Page 2 of The Devil and His Goddess (Sinners Do It Better #2)

Harper

I FOUGHT TO CATCH MY breath as I slipped into the heavily packed ballroom. The assembled temporary stage and podium stood empty, and the crowd was busy mingling or dancing. With a silent curse, I closed my eyes and hung my head. I’d missed the introduction and address from the new artistic director. Thankfully, this Halloween party wasn’t a formal event, so my tardiness should go unnoticed.

My hope was confirmed when Katerina spotted me and bounced over with a blinding smile, Elijah right on her heel.

“You look lovely!” Katerina gushed, her Russian accent as thick as the day she’d moved here three years ago.

I beamed at her and looked down at my white Grecian gown. A golden belt cinched the small waist, which matched the gold laurel wreath crown adorning my head. I’d styled my long black hair in an updo, and my make-up was both natural yet elaborate with the gold shimmer and wine-colored lip.

“Thank you,” I said as I appraised both hers and Elijah’s costumes. “You both look amazing, too!”

Katerina wore a pink and green fairy ensemble, complete with fake wings. She had woven greenery into her red braid, looking every bit a fairy princess. Elijah had on a skin-tight black suit with faux fur around his ankles and wrists. He wore a red choker with a golden bell, and dark cat ears sat in his short black hair. He’d even painted whiskers on his brown cheeks.

“Can you believe how hot the new artistic director is?” Elijah swooned, leaning toward me conspiratorially.

Not wanting to bring attention to the fact that I’d just arrived since this was still a work function, I shared in his smile. “Seriously! So gorgeous.”

“I can’t believe he’s going to juggle his music career and running the ballet company,” Katerina noted, and I could practically see the stars in her eyes.

“Celebrities like him must be built different,” Elijah said with a dreamy sigh.

These two might as well have been speaking another language. I didn’t have a clue what music career the new director had, nor did I know about his celebrity status. Hell, I didn’t even know the guy’s name yet. I’d have to subtly pry that information out of someone tonight.

Was it unprofessional of me to miss my new director’s welcome party and introduction? Yes.

Was it my fault my flight back here got delayed, putting me behind schedule? No.

Sure, I could’ve come back from visiting my family a day early to ensure I had ample time to get ready today, but that would’ve been one less day with my parents and brothers before my schedule got too busy for regular visits.

Besides, if the director wanted me to treat his take-over more seriously, he should’ve had a formal ceremony, not a Halloween party.

Though, I wasn’t entirely complaining. The dim lighting, variety of costumes, pop music, and spooky themed treats and drinks was pretty cool. Maybe it was his way of showing us that he was going to be fun and imaginative instead of overly rigid and high-strung. Or it was a test for all of the dancers and staff.

Who came dressed as what?

Who let loose on the open dance floor?

Who indulged in the alcohol offered tonight?

Work started back next week, which meant it was still technically the off-season for our company. That meant this party was my last chance to have a little buzz before getting back to the rigid food plan and grueling work load, so I decided to be one of those who was a little less uptight.

“I’m gonna grab a drink,” I said to Katerina and Elijah. “Do you guys want something?”

“No thanks, babe,” Elijah declined. He grabbed Katerina’s hand as a new upbeat song came on overhead. “We’re gonna dance.”

“I’ll join you guys in a bit,” I said as I waved the two off.

They found their place among the other dancers and company employees. There were quite a few faces I didn’t recognize here, but that wasn’t surprising since new dancers had just been accepted by the company. That was also part of the reason this party was thrown together—dancers old and new could mingle and get to know each other.

I watched the crowded space as I made my way to the back of the room where the refreshment table stood. I accepted a flute of champagne, sipping on the bubbly drink as witches, vampires, demons, and angels danced. Nearly everyone was out on the floor, but I expected nothing less from a ballet company. The only ones not dancing were the non-performative employees who worked behind the scenes—physical therapists, trainers, dieticians, and the executives.

There was a group of them stationed in the corner of the room, holding drinks and chatting. They were all dressed up in more formal-wear like suits and evening gowns, and a good number of them seemed to be hanging on the words of a middle-aged man dressed in an expensive-looking suit. He smiled and held himself with the sort of power that spoke volumes about his spot in the workplace hierarchy.

That must be the new artistic director , I thought to myself, not recognizing the clearly influential man.

I sipped on my drink and turned back to the dancing crowd. Watching the various people lose themselves in the loud music had me itching to join them, though it didn’t take much to convince me to dance, not when dancing was everything to me. The art form was how I expressed myself, how I found peace amid storms, how I found courage in the face of fear. Nothing pushed or fueled me like dance, especially ballet.

“Some party, huh?” a deep, sultry voice commented from beside me.

“Yeah, it’s—” I looked over my shoulder and nearly dropped my champagne in the process, because … holy shit . He couldn’t be real. A man this gorgeous simply couldn’t exist.

