Page 25 of His Scarlette Obsession

I feel lost.

Adrift.

But at the same time, I feel...

I straighten my shoulders as I take one last look at my reflection. Smooth down my dress before stepping out of the ladies.

Oh.

The word finally comes to me the moment I see Lykan patiently waiting for me in the hallway, his broad shoulders leaning against the wall with casual grace that still manages to look regal.

Free, I think dizzily. My Vaughn-centric days may have come to an end, but it doesn’t have to mean my life is over—

Dark eyes narrow at me, and my heart skips a beat at the scorching intensity of his gaze.

Because of him.

“You took your time.”

“I’m sorry.” Lying isn’t ever an option, but I don’t it’s any smart either if I were to tell a royal sheikh from a powerful desert kingdom that I was preoccupied by another man.

He offers his arm, and it feels so terrifyingly natural to just curve my arm around his. If I don’t take extra care not to lower my guard, he might have me completely forgetting that this engagement of ours is pure insanity.

All eyes are on us when we return to the ballroom, but instead of leading us back to our table—

Huh?

“Please don’t tell me—”

“Then I won’t.”

Oh no.

I try digging my heels in, but this only has the sheikh’s lips curving in a smirk, and I look at him in horror.

“I don’t dance.”

“You do now.”

I don’t even have time to draw another breath, with the sheikh already swinging me into his arms, and oh, of course...

Of course the orchestra starts playing the moment we step into the dance floor.

Seriously?

Lykan's lips twitch when he sees the look on my face.

"Impressed?"

"Nope."Yes.

The sheikh only laughs, and I wish I could laugh, too, just to show him he's not getting under my skin.

But...how can I, with him drawing me even closer to his big, hard body while more and more people come to watch us like we're tonight's main performance?

“Is it like this for you all the time?" I blurt out.

“The parties?”