don’t have a list...”
“Of course, you do.” Chloe spun, then came back to him, bracing her hands on his chest. Her eyes were sparkling. “I’m going to guess that you never take the same person home two nights in a row, because that might move a fling in the direction of a thing.”
Hunter opened his mouth and closed it again. “You’re right,” he had to admit.
“Which is why I’m going to convince you to take me home tonight.”
The music blended into Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust, which was stupidly appropriate. Hunter guessed that the DJ would let it flow into I Need Your Loving Tonight. Even the music was conspiring against him.
Chloe laughed because she clearly knew it, her hair flowing and her eyes flashing. Hunter knew his rock solid rule was going to be shattered before dawn.
And the most amazing thing was that he didn’t care, not one bit.
The evening passed in a blur. Chloe had never had so much fun. She and Hunter didn’t miss a single set. Her feet were sore and she’d have to send Mandy’s dress to the cleaners before New Year’s, but she was having the time of her life. They were dancing like there was no tomorrow, and he was right: it was awesome.
She and Hunter floated out the door and down the stairs to the street on the chorus of All I Want for Christmas is You. The air was cold enough to make Chloe catch her breath, but she seized Hunter’s hand, inviting him to dance in the street.
He was wary when he met her gaze and she hadn’t expected otherwise. “You’re going to have expectations after Thursday,” he said in a warning tone. “We can just stop now...”
“I have walnuts,” she replied. “And I expect you to know how to use them. You’re not the only one who knows how to trash a rule, Hunter.”
She watched him inhale sharply, then he stepped to the curb and hailed a cab. They tumbled into the back and Chloe put her hand on his thigh. He put his on her thigh, then slid it upward, his warm fingers easing beneath the hem. There was that challenge in his eyes and a mischievous curve to his lips that she couldn’t resist. Chloe leaned over and kissed him, teasing him with her tongue, liking the feel of his heart pounding beneath her hand.
They necked in the elevator, then made their way down the hall to the apartment, still wrapped around each other. The dress was the first thing to go: it hit the floor in the foyer along with Hunter’s shirt. Hunter was kissing her, driving her crazy, his hands on her breasts and then beneath her butt. He tossed her over his shoulder, pausing to pick up her purse, then headed for the kitchen. He set her down on the island in the kitchen, the one with the marble counter, then got the butter out of the fridge.
Oh God, he was actually going to do it. Chloe nodded and tugged off her panties, heart racing in anticipation. “Shoes or not?” she asked.
“Oh definitely keep the shoes. I need something to hang on to.” He gave her a wicked smile then stripped off the rest of his clothes, abandoning them on the floor. He washed his hands as she watched, then brought the walnuts and butter to her side. He stepped between her thighs and she bent to kiss him. He slid his fingertips through the butter, then massaged it into her nipples, pinching them between his fingers and thumbs. When Chloe gasped with pleasure, he broke their kiss and pulled her closer as he kissed her nipples. He sucked the butter from them, flicking the taut peaks with his tongue, then grazed them with his teeth. When she thought she was going to lose her