Unexpected Claim

The sounds of the room fade away and everything goes quiet in my head as his dark green eyes lock on mine. His face is unreadable, though, as the hard lines there show no trace of emotion. I’m caught in his stare and I can’t pull my eyes away. My feet are rooted to the ground, but the pull I feel toward him is unlike anything I’ve everfelt.

“I’d call him fresh meat, but he doesn’t look like prey,” Reba says loudly.

I blink, and the connection I had with the stranger breaks.

“Hmm?” I ask, unsure what she means.

“He must be here with someone. I’ve never seen him before.”

A hard rock sits in my stomach at Reba’s words. I wonder who the lucky girl is because he’s…. I can’t even find the words for it. Beautiful isn’t the right one, maybe powerful? God, he seems unreal. Whatever it is, it made me feel something I’ve never felt in my life. He’s different.

“Come on.” She snaps my attention away from the man who just crushed a little bit of something insideme.

Suddenly I really want to leave. Not because I’m nervous about tonight, but because for some reason I know it will hurt if I see him with whoever it is he came with. I don’t want to watch him touch anyone. I feel possessive and overwhelmed with emotions. What is wrong withme?

Reba leads me toward two chairs that run along the wall. I sit down, putting my hands in my lap. My eyes stay downcast. I don’t have the nerve to look around yet. My mind is still on the man by thedoor.

“He’s staring at you,” Reba says in my ear. It takes everything in me to not look over at him. Instead, I focus onReba.

“Really?” I feel my cheeksheat.

“I take that back,” she says, and just for a second my heart sinks. “He’s not staring at you. He’s fucking you with his eyes. Jesus. He looks like he’s getting off on it. Damn, that’s hot. I didn’t know a look could be that intense.”

My heart picks up again, racing in my chest. I take a deep breath, trying to get myself under control. Finally the sounds of the room start to fill my ears. Moans and heavy breathing fill the air and my body is getting hot with all ofit.

I glance over Reba’s shoulder and see two naked women on top of a man. He dressed, but they are completely naked. They’re kissing and rubbing all over him. He’s got his hands behind his head, enjoying what they’re doing tohim.

I think about having to watch the man I saw when I came in doingthat.

“Maybe I should go,” I mumble, standingup.

“You haven’t even looked around,” Reba complains.

Panic and indecision rise within me. I turn to have a look around, but my sight is blocked by a wide chest that’s covered in a very nicesuit.

“Eyes on me.” His low timber rolls across my skin and causes a warm chill to hit me right between my legs. “Only me. You don’t look at othermen.”

“Holy shit,” I hear Rebagasp.

Big hands cup my face, drawing my eyes up tohis.

“If you came here to play tonight, I’ll be the only one you play with,” the man says, staking his claim on me. “I’m Shephard. Now tell me yourname.”

“Ivy,” I whisper, proud of myself for being able to rememberit.

“Of course you are,” he says, brushing his thumb along my jaw. “And just like the vine, you’re going to cover me until there’s nothing left. Aren’tyou?”

“Yes,” I answer, barely audible over the noise of theroom.

I don’t know what I’m agreeing to, but he likes what he hears.

“Goodgirl.”