Page 21 of SnowBound

I nibbled my lower lip and swept my tongue over my lips. If he wanted me to let loose, I was not going to miss my chance to tempt him in any way I could. Two could play his little game. Wasn’t that what he told me earlier?

His gaze now burned holes in my flesh. Soon I’d combust. Still perched on that office chair, he hurried in my direction and tugged at my hand. From up close, I savored the blush on his cheeks. And how his breath hitched on the way out. Another wave of heat traveled through me. Yes, I was bothering him. Way more than I ever thought I could. This seductress version of me surprised me too. Never before had I been so bold. To toy with a guy using my powers to tempt him. I got addicted to the feeling. If someone had asked me if I could flirt, before now, I would have laughed it off. Yeah, I was usually the third wheel in my friends’ dating lives. “Enough,” Andy said in a sharp tone that surprised me. “Get down. The show’s over now.”

I removed my hand from his and waggled a finger in front of him. “Nah. I’m not done. You wanted me wild and free, and you’re getting it. As you said, roll with it, baby. Now move back and enjoy the show. The song isn’t over yet.”

He growled and retreated without another word, watching me from a distance.

Without detaching my eyes from his, I flipped my hair over my shoulder, and using my hand as a mike, I decided to up the stake and started singing to the song.

I pointed in his direction, and he shook his head, not even a hint of fun peeking on his face. We eyed each other, neither of us breaking contact first. I loved how powerful I felt. How he ate me up with his eyes and I held all the control to make him lose his mind. Andy did that to me. He unleashed the wild part of me and allowed it to shine.

People applauded. My heart frizzled in my chest.

Freedom had my blood pumping.

I relaxed my stance. All around me, men and women moved to their feet and started dancing. Little kids who weren’t asleep did the same.

The lounge transformed into a makeshift dance floor.

Some angry passengers watched us with deep frowns, but I didn’t care. I twirled around and jumped from the chair, sashaying toward a frozen Andy.

I pulled his chair forward, and his hands locked on my swaying hips.

He stared at me, not a trace of a smile on his lips.

“What?” I asked in my most innocent voice. “Something wrong?”

He cleared his throat, and the wrinkle carving his forehead smoothed. His entire demeanor shifted. “Abby.” His voice sounded huskier than I’d ever heard it tonight. Our eyes fixated on each other for a long minute, the intensity in this rendering me breathless. The muscle in his jaw ticked. Right now, I couldn’t tell whether he was amused or upset at me. Deciding to break the tension surrounding us, I batted my eyelashes at him, and he sighed, his stance relaxing. “You-I...” He paused, flicked his fingers, and said instead, “You made it. See? It wasn’t so hard.”

His words barely registered. Only the heat and pressure of his fingers on my hipbones did. And I delighted in the feel of his hands on me.

“Dance with me?”

Andy shook his head.

“Please.”

He watched me. “Permission to stand?”

I shook my head, breathless at the intensity of attraction ping-ponging between us. “You can’t,” I whispered. “Or you’ll lose.”

“I don’t wanna lose. Not with you.”

What did he mean by that? Why were his words sending my heart into higher gears?

Before I could ask him, he said, “Why not? Let’s dance. We’ll figure it out.” Why did I sense some unspoken meaning lingering under the surface when he said it? Giving up the fight and letting go of me, Andy straightened in his seat as I spun his chair around. Lost in our little world, I held his hands as we twirled, like we’d do if he was standing up. Both of us burst out laughing. “Can I drop the chair now?” he asked after a moment, his grip returning to my waist and tightening while his eyes sucked me in. “I wanna dance with you. For real. Hold you against me.”

He said everything that, in any other circumstances, would have made me swoon. Tonight, though, it translated into alarm bells inside my head. A dangerous idea. For me. One that could end badly. For my heart. Pushing the attraction away, I shook my head. “Nah, I love it when you are at my mercy.” The teasing in my voice couldn’t be missed. Nor the notes of lust.

He cleared his throat. “So, I was right. You are a dominatrix when you want to be. Interesting.”

Not reeling in my smile, I slapped his arm. “Oh gosh. You are terrible. Guess you like me zesty after all.”

“The spicier, the better.”

We both chuckled as the air around us became charged with something hard to define, that spread goosebumps all over my arms.

Once my laughter died down, I asked, “Why do I sense this night will be one to remember?”