87. Summer
Chapter Eighty-Seven
Summer
A fter a perfect day of exploring with the stranger, he drops me back at my room.
“I have to go prepare for the event tonight,” he says, cupping my jaw and brushing his thumb along my bottom lip. The tension between us is borderline painful, but it’s been nice to just spend time with him. I won’t think about how I almost broke my rule like fifteen times today.
“Will I see you tonight?”
“You will,” he says, his gaze burning into me.
I glance at his lips and smirk. “If you can find me in my costume. It is a masquerade after all.”
“You think it will be a struggle for me to find you?” His dark eyebrow quirks, and he echoes my smirk.
“Perhaps,” I say, lifting my shoulder in a shrug.
He moves in closer, and I recede a step, pressing my back against the door. “Is that a challenge, princess?” he asks, bracing a hand above my head and looming over me.
I moan softly, my lips parting in invitation. “Definitely.” Fuck, make that sixteen.
“And what is my reward for catching you?” he rumbles.
“What do you want?” I ask breathlessly. It’s a dangerous question, but in this moment, if he asked me for a kiss, I’d give him fucking anything.
He hums softly in thought, and his eyes darken as he watches my tongue slide over my bottom lip. “I’ll think of something.” His smirk deepens, and he lowers his head to sink his teeth into my neck.
I moan and roll my head to the side, instinctively giving him access. He sucks on my skin and grinds his hips against me, letting me feel how much he wants more.
“So fucking intoxicating?.?.?.” he groans into my neck.
“So hard,” I whisper on another moan.
“Mine,” he growls, and I drag my nails down his arms, his muscles flexing beneath my touch. “I’m never going to leave at this rate.”
“You’re the one rubbing against me,” I whisper, brushing my lips along his jaw.
“And you’re just the innocent victim, helpless at the feel of my cock?” he says, huffing a laugh between licks and nibbles against my pulse.
Fuck.
I shift, the lace of my panties rubbing abrasively against the overly sensitive flesh between my thighs.
“Stranger. Please. I’m so we?—”
His hand covers my mouth. “Princess, I am only so strong,” he warns, and the desperate hunger in his voice makes my pussy throb in need.
The door at my back opens, and if not for the stranger’s quick instincts and strength, I’d be on my ass in the room.
“Thought I heard moaning,” Alice grumbles, and she closes the door again.
My cheeks are warm, not just from the embarrassment of being caught rubbing against my stalker in the hallway by my best friend, but also because of the severity of the need I feel.
“Tonight?.?.?.” the stranger begins, his lips moving to my ear. “I’ll keep my glamour minimal.” He nips at my ear. “Very minimal.”
I pull back, looking at him.
“You won’t know what I am exactly, and my face will be glamoured.” He holds my gaze, searching my eyes for?.?.?. something.
“Your lips?” I ask, focusing on his mouth.
“I will make those mine.”
I look up at him, the desire in his eyes almost taking my breath away. “So perhaps that’s what your prize should be,” I say. “If you find me.”
“A kiss?” he asks, his pupils dilating even more.
I nod slowly. “One kiss. ”
His lips twitch.
“What?”
He chuckles darkly. “Little fae, I would find you if you were in the depths of Hell, if you were deep in the forests of Gyria, if you were lost to the unconscious realm for a lesser prize. A mask will not stop me.” He drags his thumb along my bottom lip, pulling at the soft, pliant flesh. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“Tonight?.?.?.” I whisper, flicking my tongue against his thumb, needing to taste him. He flashes me that dazzling smile he seems to reserve just for me and steps back. He adjusts himself before turning away, and I slump against the door, watching the pleasing way his back muscles flex as he walks.
Opening the door at my back, I nearly fall into the suite.
Alice looks up from the shifter she is straddling on the couch, staring at me for a long moment.
Climbing off him, she pulls him up and shoos him toward the door.
I step aside and watch as she swats at the protesting blond male until he’s out in the hall, holding his pants and gaping at her.
She waves and slams the door before turning and giving me a knowing look.
“So, who was that?” I ask, sitting on the couch.
Alice shrugs. “His name might have been Silas. Or Drew.” She drops down beside me, looking freshly fucked.
“So, want to tell me why you were making out with your stalker in the hall and not in your bedroom?”
“We’ve been avoiding beds.”
Alice frowns. “Why?”
“We’re not having sex.”
Alice gawks at me. “You? You’re not having sex with the delicious, tall, dark, and handsome male who worships the ground you walk on and has for the past year and a half?”
“Correct. We’re friends.” It’s the first lie I’ve told since arriving here, and it’s so foreign to me now after all the truths I’ve allowed myself, but this isn’t a malicious lie. It’s just that I don’t know how else to describe what we are when I am not sure myself.
