“You’re exactly the type of woman I want to get to know better.”
My body chilled as excitement spiked through me. The idea of doing anything with this man was tempting, but I had to remain focused. Glancing over to the side of the room, my eyes were met with glares from the other few women in attendance.
“Looks like you have a fan club.” I nudged my head in the direction of my now glowering female attendees.
“I’m well aware.”
“Are you always this cocky?”
“Are you always this difficult? I just wanted to dance with you, and you told me no.”
His thumb moved up and down on my hand, and I lost all focus.
“Now, I tell you that I want to get to know you better, and you deny me. You keep running away from me, Elizabeth, and I don’t like it.”
“So?”
“So…” He paused before leaning in and breathing in the scent of my neck. “Stop running.”
“Stop chasing.” I smiled.
He loosened his grip, and catching him off guard, I left him alone on the dance floor.
7.
ELIZABETH
After shoving away from Daniel’s body, I quickly moved toward a small group of esteemed male guests. Their conversation came to an abrupt halt as soon as I appeared. Sensing the uncomfortable air that had obviously followed my presence, I smiled politely and excused myself.
Now was the perfect time to seek out that restroom refuge I so desperately needed. Once inside, I sat on the ledge of the ornate pedestal tub. I focused on my breathing, berating myself for being so attracted to Daniel and enjoying his Neanderthal advances.
Hadn’t I learned my lesson back in college? Over the years, I had convinced myself that Ben was right about men and the kind of women they wanted by their sides, and I wasn’t it.
A loud knock startled me, and I almost fell into the tub I was perched on the edge of.
“Almost done,” I announced with a stutter, cursing under my breath that my safe haven had been discovered.
“Just let me in, Elizabeth.” Daniel’s voice breathed out through the doorframe.
After hesitating for a moment, I pushed off the ledge and clicked the door’s lock. He opened the door and stepped in before locking it again behind him. All the while, he eyed me, his head shaking.
“Why are you hiding in here?” he asked.
I returned to my tub of solitude. “Why are you always following me?”
“Maybe I find you interesting.” He took a step toward me, closing the small space between us.
“Maybe I find you irritating.”
“You don’t.” He knelt in front of me.
His head was still slightly above mine, causing me to look up in order to eye him.
“I most certainly do.”
“I don’t believe you,” he said before placing a hand on my waist and pulling my weight forward, causing me to grip the tub for balance.
His lips crushed against mine before I could protest. And holy shit, I did not want to protest, no matter how many warning bells rang in my ears. My mouth opened, allowing his tongue to enter. His free hand ran up the length of my dress and stopped on my chest before taking a handful of my breast and squeezing. He moaned into my mouth, and I reached out to remove his jacket with my hands before groping his chest and abs.