Page 57 of Dancing with the Devil

After some shopping and slipping in and out of the dressing room, I finally headed to go and pay. Antonio handed me his card as he looked down at his vibrating cellphone with an irritable expression. “One-five-zero-three,” he said, and I took the card from him. He stepped away, and I continued without him.

“Will that be all?” The lady at the counter smiled, and I nodded my head. I slipped Antonio’s card into my purse, paying with my own.

Thereafter, I thanked her, but when I turned in the direction of Antonio, he stood in the distance with his cellphone pressed to his ear as his eyes narrowed in on me.Oopsie. He saw that.

I feigned innocence as I approached him, handing him my bags.

Thankfully, he was on an important call, so there wasn’t any time to scold me.

We entered another two stores until finally, we walked into my favorite one. I handed him the rest of my bags, telling him to sit down on the couch while I looked around, and he did. I grabbed a few things off the racks and walked into the dressing room.

I tried on a pair of tight mini shorts that fit me perfectly. I forced on a little top and soon realized that maybe Ishouldn’tsuffer for this top.

After admiring myself from different angles, I tried pulling off the top, but I only ended up knocking my elbow against the mirror. “Ow,” I softly groaned, giving up on the top.

I rubbed my elbow as I stared at myself in the mirror. The invisible light bulb above my head went off with a brightening glow. I walked toward the curtains and peeked my head out.

Antonio was seated on the couch with my bags on the floor in front of him.

“You’re strong, right?” I asked, and he looked up from his cell phone. Why struggle whenMr. Muscleis out here doing absolutely nothing. He seemed confused, so I glanced around the shop. “Just get in here,” I whispered, and he got up, slipping his cell phone into his back pocket.

He walked in, and I looked around to make sure no one saw as I closed the curtains behind him.

I walked over to the mirror and lifted my arms up in the air. “Use your muscles and help me out of this,” I said, and he held back a smile. He walked toward me, and I narrowed my eyes at him. “Do—not—laugh,” I warned with a pointed finger.

His eyes traveled down my body, and I felt goosebumps spread over my skin. He put his hands on my waist, turning me to face the mirror.

I sucked in a breath at the sudden contact of his hands on my skin. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. His fingers slowly traveled up my waist and to the hem of my shirt. I closed my eyes as he slowly lifted the top. He pulled it up and over my head, and I let my arms drop, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and I could kick myself for the bra I had decided on. I turned around to face him with a smile. “Thank you,” I playfully snatched the top out of his hand. “I’ll take it,” I nodded and looked up at him, his body extremely close to mine.

“You need help with these, too?” he grinned and placed his hands on my hips.

“I think I can manage just fine,” I interrupted, and his tongue dipped out to wet his bottom lip. My eyes betrayed me by staying on his lips a little too long for my liking. His hands holding my hips made my body react in ways I strongly disapproved of.

My mind immediately raced to the first time I kissed him. His hand came up to my chin as he lifted it, and sparks of electricity shot through my body. He made me look directly at him as his thumb brushed across my bottom lip.Holy, shit.

Suddenly, the temperature in here went up by twenty degrees. His eyes dropped to my lips, but all I could think of was standing up on my toes to taste his lips just once. Just once. No, I can’t. I had already kissed him without his consent outside of his hotel building when I was running from Sylvester.

My eyes felt heavy as his hand slowly traveled from my hips, up my waist.

Sucking in a short, quick breath, his thumb slowly traveled over my bottom lip, and I grabbed his hands.Oh, my… This man is turning me on in a dressing room by simply looking at me.

* * *

He opened the passenger door for me, and I slipped inside, letting out an exasperated sigh.

The drive back home was silent—for obvious reasons. I could accept the car because I didn’t have one, and his house was much further to the club, so I needed it. But him thinking that I needed him to pay for everything wasn’t going to slide.

Cesar was already outside and came over as soon as the car stopped. He started unloading the trunk, and as I was about to get out, Antonio grabbed my arm.

“What?” I snapped, pulling away from him.

“You’re mad at me. Why?”

“You’reseriouslyasking me why I’m mad at you?” My tone was harsher than expected, making a fragment of guilt slip into my head as my gaze met his genuine eyes. “Because I told you not to pay for my things, and you went and did just that.”

“You said not to pay for you things in one store. So I paid for it in a different store.”