His shoulder-length golden curls brushed broad and tanned shoulders, which were exposed, along with his arms. The white fabric of his costume draped across his chest, secured with a golden clip on his shoulder. Half of a hard and well-defined pec was on display, thanks to the outfit. A belt similar to mine made sure the costume was tight at the waist, and the hem of the Grecian tunic stopped just beneath mid-thigh. Sandals wrapped around calves and shins that every athlete would drool over. After thoroughly devouring him with my gaze, I met emerald green eyes and swallowed hard.

“Interesting,” I finally finished. It took every bit of my self-control to keep the awe off my face.

Despite my attempt to keep my face blank, the man beside me chuckled as though he knew exactly what I thought of him. I downed more of my champagne, needing the drink to deal with my sudden nerves.

“Nice costume,” the beautiful stranger complimented.

I glanced his way and gave him another once over, as if I hadn’t just eye-fucked him seconds ago. “You, too.”

“This?” he asked, looking down at the outfit. “It was just something I grabbed last minute. I thought about coming as a demon, but that seemed a bit too on the nose.”

I quirked a puzzled brow at him. “Why’s that?”

He tilted his head in surprise. “You don’t know who I am?”

“Ha!” I laughed incredulously at the man’s ego. Some dancers had an inflated sense of oneself, and I guessed he was one of them. Playing along, I notched my chin higher and crossed my arms. “Don’t you know who I am?”

He smiled slowly, the look downright sinful, and he raked those shining green eyes over me. “Not yet, but I’m definitely planning on finding out, Goddess.”

Heat rushed through my veins, warming me with desire. I was suddenly so glad I chose a Greek goddess costume for this evening, because hearing him call me that was doing something delicious to my insides. Pair that with the way he looked at me like I was his dream come to life, and I was prepared to melt. Even though I was used to appraising glances, his attention did something to me that others didn’t. It felt like a sensual caress over my suddenly too-tight skin, and it lured me in like a fish on a hook.

Not wanting to expose the effect he was having on me, I pursed my lips and cocked my head. “I don’t think you could handle me, Peasant .” I flicked the belt of his costume. “After all, a goddess like me has high standards.”

“And I don’t meet them?” he asked, placing a hand on his chest in mock offense.

I tapped a finger on my chin and studied him. I walked a slow circle around him, silently noting how perfect he looked at every angle. “You have good lines. A pretty decent physique.” Especially that ass . I made it back in front of him and took care to make sure my face remained impassive. “Unfortunately, I like my men to prove themselves in more areas than just physicality.”

Amusement glittered in those gems he called eyes. “Name your challenge. You’ll find I always aim to please.”

The way he purred the last sentiment made my head fill with images of naked, golden skin sheening with sweat as it curved over top of mine. Desire settled hot at my core. It had been awhile since I’d had sex, and part of me wanted to skip through this sort of back-and-forth we were doing to get right to the main event. But I also liked the teasing air we had and wanted to draw it out.

“You want to win me over?” With a smirk, I held out my hand in an invitation for his. “Dance with me.”

I wasn’t sure who this guy was, but he was clearly one of Silverlight’s new dancers. There was no way he had this kind of body and wasn’t an athlete. He called me a goddess, but he could literally be a Greek god statue come to life. I was eager to see how he moved on the dance floor and how well he commanded that body.

With only a fleeting glance at my hand, Peasant took it and led me onto the dance floor. The moment we were there, he jerked my hand high and spun me twice before yanking me flush against him. I sucked in a sharp breath as my chest pressed to his torso, and my hand landed on his bare bicep. He pressed into me so that I was forced to move in time with the push and sway of his hard body. With the slow and dramatic song overhead and the way he posed our arms high, I quickly understood the dance he was about to lead me through.

With a knowing smile, I gripped his hand and shoulder firmly before sweeping my leg out through the slit in my dress, curving it behind me and bending my back. He grinned and snapped me back up so we were right in each other’s faces, nose to nose, lips centimeters apart.

My own grin stayed rooted in place as we moved through a sensual sort of tango. I wasn’t a ballroom dancer by any means, but Peasant was an excellent lead, guiding me through the steps and motions while also giving me space to spin and dip with my own ballerina flare. The music hummed in my veins, and the heat smoldering in his green gaze fueled me to move my body in whatever way felt right. That meant pressing into him and keeping our noses aligned so that we breathed the other in. He hooked one of my legs over his hip to dip me low enough that my outstretched hand brushed the ground. With the strength and grace of a professional, he guided me back up and into his strong hold.

Our feet moved quickly and sharply through the steps he created, and in a grand finale, he spun me out. When he pulled me back in, he lifted me into his arms so that my back pressed to his shoulder and my leg hooked through his arm, arching me through a final spin. He brought me back to the ground as the turn ended, and we landed right back against each other, noses touching and eyes locked.

Applause erupted around us, and it was only then that I realized the rest of the party had backed away to open the floor for the two of us.

“How’d I do?” he asked breathlessly in the space between us.

I let out a small laugh before I could help myself and shrugged. “Adequate.”

