Read Dare Me for Free Online Page B

them and left her personal opinions
out of the mix.  But in Bogdanov’s master bedroom, she’d had a hell of a lot of
trouble ignoring the fact that in just a few hours, Dante would have her at his
mercy on that huge, fluffy bed.
    Macy locked her bedroom door, knowing Dante could pick his
way through with something as common as a kitchen knife, then stripped down to her
lingerie.  She didn’t know when he’d call for her, but he had been nice enough to
send up a meal of cold cheese, fruits and wine to sustain her until he invited
her to their next interlude.
    She still couldn’t believe he’d done nothing more in the
parlor last night than dance her around the room.  They’d shared slow, sensuous
dances, yes, with amazingly provocative music, but except for smoothing his
warm palm down her back or across her shoulder, he’d barely touched her.  His
chest had been pressed intimately against hers.  More than once, the thud of
his heartbeat vibrated against her breasts.  His subtle, spicy cologne had
played havoc with her senses until the natural heat sizzling off his body made
her feel like she might melt.
    By the end of the hour, the sound of his voice sparked a
purely Pavlovian—and intimately exquisite sensual response.
    Her nipples had tightened.  Her labia throbbed.  A teardrop
of hot moisture creamed between her legs.
    When he’d kissed the top of her and informed her that the
night was over, she’d almost thought he was teasing.  Which he was—in the most
powerful way she’d ever experienced.
    Just what did he have in store for her tonight?
    A soft knock sounded on her door and just like last night,
her nipples peaked.  A warm thrill simmered through her bloodstream and she had
to inhale and exhale several times to restore her normal temperature.
    She had no idea what she’d experience tonight or what, if
anything, he would demand of her.  But unlike last night, she was actually
eager to find out.
    She opened the door, but no one was there.  On the threshold,
he’d tacked a lavender hothouse rose tied with a filmy, iridescent ribbon that
curled all the way down to the floor.  She detached his invitation to the
arboretum and drew the petals to her nose.  The sweet, earthy scent nearly
weakened her knees.
    After shrugging into her robe, she retraced her steps to the
indoor garden.  She shut the French doors behind her and then cleared her
throat.
    He turned around slowly, an inscrutable grin toying with his
lips.
    “How was your dinner?” he asked.
    “Filling,” she answered simply.
    Through the overflowing ferns and nearly ceiling high crotons
in an array of wild color from gold to green to pink and burgundy, Macy watched
Dante grab a towel and innocently dry off his hands.  With the doors and
windows closed, she had no choice but breathe in the fertile smell of the
earth.  It was warm and piquant and rich.
    He held out his hand.  “Last night, I attempted to appeal to
your sense of taste and hearing.  The delicious food, fine wine, incredible
music.  Tonight, I’d like to concentrate on your other senses.”
    A thrill tripped through her bloodstream.  So far as Macy
was concerned, Dante had hit every sense last night with full force.
    But if he wanted to work hard at this seduction, who was she
to argue?
    “Like?”
    He inhaled deeply.  “Scent, obviously.”
    Then, they’d head for the bedroom.  “And then?”
    His smile revealed nothing.  “You’ll have to wait and see. 
Anticipation is a powerful aphrodisiac, don’t you agree?”
    She took his hand.  He tugged her forward, then stopped—forcing
her to walk through a curtain of foliage on her own.  Clever man.  For his
seduction to have maximum impact, she had to walk in willingly.  Little by
little, he was altering the atmosphere and changing the rules without really
changing a thing.  Intrigued, she couldn’t stop her curiosity, not even after
she spotted the large, claw-foot porcelain tub sitting just to the