“You started it.”
“Grow up!”
“Are you two at it again? I swear, it’s like babysitting,” Lia grumbled as she walked from the room looking like his wet dream incarnate.
As Lia stepped toward him, he couldn’t take his eyes off her long hair tumbling down her back, and the way the stunning black stilettos accented her bare legs. Her dress molded to her br**sts and then ran out over her hips, the shimmering material swirling around her legs like the thundering end of a waterfall.
Rachel’s phone rang and she excused herself, but Shane was oblivious to her. When Lia finally looked up and their eyes met, he wanted to march her backward toward his room and make her his.
No matter how much he told himself that sleeping with her would be a mistake, the longer he was in her presence, the more he seemed to forget that fact. He needed to be buried inside her body while her fingernails scraped down his back, as she claimed him as her own with the same intensity.
The absolute need to have her was starting to short-circuit his brain.
“Sorry, guys, but you’re officially on your own.”
Shane turned to see Rachel taking off her silky blue shrug.
“What do you mean?” Shane asked, feeling a bit light-headed. There was no way he could spend the evening alone with Lia with the way she looked now. Each day around her zapped a little bit more of his will to resist.
“I have an important call I have to make,” Rachel said as she breezed away and closed her door. Lia followed, but no matter how much she knocked, her little sister wouldn’t open up.
Neither of them knew it was all a ruse — Rachel was giving them the night together alone.
“Well, Shane, it looks like it’s just you and me,” Lia said with a wink as she grabbed her shawl.
Shane felt pressure build in his gut as he watched her turn her well-defined yet feminine back to him. No matter which angle he faced, she was just as appealing. He beelined for the liquor cabinet and poured himself a double, downing it in one gulp. Please give me strength, he thought before walking to the door and opening it for her.
“Which show are we going to see?”
“I don’t know. Your little sister is the one who purchased the tickets. She told me to hold onto them since they wouldn’t fit in her purse, but I haven’t had a chance to look yet,” Shane replied as he grabbed the envelope from his pocket and walked by her side to the elevators.
“You were putting a lot of trust in her.”
“She wouldn’t stop pestering me until I caved in. I’d rather be playing a bit of blackjack than attending what I’m sure will be a girlie show.”
“Oh, have some faith. Rachel has great taste.”
It wasn’t Rachel’s taste in shows that had Shane on edge — it was his fear of not being able to keep his hands to himself. As Lia walked ahead of him, the sway of her h*ps caught his eye. She had just the right amount of curves for a man to grab hold of while he thrust deep inside her heat.
His imagination took over as he pictured peeling off her tight dress and revealing those beautiful curves to full view. So hypnotized was he by her walk that sweat broke out on his brow. And when she turned suddenly, it took a moment for him to lift his eyes to her face.
The knowing look she gave him didn’t instill confidence. She wanted him — he had no doubt about that. The only doubt he had at this point was whether or not he should take what she was offering. His resistance could last only so long.
*****
As Shane and Lia were being escorted to their seats, excitement was building inside her. He’d been glancing her way repeatedly from the moment she’d stepped out of her bedroom, and the car ride had been filled with enough heat to melt the Arctic Circle. Maybe tonight would finally be their night.
“What in the hell is your sister planning?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Lia replied as she surveyed the small theater.
“Well, for one thing, is that a stripper pole in front of me?”
“It looks like one, but it isn’t as if I’ve ever been to a strip show, so how would I know?” she said, shrugging her shoulders.
She looked around her with growing anticipation. All she knew was that they would be watching a burlesque show. She and Rachel had gone to a couple of burlesque classes last year, and she’d had a blast. Never had she felt so sexy.
“I had assumed we’d be going to something more classy,” he snarled.
“All I can tell you is that it’s burlesque,” Lia defended.
“There’s a big freaking X in front of the burlesque word!” he snapped.
“Well, maybe it’s just really sexy burlesque. Be quiet; people are starting to stare at us.”
Shane threw a withering look her way, and everything became clear to her. Lia now knew beyond a doubt that he was fighting the urge to take her back to his room and finally take her. That’s why he was so upset. But the sexy atmosphere — her clothes — being in Sin City — it all added up to her getting what she wanted.
The two of them sat back as they waited for the small theater to fill. The venue did surprise Lia a little; she had expected Rachel to pick one of the Cirque du Soleil shows. Still, Lia was relieved because the dark room was small and intimate, and Shane’s leg was pressing against hers. The stage was in touching distance, and the waitress had just brought them each a nice large glass of wine.
She wanted to giggle when she realized she was hoping to get Shane drunk so she could take advantage of him. She wasn’t usually so bold, but something about him brought out her hunting instincts — he was currently in her sights and she wasn’t letting him escape.
“I think we should just go, Lia,” he murmured as he turned to her and pulled at his collar.
“Quit being such a prude. If you were here with Rafe, you’d be drooling over the stripper pole, hoping and praying that some hot thing was about to come out onstage and get naked.”
“I’m not with Rafe — I’m here with you.”
“Is that really so bad, Shane? You know, I took a few burlesque classes not long ago. I will have to show my moves when we get back to the room.” Lia’s hand moved to his thigh and she ran her fingernail from his knee nearly to his groin.
Shane’s hand snaked out and stopped her before she reached her prize, but by the way his eyes dilated Lia’s confidence shot through the roof. Tonight was going to be their night — even if she had to drug the man. He was going to have to get over the fact that she was Rafe’s little sister. She wasn’t a kid now — she was all grown up, with very adult needs.