The crowd slowly found their way back to the dance floor, and the two of us continued to sway and move in place as a new song filled the speakers. I caught sight of multiple people watching us with wide eyes and soft murmurs as they shuffled around our duo in their own dance. I totally understood their shock. That dance had been exhilarating, and no one could deny the brilliance of it, especially since it was performed in the heat of the moment and not rehearsed.

“Think I can serve you yet, Goddess?” he asked with a teasing grin.

“You really are eager to please,” I noted. With my heart still racing from the fiery dance we’d just had, I asked, “So are you one of the new dancers hired on?”

“Something like that.” His eyes made a slow sweep of my body again, and there was no missing the sweet heat that followed his gaze. “What’s your name? Or should I keep calling you Goddess?”

I laughed and readjusted my hold on his shoulders. “Goddess works just fine for me. Or Harper. Whichever you prefer. What about you, Peasant?”

“Perseus.”

I narrowed my eyes in skepticism. “Is that your real name, or are we still going along with the Greek theme you and I seem to be sharing?”

He smiled. “It’s my real name.”

“Hmm. I like it. I guess that earns you a couple more points in my book.”

“I’m glad it pleases you. Anything else I can do to earn your favor?”

I pursed my lips and pretended to think—as if I didn’t know exactly what he hoped I’d suggest. “You can fetch me another drink.”

“As my goddess wishes.”

He placed his hand on my lower back as we left the dance floor. He headed for the refreshment table while I made my way to one of the standing tables off to the side of the room.

This night was definitely taking an unexpected turn. I’d never envisioned coming to a work party and finding a man I was interested in bringing home, yet here I was. Breathless. Giddy. Horny. I was always so focused on my career as a ballerina that I rarely made time for much else, especially sex or romance. So this was a pleasant change in routine for me.

I brushed some of my dark hair out of my eyes when I caught sight of a blonde head walking in my direction. The high still heating my skin cooled with annoyance when I saw Mandi. Her costume looked less like the run-of-the-mill angel get-ups and more like one that had come right off the Victoria Secret runway.

She stopped by my table and glared at me in disgust. “You’re really something, Harper. Afraid you won’t be principal dancer if you don’t fuck the director? I always knew you wouldn’t be top girl without sleeping your way through the company. Classy, Harper. Real classy.”

She flipped her blonde hair over her white glittery wings and spun on her heel before I could even open my mouth. I stared wide-eyed at her retreating back. I was so used to Mandi’s nasty attitude that her remarks brushed right off of me.

All of them, except one.

My stomach bottomed out as I slowly turned to Perseus, who made his way toward me with champagne in each hand. I quickly looked over his shoulder where the group of men and women dressed in suits and evening gowns stood, and I realized too late I’d made a very incorrect assumption. The looks we’d received while dancing took on a whole new meaning.

The man in the suit wasn’t the new artistic director.

Perseus was.

All the remarks I’d made, the unprofessionalism I’d shown, the name I’d called him all fired through my mind. I was dead—so, so dead.

Perseus reached my table and placed my glass in front of me. “Goddess.”

My eyes never left his as I stated flatly, “You’re the new artistic director.”

“And owner,” he added without missing a beat, sipping on his champagne.

A small, incredulous laugh slipped out as I rubbed at my forehead. That same mantra kept screaming inside my skull.

Dead, dead, dead .

“I’m assuming someone came and broke the news while I was grabbing drinks?” Perseus speculated with a chuckle.

“I’m an idiot,” I said as deep remorse punctuated each word. “I am so sorry. I missed your address, and I didn’t—”

“Why exactly are you apologizing?” he asked with a tilt to his head. “I don’t mind you being late. Tonight. This was just an easy-going way for me to introduce myself to everyone. So why apologize?” His eyes glittered with rising amusement as he asked, “Do you regret calling your new boss ‘Peasant?’”

A nervous giggle tried to rise up my throat, but I stomped it down. “That. Among other things.”

I’d been dancing with my boss . A very sexually charged dance. I knew what his chest felt like against mine, how muscular his thigh was when pressed between my legs, and how good it felt to have his hands on my body. And I’d basked in all of those sensations in front of the entire company. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die from the mortification of it all.

“It’s been fun, sir—”

“Sir?” he repeated with a perplexed raise of his brow. “Not ‘Peasant?’”

I barrelled on without acknowledging him. “But I have to go.”

Perseus straightened, and his teasing smirk changed into something softer, something that reminded me of the heated sparks that had been brewing between us. “Let me see you home then.”

That flare of desire threatened to ignite again, but I refused to let it. This was my freaking boss , and I couldn’t give into my horny urges now only to come to work and act like I hadn’t fucked this god of a man.

So what did I do to distance myself from any possible sexual relationship with him? I lied.

“Look,” I started with a sympathetic frown. “You were great to hang out with while here, but honestly … you aren’t my type.”

There was barely time for me to register the look of shock on his face before I turned on my heel and fled.