In Bed with the Beast (Naughty Princess Club 2)

“Come on, asshole. Your chariot awaits,” Ariel complains, pausing to look back at me.

Vincent’s head snaps up when he hears her voice, and I hold my breath when his eyes meet mine. Then, ever so slowly, I watch as they trail down my body and back up, the heat from his gaze warming everything inside of me. I wait for him to say something about how different I look, and nothing but awkward silence fills the room.

Deciding now is a good time to put this new sexiness to good use and see if there could be something more between us once I get some experience, I lift my chin and start walking towards him with confidence.

That was probably my first mistake.

I maybe should have asked Ariel to teach me how to walk in these torture devices without just shuffling my feet across the floor.

I manage to take three steps before my ankles wobble and one of the stupid heels slips on the hardwood floor. My arms start windmilling to try and steady myself, but it’s no use. I pitch forward and squeeze my eyes closed, hoping it doesn’t hurt too bad when I smack my face into the floor.

Just when I think I’m going to have to cancel my date because of a broken nose with blood spraying everywhere, I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around my body and stop my downward decent. Vincent hauls me back up onto my feet and yanks me against him, my palms smacking against his chest to steady myself.

I can feel his body everywhere from the rough scrape of his jeans against my thighs through the dress, to his stomach pressing against mine, and his muscular chest rubbing against my breasts with each breath he takes. His huge arms are still wrapped tightly around my waist and I’ve never felt more safe and secure in my life. I finally tip my head back to look up at him, thankful that these stupid shoes are good for one thing. Instead of craning my neck and getting a kink in it because of our height difference, these shoes put my head right below his chin. As my eyes move up towards his, all I can think about is that the crook of his neck between his throat and his collarbone would make a great place for me to burrow my face, especially now that I’m at the perfect height to reach it. My heart beats double-time in my chest, waiting for him to say something complimentary, and I hope to God he can’t feel it with our chests still pressed together so tightly. It takes everything in me not to press my nose against him and take a deep breath of his manly soap smell.

“What the hell are you wearing? And what’s all that shit on your face?”

So much for compliments.

My heart falls right down into my stomach as I shove against his chest as hard as I can until he finally drops his arms from around me and lets me take a step back from him. When my ankles start to wobble again, he quickly reaches his arms out for me, but I smack his hands away.

“I’m fine!” I growl through clenched teeth, sliding the shoes against the hardwood as I move backwards instead of lifting them up and attempting to walk like a normal person.

I keep shuffling and sliding backwards until I’m far enough away so I can’t smell him or feel the heat from his body, and I can clear my head.

“What the fuck did you do to her?” Vincent asks, glaring at Ariel when I finally manage to slide my way over to her without falling.

“I sexed her up a bit, thank you very much. Her date will be eating out of her hand by the end of the night. Or, you know, getting down on his knees and eating out her—”

“Didn’t you say we needed to leave?” I quickly interrupt Ariel, reaching over and grabbing my purse from the arm of the couch.

“You have a date?” Vincent asks, incredulity screaming loud and clear in his voice even though he asked the question barely above an angry whisper.

My hope that he would actually find me attractive when he saw me like this withers and dies inside of me, like someone pouring water on cotton candy. Not wanting to cry and ruin the beautiful makeup Ariel applied, I go with anger instead.

“Yes, I have a date. I know it’s hard for you to imagine that a man might actually want to date someone as boring and nerdy and plain as me, but miracles do happen,” I inform him, grabbing onto Ariel’s arm so she can help me walk towards the door.

“Belle, that’s not what—”

“Screw you!” I shout over my shoulder as I fling open the front door. “And don’t wait up.”