Page 27 of Dangerous Men

His hand moves to the small of my back, pressing me to him harder than necessary, as he leans down to whisper near my ear.

“Be honest, darling. Were you hoping I’d swoop in and save you?”

“No,” I answer, with more bite than I feel. “I don’t need someone to save me. Not even from him.”

“Good,” he tells me, voice turning dark. “Because I’m not a savior, Sydney.”

He’s close enough I can feel his next words warm my skin. “But if you gave me a chance, I would happily get on my knees for you and make you see God.”

The music stops. For a moment, I think it’s just that my hearing is gone, all the blood rushing out of my head. But no. The song has finished, the orchestra coming to a natural pause.

I can barely focus on the room around me. Did I just hallucinate? Did this man really just say those words to me?

My mind is completely blank except for one treacherous thought: There’s nothing I want more in this world right now than for Alec—Mason Alexander Sterling—to get on his knees for me.

Other dancers are applauding the orchestra, but I’m frozen in place as Alec runs his hand down my side until he reaches the high slit in my dress. His fingers slip below the fabric, caressing my thigh.

“I love this dress you’re wearing. It’s so beautiful,” he says, voice breathy. “But you have no idea how much I want to tear it off of you.”

My breath hitches. I’m so turned on I'm shaking, hyper-aware of every part of me that’s pressed against him.

“I…” I open my mouth, but nothing more comes out.

Before I can pull myself together, before I can even get my breathing calm or figure out what to say to him, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I turn.

It’s Ashton. Alec’s coworker. The mouthwateringly muscular coworker…

“Mind if I cut in?” he asks with a bright grin. He’s not asking me, I realize. He’s asking Alec.

A brief flicker of irritation cuts across Alec’s face, but he inclines his head and steps back, gesturing for Ashton to proceed. And just like that, I’m moving again, the orchestra striking up a new song, Ashton pulling me close for an entirely new dance.

13

ASHTON

God,she’s adorable. Her dance with Alec has left her all hot and bothered, and though she’s trying her best to hide it, she’s completely failing.

Sweet girl. She’ll learn soon enough that she doesn’t need to hide anything from us. She couldn’t, even if she wanted to.

But, because I can be a bit of an asshole and I love to stir the pot, I smile and let my fingers stroke the small of her back as I ask, “Are you feeling okay? You look a little flushed.”

Flushed is an understatement. Whatever Alec said to her, she’s a mess. Her lips are parted and ruby red, and her cheeks are glowing.

It’s so fucking adorable.

“I’m fine,” she assures me, giving me a shaky smile. “Just… It's a little warm in here, don’t you think?”

I chuckle in answer.

She lets me lead in our dance, and though I’m not nearly as practiced as Alec, I manage to not embarrass us.

I think.

“Did you know?” she asks me suddenly, and when I frowndown at her, her lips thin and she shakes her head. “Of course you knew. What a stupid question. You work with him, don’t you? I’m the only one who didn’t know.”

“Know what?” I ask, puzzled.

“He told me his name wasAlec,” she says in a tight voice. There’s an unexpected edge to it.