Sweet Temptation by Wendy Higgins Page A

into her aura. She finishes off the margarita. I order her another.
    â€œYou didn’t have to do that,” she says.
    â€œI know.”
    She sips her margarita, licking a touch of salt from the rim. I watch her tongue, the beast growling inside me.
    â€œHow old are you, Kaidan?”
    I’ll never understand why women are so obsessed with age. I level her with my gaze, getting serious. “Old enough to bring you more pleasure than you ever thought imaginable.”
    Celeste’s eyes widen a fraction, her aura blazing red before returning to a gray of distrust. “Those are big words,” she says.
    I chuckle. “Good thing I can back them up.” I throw back the rest of my drink and set the glass down hard.
    â€œLook, you’re wasting your time here. There’s a girl over there with her eye on you,” Celeste says, nodding across thedance floor. “Maybe you should go talk to her.”
    I don’t even glance where she’s pointing, because I’m invested now. I love a challenge.
    Without looking at Celeste, I say, “I prefer women to girls,” signaling to the bartender. He pours a new drink and slides it in front of me.
    The music gets louder, and if possible twangier, making people cheer. I send my hearing up to our room and find only silence, then a rustle as Anna turns over in the bed. Her breathing is even, slow. Is she asleep already? She’s not upset about my show of temper? Isn’t she at all curious what I’m up to?
    Beside me, Celeste lets out a small laugh, shaking her head.
    â€œDo you know how long it’s been for me?”
    The margaritas are catching up with her.
    â€œNo idea, but I’d be happy to remedy that for you.”
    She shakes her head like I’m full of shite and asks, “Why?”
    â€œBecause you’re sexy.”
    She narrows her eyes. “Like I said, you’re wasting your time.”
    â€œI don’t think I am, actually.”
    We nurse our drinks in silence. After a few minutes of this, she sighs. “You’re not giving up, are you?”
    â€œNo, Celeste. I’m not.” I turn to her.
    She thrums the bar top, staring at her hand. “I don’t have condoms.”
    My insides jump, but my face stays passive and confident. “I do.”
    Her face turns up to me and we stare. The beast claws at the ground in anticipation.
    â€œFine.” Celeste tries to look bored, unaffected, but her aura is a dazzling display of the opposite. “We can go to my room. . . .”
    I nearly close my eyes and sigh with relief. That was the longest forty minutes of my life. I praise the forwardness of older women who know exactly what they want. I throw money on the bar and lean forward, my face inches from hers.
    â€œBrilliant, Celeste. You’re an angel.”
    The word angel catches on my tongue. The relief I’d been feeling suddenly wavers and I curse Anna as guilt shoves its way back into my consciousness. For a fleeting moment I imagine telling this woman I’ve changed my mind. I imagine what it would be like to ignore the throb of pain and go back up to my room to be near Anna.
    It’s a completely pointless and idiotic thing for me to ponder. There is absolutely no reason not to do this. I place my hand on the small of Celeste’s back and lead her out of the bar. I want what I want, and I’m going to get it.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sold
    â€œI’m starting to want you, more than I want to . . .
    I just want to make you go away, but you taste like sugar.”
    â€”“Like Sugar” by Matchbox Twenty
    A nna doesn’t stir when I slip back into the room in the dead of night and take another shower. Her heavy sleeping is a sign of her overly trusting nature. She is never on guard, never listening, completely unaware of her surroundings. It’s infuriating. I don’t want to have to worry about her safety once this trip is over. I don’t