Beneath These Lies (Beneath, #5)

But this . . . They started to move with the music. The woman pretended to ignore the man, who, even from our vantage point, looked hungry for her.

Was that what someone else would see when Rix looked at me? I glanced over at him, taking my eyes from the stage for just a moment, to find him watching me, his silver eyes intent.

Ah . . . so that’s what this was about. See how the straight-laced chick reacts to naughtiness. I slid closer to him on the bench and pressed a fingertip to his jaw, intending to turn his head back toward the stage.

“You’re here to watch the show,” I whispered when he kept his eyes on me.

“You’re the one I’m watching, duchess. Every chance I get.”

My cheeks heated, but so did other strategic parts of my body. “Rix . . .”

“Valentina.”

The music, sultry and sexy, picked up a deeper bass beat, and I looked to the stage and back to Rix.

“Watch the show.”

I complied and was captivated.

The woman was teasing the man. She sat on one of the beds, fluffing her hair, checking her lipstick in a compact. The man came closer, but she stood and bent to fix her shoe, popping her rear out in his direction, but rose before he could touch. And then the clothes started to come off.

His first. He pulled off his tie and tossed it on the bed he leaned against before unbuttoning and rolling up his cuffs.

Her attention dropped to the tie, and she flipped her hair before unsnapping part of the front of her sequined top and shimmying it off. Instead of revealing skin, it gave way to a deep V-cut strapless number. She tossed the discarded layer at his face, but he caught it in midair. The act unleashed him.

He stepped forward, wrapping her long hair around his fist and grasping the back of her head. His lips found her neck, her chin, her ear . . . much like Rix had in the SUV on the way here. The man was ravenous.

The woman arched back, grasping a handful of his shirt. The man didn’t stop for long moments, and when he did, it was to tear his shirt off and spin her around. Pinning her to the bed, he shackled both wrists above her head and kissed her again. Every move was more erotic than the last.

When he released his hands, she pushed at his chest, and he bounded up from the bed. She rose and pushed him backward until his knees hit the other bed and he sat. She climbed on his lap and with a snap of her wrist, the skirt of her outfit fell away, leaving bright red cheeky panties with a black bow on the back. This time it was her turn, pressing him down, pinning him, and taking what she wanted.

Both of his hands wrapped around her ass and squeezed, bringing her closer until she was directly above his face. He tore her panties in half, revealing a tiny red thong. She moaned, riding his face, and I couldn’t stop myself from looking back at Rix again.

His eyes were trailing down my body to where my nipples were puckered and pressed hard against the silk of my blouse.

He must have felt my stare because his gaze cut to mine, and in that moment I wanted him to unbutton my blouse and touch me. I wanted him to tear my clothes off the way the couple were onstage. I wanted him in a frenzy for me where what he wanted most in this world was me.

But that couldn’t happen here. Yes, the booth was semi-private and I was wearing a mask, but still . . . I just couldn’t. I might be finding my inner vixen, as evidenced by the slickness gathering between my legs at watching this show with Rix at my side, but sex in a semi-public place was pushing my limits too far.

Wasn’t it?

His gaze was on me, but now the fire was banked and concern was visible.

Crap. Me and my overactive brain were killing the moment. I looked back to the stage, the woman straddled the man, lower now, so she could tear at his belt with her teeth.

I wanted to be the aggressor for once. The instigator. But I wasn’t sure if I could do that here.

I leaned close to Rix’s ear. “I need to use the ladies’.”

He narrowed his eyes on me, but slid out of the booth so I could pass. “You okay?”

I nodded. It was a lie. I wasn’t okay, but I would be.

Walking toward the back of the room, I found a server, and he directed me to the ladies’ room.

Instead of going inside, I walked past it, looking for another door. There had to be something. I pushed open a door marked PRIVATE.

Bingo.

It was a storage room of some kind. Flipping on the light revealed stacks of chairs, a few tables, and shelves of linens. There was no lock on the door, but I was turning over a new leaf. Pulling my phone from my clutch, I slowed when I saw my reflection in its glass screen. My mask hid the nerves, anticipation, daring, arousal, and a hundred other emotions rioting, but at least if we got caught, it would hide my identity.

Was that why I was being so daring tonight?

No, I decided. It wasn’t the mask that had freed me from my inhibitions and given me this plan. It was Rix.

I swiped my screen and punched in my passcode incorrectly. Three times. Get it together, Valentina.

Finally unlocking my phone, I clicked open a text to Rix.

VALENTINA: Need you.

It was the truth. I did need him. Now.

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