CHAPTER THREE

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As Desirae guided me down the hall, her fingertips felt feather-light against my hip, almost daring me to run. And maybe I could've. Instead, I found myself trying to decipher her intentions through the delicate touch of her fingers, the curve of her lips, and the gleam in her eyes.

"Hey Carl," she greeted the guard as he stood up from the wall.

"Leavin' the party so soon, Des?" He slid the end stanchion post to the side and gestured for us to walk through.

Dipping my head low, I ran a hand through my hair to hide my face as Desirae released me with a gentle push. I took advantage of the break in contact and inched my way down the hall.

"Just needed to get away from the crowd," Desirae replied, gliding her hand over my back to redirect me towards her studio. She turned back to the guard before opening her door. "Hey Carl, can I cash in that favor? If Landon comes looking, will you send him elsewhere?"

Carl's bushy brows furrowed, then slowly raised with insinuation and a nod as he roped off the hall again. Digging through his pockets, he pulled out a pair of headphones and stuffed them in his ears, taking his sentry position at the end of the hall.

As Desirae fumbled with the doorknob, I leaned against the wall, watching her stoic exterior fall to a fluster. "I don't know if you noticed," I whispered close to her neck, "but I think he thinks we're—"

She swung the door open with a bang and Carl twisted his head around to glance back our way. "Can you just get inside?" she urged, holding it open for me.

I didn't look to see if Carl was still watching, but I let my fingers tease across her stomach to play along as I slipped past her into the dimly lit studio.

"There's a sink in the corner there," she said coolly, shutting the door.

I took my time to walk over to it, studying the faces of the portraits I'd caught a glimpse of earlier. Other drawings of skeletal and muscular ecorches hung alongside them like pages from a medical book, but far less confined.

The sliding click of the lock pulled my attention back over to Desirae at the door and I couldn't help but smile. "You didn't have to spill a drink on me to get me alone, though I do appreciate grand gestures."

"Is that what you were up to earlier?" Her arms crossed over her chest, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Some grand gesture?"

"Something like that..." I turned the water on and dampened a wad of paper towels to blot out the wine, only to spread the stain further along the fabric. Bending over the utility sink, I tried to maneuver my chest beneath the faucet, but the depth of the basin made it difficult to reach. Desirae purred with a quiet laugh from across the room and I could only imagine I looked as stupid as I felt. With a sigh, I stood back up and leaned against the sink. "Are you gonna rat me out?"

"I haven't yet, have I?"

Why? I wanted to ask. She had the perfect opportunity with Landon. Instead, she had gone out of her way to put space between us, all while toying with me in the process. Not that I was complaining. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying the blurred boundary of her subtle subterfuge and flirtation.

I turned back towards the sink and plugged the drain to let the basin fill with water. Reaching around my back, I struggled to find the zipper behind the still attached price tags. My fingers gave up the fight for the clasp as warm hands slid my hair off to the side and unfastened the hook. As Desirae glided the zipper down between my shoulder blades, her breath on my neck sent a flush of heat through my body.

The warmth faded with her absence when she stepped away to rummage through a metal cabinet. I unzipped the dress completely, slipping my arms out of the straps to let it drop to the floor.

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