“Before what?”
“Before I could do this.” I pull her against me and place a soft kiss against her lips before retreating.
Keep her wanting more.
Her sharp inhale makes me grin into her hair. My skin buzzes as she grips onto me and we find our rhythm, two bodies swaying to the music. The song changes and people pass us by, but neither of us dares to end the moment.
The only time we step away from the dance floor is to get more drinks and partake in the auction I have no interest participating in. All it takes is Iris squealing at the prospect of a trip to Mexico for me to become an active bidder, with me raising my paddle to outspend everyone in the ballroom.
Iris wraps her arms around my neck and kisses my cheek when the auctioneer announces our paddle number. I don’t have a chance to process her lips against my skin before she pulls away and settles back in her chair.
Fuck it. I become invigorated by the smiles she sends my way. Some people try to outbid me for whatever catches Iris’s attention, but I outmatch them every time. By the time the auctioneer steps away from the podium, I’ve spent over fifty-million dollars solely for the rush I get whenever Iris smiles.
It doesn’t take much convincing on her end to drag me back onto the dance floor once the auction ends, although I make a pit stop at the bar to get me through it. We keep dancing until the final song plays and we are the last couple in the room. I regrettably let her go, only for her to limp a couple feet. She doesn’t protest as I wrap an arm around her and take the brunt of her weight.
“I think my feet need to be amputated.” She flinches as she loses her footing.
I don’t think as I haul her over my shoulder, bringing her ass to my eye level. “Problem solved.”
“Declan!” she shouts into my back. “What are you doing?!” She rams her small fists into my spine, and I grunt.
“Being a gentleman.”
“More like a caveman! Put me down right now! This is so embarrassing.”
“No one is here to see you.” The lack of bags makes my job of finding her clutch that much easier. I pass it to her so she can hold onto it while I walk.
Her head lifts as she assesses the empty ballroom. “Where did they all go?”
“Home.”
“Then why are we still even here?”
“I lost track of time.”
She gasps as she checks her phone. “It’s midnight!”
“You’ll make it home before you turn into a pumpkin, princess.”
“That’s not even how the story goes.” Her laugh is muffled by the material of my tux as I carry her out the door.
“Close enough.”
“You’re a disgrace to your last name.”
I smack her ass for that comment.
“Did you just spank me?!”
My hand burns to do it again if only to hear that little gasp she makes when my palm collides with her flesh. She returns the favor and smacks my asshard. I almost drop her from the shock of it all, but I recover with a laugh.
“Ugh! You weren’t supposed to like that!”
I collect myself before walking through the lobby with Iris hauled over my shoulder. The bellhop gives us a look as he opens the door, and I tip my chin in his direction.
A random passerby takes a photo as they catcall, and Iris flips them off.
“I hate you so much right now.” She huffs.