off.”
He smiled warmly. “I know you didn’t.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you at six.”
He turned and walked across the room, then disappeared out the door.
As soon as he was gone, she bit her lip, the desire to be dazzling for him tempting her beyond reason. She walked to the window and watched the limousine pull up out front and Mason get inside.
Should she run down and tell him she’d changed her mind?
She wanted him to stare up at her in adoration when she walked down the stairs this evening.
Suddenly, images of the one time in real life when exactly that had happened flashed through her mind. He had watched her descend the stairs with rapt attention, as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. What had happened after that … her chest constricted. She wouldn’t think about that now.
She wrung her hands. But maybe … just maybe … She raced across the room and pulled open her closet door, then peered at the top shelf.
“Oh, my God. It’s still here.”
* * *
Mason stood in the entryway and glanced at his watch. He’d knocked on Dana’s door ten minutes ago and she’d called out that she’d meet him downstairs on time.
But her idea of “on time” and his had often differed.
Then he heard footsteps on the hardwood floor of the upstairs hallway. He glanced up and sucked in a breath. There she stood, with a glowing smile on her face, just as beautiful in that frothy pink gown as the first time he’d seen her in it.
His chest constricted as the painful memories surrounding that night seared through him. What had happened then had set in motion a catastrophic series of events.
Radiant in a gown that seemed made just for her, Dana was oblivious to his pain. And the sight of her in that dress still made his body harden with need.
* * *
Eight Years Earlier on Prom Night
Mason watched eighteen-year-old Dana walk down the grand staircase, glowing like a new bride in her sweet, almost-virginal pastel-pink prom gown. Her hair was swept up in a sophisticated French twist, with delicate, wispy curls fluttering around her face and shoulders.
She looked like a beautiful fairy princess, but despite the sweetness of the image, the way the fitted bodice accentuated her tiny waist and full, round breasts, and the way those breasts swelled from the strapless gown, made him long to peel away it and caress the silken flesh underneath. As she walked down the stairs, beaming, his groin tightened. He wanted to sweep her into his arms and seduce her with passionate kisses. Then carry her to his bed and ravage every inch of her sweet, innocent body.
But it was not to be. He was her stepbrother, not her lover.
A protectiveness surged through him as he thought about how Geoffrey Miller would be picking Dana up in a few minutes and then later, after the dance, his meaty paws would be all over her.
Just like a virgin bride on her wedding day, she would be divested of her innocence. He just wished it could be with someone who would take it slow. Who would ensure she experienced a blissful first time.
He wished it could be him.
“What do you think?” she asked, her cheeks tinged pink.
He smiled. “You look stunning.”
She smiled so broadly, he would swear that his compliment was the most important thing in the world to her. He knew she valued his opinion and that it boosted her confidence. Aside from her real father, whom she hardly ever saw, Mason was the only positive male influence in her life. His father paid no attention to her, except the odd leering flicker of interest when she and her mother weren’t looking, which sickened Mason.
Dana threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck. Then she pushed up on her toes and kissed him. Her lips were soft on his and, fuck, her sweet little tongue pushed between his lips and into his mouth. Soft and velvety. Without thinking, he opened, then swept his tongue into her mouth. She
He smiled warmly. “I know you didn’t.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you at six.”
He turned and walked across the room, then disappeared out the door.
As soon as he was gone, she bit her lip, the desire to be dazzling for him tempting her beyond reason. She walked to the window and watched the limousine pull up out front and Mason get inside.
Should she run down and tell him she’d changed her mind?
She wanted him to stare up at her in adoration when she walked down the stairs this evening.
Suddenly, images of the one time in real life when exactly that had happened flashed through her mind. He had watched her descend the stairs with rapt attention, as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. What had happened after that … her chest constricted. She wouldn’t think about that now.
She wrung her hands. But maybe … just maybe … She raced across the room and pulled open her closet door, then peered at the top shelf.
“Oh, my God. It’s still here.”
* * *
Mason stood in the entryway and glanced at his watch. He’d knocked on Dana’s door ten minutes ago and she’d called out that she’d meet him downstairs on time.
But her idea of “on time” and his had often differed.
Then he heard footsteps on the hardwood floor of the upstairs hallway. He glanced up and sucked in a breath. There she stood, with a glowing smile on her face, just as beautiful in that frothy pink gown as the first time he’d seen her in it.
His chest constricted as the painful memories surrounding that night seared through him. What had happened then had set in motion a catastrophic series of events.
Radiant in a gown that seemed made just for her, Dana was oblivious to his pain. And the sight of her in that dress still made his body harden with need.
* * *
Eight Years Earlier on Prom Night
Mason watched eighteen-year-old Dana walk down the grand staircase, glowing like a new bride in her sweet, almost-virginal pastel-pink prom gown. Her hair was swept up in a sophisticated French twist, with delicate, wispy curls fluttering around her face and shoulders.
She looked like a beautiful fairy princess, but despite the sweetness of the image, the way the fitted bodice accentuated her tiny waist and full, round breasts, and the way those breasts swelled from the strapless gown, made him long to peel away it and caress the silken flesh underneath. As she walked down the stairs, beaming, his groin tightened. He wanted to sweep her into his arms and seduce her with passionate kisses. Then carry her to his bed and ravage every inch of her sweet, innocent body.
But it was not to be. He was her stepbrother, not her lover.
A protectiveness surged through him as he thought about how Geoffrey Miller would be picking Dana up in a few minutes and then later, after the dance, his meaty paws would be all over her.
Just like a virgin bride on her wedding day, she would be divested of her innocence. He just wished it could be with someone who would take it slow. Who would ensure she experienced a blissful first time.
He wished it could be him.
“What do you think?” she asked, her cheeks tinged pink.
He smiled. “You look stunning.”
She smiled so broadly, he would swear that his compliment was the most important thing in the world to her. He knew she valued his opinion and that it boosted her confidence. Aside from her real father, whom she hardly ever saw, Mason was the only positive male influence in her life. His father paid no attention to her, except the odd leering flicker of interest when she and her mother weren’t looking, which sickened Mason.
Dana threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck. Then she pushed up on her toes and kissed him. Her lips were soft on his and, fuck, her sweet little tongue pushed between his lips and into his mouth. Soft and velvety. Without thinking, he opened, then swept his tongue into her mouth. She
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