Page 8 of Hook

He shakes his head. “No, I definitely don’t know a Henry, my bad.”

I shrug. “No worries. See you around.”

He looks at me skeptically for a long moment, then finally steps back and waves his hand dismissively. “Yeah, see you around.” I watch him walk away, my heart thumping against my ribcage. When I turn back to look for Piero and his fiancé, I only find Piero.

I stride toward the restroom, eager to get a few moments of privacy with Gwendolyne before she returns to her fiancé’s side. The worst thing in the world is a beautiful woman who is a complete airhead and I want to speak with her.

As I’m about to walk past an archway that leads to a back alcove, I come to an abrupt stop.

My sixth sense screams at me that she’s in there, not in the restroom. With my heart pounding hard, I peek into the alcove and find Gwendolyne sitting in a plush armchair, her eyes closed, her head resting back. God damn it, she’s even more beautiful this close.

I clench my jaw as desire coils through me, hot and heavy. This woman is going to be the death of me. I feel it in my bones. She’s bad fucking news. It doesn’t stop me from moving closer. I stop when I’m mere feet away from her. She hasn’t yet noticed me.

What kind of spell has she cast upon me?

My throat tightens as I sink into the armchair next to hers and admire her peaceful expression for a moment. “You look very peaceful, princess,” I murmur.

Her eyes snap open and lock onto mine with electric force. She scans my face before shifting upright to take in our surroundings, noticing it’s only us two here in this intimate space. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you sit,” she murmurs, a touch of surprise lingering in her voice.

I smirk at her, loving the way her cheeks flush. “No, you were wrapped up in your own little world, weren’t you?”

She swallows, her throat bobbing softly as she does, drawing my eyes to it. What I’d give to reach out and wrap my palm around it while kissing those pouty, red lips. “The party is overwhelming, and I wanted a break,” she says, meeting my gaze.

“And am I right in thinking this party is being held to celebrate your recent engagement?” I ask, teasing her as I know exactly who she is, but I want her to introduce herself.

“Yes, I’m Gwen.” She holds her hand out for me to shake, but I have other ideas.

A devilish urge surges through me as I bring the back of her hand to my lips and press a kiss to her skin. I want nothing more than to pull her onto my lap and devour her whole. She’s fucking exquisite. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say, not giving my name on purpose.

Her eyes flash in irritation, but she doesn’t ask me for it. Instead, she tries to reclaim her hand from my grasp. However, I’m not ready to let go.

A crease forms between her brows as I stand and yank her to her feet, pulling our bodies together.

“What are you doing?” she asks, breathless from the sudden proximity.

“Do you dance, Miss Tesoro?” I ask.

My grip tightens around her delicate waist as she tries to resist me. She can fight all she wants, but I know that at the end of this sweetly torturous game, she will be mine.

She shakes her head hesitantly and responds, “No, I’m a terrible dancer.”

I yank her closer to me, relishing the sensation of her body pressed against mine. I feel the fire between us ignite and my cock harden in response to the challenge before me.

Her nostrils flare and eyes dilate, betraying her arousal as she battles with her own desire.

“Well, I’m not entirely sure I believe that, princess,” I whisper seductively into her ear.

She shivers in response, and my amusement grows.

“Dance with me,” I demand, infusing my tone with dominance.

“I don’t think it’s right for me to dance with someone other than my fiancé,” she stammers out politely in refusal.

The thing is I don’t take no for an answer. I always get what I want. I move even closer so our bodies are flush together; allowing her to feel my hard cock against her abdomen. The heat on her face tells me Gwen knows exactly how far I am willing to go for her.

“It’s not a request,” I growl in warning. “But an order.” There’s no denying it now—she is mine and there is no escaping it.

4

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