Party Crasher by April Angel

Chapter One
     
     
    Chris held on to the window ledge and lifted one foot into the darkened room. She heaved her body over, landing on her ass in the process. A groan slipped from her lips, and she slapped a hand on her face. Crap. The last thing she needed was to call attention to her presence in Drex’s office.
    Careful not to disturb anything, she walked over to his desk and started rummaging through drawers. Why the hell did she decide to become a reporter in the first place? Oh yeah, because she liked to be in people’s business was Drex’s usual snide response.
    Something on the Seduction Party had to be in there somewhere. Wild drums beat in her chest. She tried to focus. She had to remain alone inside the room. She glanced quickly over her shoulder at the door. She was pissed to have to go to these lengths. Drex was a tight-lipped bastard, and she was reduced to snooping because he refused to invite her.
    He knew she had been trying to write a story on the super private bash that took place once a year. Invitees were under strict restrictions and had to sign confidentiality waivers. Luckily, she’d overheard her brother, Cole, on the phone with Drex. The rat mentioned he’d gotten his invite and thanked Drex for sending it over. Her blood simmered with anger.
    For months, she’d mentioned to both men how badly she’d been trying to get more info on the secretive party, but they’d done nothing to help. All she wanted was to get her hands on an invite, finally figure out what the heck the stupid Seduction Party was all about, and write her damn story.
    It was no secret she and Drex didn’t see eye to eye, but he didn’t have to be so rude to her in his attempts to ward her off. When she’d asked, point blank, if he’d let her into the party, the jerk had shaken his head and said, quite empathically, no. Bastard. No matter—she’d get her own invite.
    She went through every drawer until she hit a locked one. She smiled in wicked delight. Ha, as if that flimsy lock was going to deter her. In seconds the lock clicked open. Cautiously, she pulled the drawer by the handle and grinned. Jackpot.
    A noise broke through her joy. Someone was outside the office. She curled her hand around the coveted black envelope and shoved it to the bottom of her crossbody bag. She threw the bag out the same window she’d crawled in and was about to jump when the door opened.
    “Chris?”
    Oh, hell. Frozen in place, she gripped the window ledge and looked longingly at the bag in the shrubs. Of all the people that might have walked in, why did it have to be Drex? Goose bumps broke across her skin and her frustration soared. She hated the effect his voice had on her body.
    “Christine, I can see you quite clearly.”
    She narrowed her eyes at the laughter in his voice. Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at him and almost fainted.
    When the hell had he gotten that body? He was wet and in a towel. A tiny thing wrapped low around his hips. In stupefied shock, she watched his bronzed muscles flex as he took a step toward her. She widened her eyes and almost fell out the window trying to move away. She’d known him all her life, and there wasn’t one time she’d seen him look like…like that.
    Stunned, dry mouthed, and getting hornier by the minute, she let her gaze roam over him. From the wet short spikes of his dark hair, to his wide hairless chest, down the eight-pack abs, and lower to the precarious towel that showed a hint of pubic hair, she visually devoured him. She gulped.
    “Christine? Chris?” Worry was in his voice.
    “Hmm?”
    “You OK? You look kind of flushed.” He took another step toward her.
    She tried her best to melt into the wall, but her body had other ideas. Under her tank top, her nipples pebbled to hard points. Her gaze darted up to his, and she saw something she’d never seen there before—lust. Panic swarmed her.
    “I’m fine.” She took a step away from the window and him at the same