Alice sniffs the air. “Your pheromones are calling you a liar. Plus, you were making out like horny teenagers.”
“We weren’t making out. We’ve not even kissed.” Yet.
“I saw you kissing,” Alice says, rolling her eyes.
“Okay. We kiss, just not on the lips. ”
Alice frowns. “Why?”
“I don’t know who he is, Al.”
Alice shifts to face me. “Okay?.?.?. but that’s not stopping you from feeling more for him.”
I look away. Some of the doubt and panic I’ve not felt since we arrived creep back in, and I hate it. I want to stay in my bubble of excitement and no consequences. Those issues and questions are for future Summer to deal with.
“It’s just me,” Alice says, taking my hand.
“Have you seen Rafe?” I ask, looking around the suite.
Alice frowns at me, but then sighs and shakes it off, smiling widely. “I have gossip. Guess who was here and only wearing his shirt when I got back earlier?”
“Red?”
“Yup! Looks like they were having a full-on sex-a-thon.”
“Holy fuck.”
“All day, Sum!”
I squeal and wiggle on the couch, thrilled for him. “So where is he now?”
Alice points to his room.
“Is she in there?” I whisper.
Alice shakes her head. “She left about forty-five minutes ago, I’m guessing to get ready for tonight.” Alice glances at his room and slips off the couch, stealthily creeping toward his door. I am always amazed at how quiet she can be when she tries. I guess it is the whole predator thing.
“Al,” I warn, and she glances at me innocently over her shoulder. “Leave him be.” I can already tell she’s planning to corner and grill him. Knowing Rafe, he won’t be ready to talk about it.
“But—”
“Alice,” I snap, and she stops, crossing her arms petulantly. “Go get ready for the ball.” She grumbles and then slinks away to her room, and I go to mine to take a shower. A freezing cold one.
Alice and I wait in the living room for Rafe, both of us dressed. I’m in my white angel lingerie set, and Alice is in her matching devil one. I primp my feathers as we wait, but Alice is not a patient person.
“Hurry up!” she calls, slamming her fist on Rafe’s door.
Rafe opens the door, wearing just his sweatpants. “What?”
Alice frowns. “Why aren’t you dressed? ”
Rafe blinks, looking at Alice’s outfit and then at mine. “What are you guys wearing?”
“Our demon baby is an idiot,” Alice says, looking at me over her shoulder.
“The masquerade,” I remind him as I check on my deep-red lipstick.
“Oh, that’s tonight?”
Holy fuck, was sex with Red so good that it turned his brain to mush?
Alice jumps up and smacks him on the back of the head. “Moron.”
“Don’t you want to see your fiery redhead?” I ask.
“How do you know she’ll be there?” Rafe frowns, but I notice how he stands a bit straighter, his interest piqued.
“Because she’s alive and probably likes fun,” Alice says, smacking his head again. “Unlike you.”
Rafe looks between us, and I can see his desire to see her. “You swear she’ll be there?”
“Holy shit, Rafe. What did she say when she left your sex-a-thon?” I ask.
“W-what?” he asks, flushing scarlet.
I roll my eyes and sigh. “What was the plan for tonight?”
“Plan?” Rafe asks, his cheeks still burning.
“To see Red?” I ask slowly.
Alice shakes her head and spins him around, pushing him into his room. “Get dressed before you make me cry with your stupidity.”
“Wait,” I say, stopping Alice from closing his door. “Rafe, in all seriousness, were you not wanting to see her tonight?”
“What? Of course I do! I just figured I’d run into her again?”
Typical male.
“Just by chance? In your bedroom?” I say, rubbing my temples and mumbling curses under my breath. “You should have asked Connor for lessons before he died.”
Alice has lost patience and is now fully inside Rafe’s room, rifling through his closet.
“Lessons?” he asks, casting a wary eye toward Alice.
“In the art of seduction.”
Rafe scrunches his nose. “From Con?” he asks, and then yelps when Alice yanks down his sweats, stripping him to his boxers.
Before he has a chance to protest further, she wraps the most modest loincloth she brought around his waist. It’s tartan, and I believe it’s supposed to be a kilt, but slutty .
Rafe’s eyes are wide, like he isn’t quite sure what is happening. “Is this really necessary?” he asks.
“Shut up,” Alice replies, lifting his arms to strap a breastplate over his chest.
“Can we go?” I ask as Alice puts the final touches on his outfit and slips a mask over his eyes. “You’re not the only person meeting someone, Rafael,” I say, touching up my lipstick nervously.
“Right, your stranger,” he says and rolls his eyes, checking himself in the mirror, but then Alice is ushering us all out of the room.
I hurry ahead, and I am standing at the elevator before they are halfway down the corridor.
Smoothing my hands over my outfit, I check myself in the reflective doors.
I’m wearing my highest heels, and I know he’s still going to tower over me.