The Grey God

He was wild, unlike the men she normally seduced, and that thrilled her. She could predict them but not Darian. Worse, he made her feel for the first time. The brush of their skin had jolted her with a rush unlike anything she'd ever felt. Convincing herself it was only his magic, she couldn't help sensing once more there was something else between them. The way he looked at her, the emotion that stirred within her when they talked and touched.

Focusing hard on not letting him affect her, she continued her game of seduction, teasing him with looks, touches, whispers, until Darian's body was rigid and his turmoil had melted into lust intense enough to make his eyes glow. She sidled up to him one last time, pausing close enough to hear him breathing. Triumphant yet still angry, she wriggled slowly out of her shirt, dropping it beside her.

Darian stepped away, his breathing quick. Jenn held his gaze, wanting with all her heart to convince him to walk away from her here, now. She'd beat his game. If she didn't, she wasn't sure she ever would. He should've been running for the door by now.

Instead, he stayed. She narrowed the distance again, this time rising up on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the lips, the final push over the cliff on which he teetered. The moment their lips met, lightning flew through her, setting every nerve afire with awareness unlike anything she'd felt before.

"Damn, you're good," Darian whispered. "I don't know what that was, but I want more of it."

"That's how this works," she replied, her body tingling with desire. "I win. You gotta walk away now."

"Do I?" Darian's voice was low and husky. "Is that what you really want, Jenn?"

"That was the deal," she lied, meeting his gaze. "Walk away, Darian. For good."

He studied her, his eyes lingering on her lips and the swells of her breasts before he met her gaze again. Instead of moving away, he rested his hands lightly on her arms. More of the warm electricity flowed into her.

"One more kiss," he said.

Her triumph warred with the instinct that warned her she was doomed if she agreed. His large, warm hands drifted down her body to her hips. Jenn cupped Darian's face with her hands then rose to kiss him lightly again on the lips and walk away. Only what she meant to do and what she did were two different things. The moment her lips touched his, she lingered instead of moving away.