“Right.”
He hadn’t moved, his body only inches from hers. “Every man had his eyes on you tonight.” His voice was impossibly deep and husky, sex for her ears. “But you came home with me. I’m the luckiest man in the world.”
She swallowed hard. “You’re good at this,” she whispered.
“I’m good at a lot of things.” He used one finger to tilt her chin up. His dark eyes held no humor, just carnal need. Was that how she looked? Her father had trained her to fight like a man, to stifle her femininity. He made her feel worthless unless she was winning in the ring. Drago made her feel like she could fly.
“We’ll see,” she said. Belle could play this game, too. At least she’d try her best. She’d never allowed herself to explore her sexuality, but Drago expected her to play the part to win the bet. If she knew anything, it was about coming out on top. There was no second place in her world.
He growled, his hand smoothing down her side and sliding around at the small of her back. She closed her eyes and breathed in through her teeth. His touch seared her even through the fabric of her dress, the heat traveling between her legs. Drago tugged her to his body, his hard cock pressed to her stomach. Goosebumps broke out on her arms, every nerve alive to his touch.
The doors dinged as they opened on his floor. Drago stepped back and took her hand again. The simple act of hand-holding felt more intimate than anything she’d ever experienced. His skin was warm and rough, exactly like a man’s should be.
He unlocked the door to his condo, then held it open for her to enter. Her heels clicked on the tiles in the foyer. She felt beautiful, felt like a woman.
Back to where they started, but how things had changed. Was she actually going to go through with this? Have sex with Drago?
“Take off your shoes,” he said after closing the door.
She raised an eyebrow.
“Play along.”
There wasn’t much she was afraid of. She could handle herself better than anyone she knew. Belle did as told, lightly kicking off the heels. Her feet thanked her once bare on the floor.
Drago shrugged off his suit jacket, hooking it on the coat rack, then loosened his tie. His muscles strained against the tailored shirt. “I love your hair out. You’re absolutely gorgeous.” He closed the distance between them, lifting her hair with his forearm, allowing it to fan back down. “I don’t deserve you, Belle.”
She wanted to touch him, to rip open his shirt and lick his bronzed skin. So many wicked thoughts flitted in her head, but she held back, letting him take the lead.
“Don’t say that,” she said. “Are you sure about all this?”
“You’re not getting cold feet, are you? Going to back out of our bet?”
Belle shook her head. “Just checking on you,” she said. Her nerves ran rampant. Apprehension mixed with her excitement, which only served to make her body more wanton. “My father didn’t raise a quitter.”
He stalked forward. “You’re one of the best. I was kind of sorry I never got the chance to challenge you myself before my retirement.”
Just imagining them sweaty and grappling made her panties wet. She shifted her thighs, the deep pulse between her legs becoming more and more distracting. God, she needed him to fuck her. “Maybe you’ll get a chance one of these days.” She swallowed her fears and reached out, tugging him down by his tie. He didn’t hesitate to kiss her. The moment their lips made contact, she was lost. All hesitation and nerves melted away, leaving only the two of them and their desires.
The energy between them grew tenfold as their kissing deepened. They devoured each other, tasting, exploring, unable to stop touching and tugging at each other’s clothes. He backed them up towards his bedroom, the lingering scent of his cologne enticing her senses as they entered his private space.
She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt, wanting it off, needing to feel his bare skin. He helped her, their fingers working furiously, but she lost patience, tearing it open. Her heart raced, her face flush. She’d never felt passion like this, certainly not with Mikey.
Belle peeled the shirt over both his shoulders. She stopped just to look at him. God, his body was to die for. She’d drooled over him in the ring, but this was something else. He was hers for the taking.
“You want to stop?” he asked.
“If I want to stop, you’ll know. If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty good at handling myself.”
“But you’ve never been one on one with me.” He kissed her before she could speak.
Drago backed her up until she hit the bed. She sat down, pulling him along with her. She combed her fingers into his hair. Belle wanted to tell Drago to forget his bet. She was past caring about her insecurities or proving herself to him. This felt different, felt real.