“I anticipate gathering at least a million in charity funds tonight. How are we doing so far, Valentina?” one of my brothers, Luca, asks his secretary.
She begins to run through calculations she’s done and I nod absentmindedly as I pop my favorite peppermint candy in my mouth, unable to focus on the conversation. So much goes into this annual charity gala, and normally, I enjoy seeing the results of all the effort my five siblings and I put in.
Not today, though.
“Zane?” Val says, her tone sharp. I turn to face her, guilt coursing through me when it becomes apparent she’s been trying to get my attention for a while now. She studies me for a moment, the edges of her red lips tugging up in amusement. “Why does your gaze keep darting toward the entrance? Who are you waiting for?”
I part my lips to deny her claim, only for the excuses to evaporate on my tongue. Val knows me too well — she’s quickly become as dear to me as my own sister is. There’s no way I could look her in the eye and lie to her. “I forgot to tell you,” I say instead. “But I’ll auction off a stay in the next hotel I acquire. I’ll let one person have the entire hotel to themselves for a full week, shortly before the grand opening, all expenses paid.”
She narrows her eyes slightly, as though she realizes my sudden donation is an attempt to throw her off my scent, but thankfully, she lets it go. “Wonderful,” she says, grinning at me knowingly. “I’ll add it to our catalog. Do you have any specific dates in mind?”
“Yes, it’ll have to be—”
Fuck.
The breath rushes out of my lungs, leaving me lightheaded as I stare at the entrance, enchanted. Every thought fades away until there’s nothing left but her — my Celestial.
She’s back.
Finally.
I greedily drink her in, my gaze lingering on her beautiful amber eyes, those delicious pouty lips, and her long curly dark hair. How the fuck did she become even more beautiful in the few years she was away?
My eyes run down her body with a hint of impatience — it’s as though I can’t get enough of the sight of her, yet I’m not quite restrained enough to savor the experience. The way that long black dress clings to her body is positively sinful, and I instantly develop a love/hate relationship with the deep neckline that showcases her curves perfectly.
“Celeste Harrison,” Val says, her tone amused. I glance at her and force a blank expression on my face, but the look in her eyes tells me I’ve failed.
“Haven’t seen her in a while,” Luca adds, frowning. “She went to college in London, didn’t she? How long was she away? Three years?”
5 years, two months, and twelve days, actually. “Fuck if I know,” I mutter.
Luca chuckles when I run a hand through my hair, betraying my restlessness. “Right,” he says, grinning.
“What is she doing?” Val asks.
I follow her line of vision to find Celeste slyly checking the brand of our crystal glasses, and I bite back a smile. Her attempts to be inconspicuous only make her seem highly suspicious, and as expected, several of our security guards begin to move her way. Her grandfather, the CEO of Harrison Developments and one of our biggest competitors, doesn’t even notice — he’s turned away from her, too busy speaking to his acquaintances.
“For fuck’s sake,” I murmur, even as a hint of excitement runs down my spine. This is the perfect excuse to approach her without making Luca and Val even more suspicious. “It’s been three fucking minutes, and she’s already causing trouble.” Val’s laughter trails behind me as I walk toward Celeste, my heart pounding wildly.
I nod at our guards, and they retreat. All the while, Celeste is blissfully unaware of their presence. How could she still be so oblivious to her surroundings?
“You know, if you wanted to snoop around, you could’ve just booked a suite here under the guise of not wanting to drink and drive tonight. Honestly, you could’ve simply said you didn’t feel like going home after the party when there are perfectly good rooms upstairs, and I’d have believed you — and because it’s you, I’d only have charged you triple for the convenience.”
Her relaxed demeanor disappears, making way for that cold resentment she reserves exclusively for me. “Zane,” she says, her voice dripping with disdain.
I smirk at her, and for a second, I wonder how she’d respond if she found out that the way she says my name instantly makes me hard. It has for years. Would her face flush in anger? Would her breathing quicken in that way it does right before she snaps at me?
“Celeste.”
She grits her teeth, and I try my hardest not to smile as I take her glass away and hand it to one of our servers. “I don’t trust you with this. You look like you were about to steal it.”
“Steal it?” she repeats, her anger mounting. It’s such a beautiful sight. “Do I look like some kind of petty thief to you?”
“No, Celeste,” I tell her, my heart racing. “You look fucking breathtaking tonight.”
Her eyes widen, and I realize I’ve caught her off guard. I’ve always loved the way her eyes darken when I infuriate her, but I think I might love this even more. The way her lips part, her disdain for me momentarily draining away… yeah, that’s fucking intoxicating.
“Very funny,” she says eventually, her guarded expression slipping back into place. For a moment, I’m certain I see a hint of disappointment in her eyes — almost like she’s let herself down by believing my words, however briefly.
I offer her my hand, and she stares at it in confusion. “What?” I ask, my tone provocative. “Did you forget how to dance? You were so good at it on prom night.”
“Of course I know how to dance,” she snaps, her cheeks reddening beautifully. “I just don’t want to dance with you.”
I smile at her, unable to help myself. Does the mention of prom fluster her? Does the memory of it make her heart race the way it does mine? “Oh really? I thought I saw Tommy heading your way, but I guess you don’t need my help,” I lie. Tommy, who’s had a crush on her all our lives, is not allowed anywhere near any of my hotels — but she doesn’t need to know that.
“What?” She hastily places her hand in mine as her gaze darts around us.
I nod solemnly as I pull her into a dance. “I’ll shield you, but you’ll owe me one.”
My arms wrap around her waist, and she slides her hands up my chest until she’s got them wrapped around the back of my neck. It’s surreal how perfectly she fits against me, and I can’t resist pulling her closer than necessary.
She raises a brow and looks up at me as I slowly guide her through our dance, my body rocking against hers with every move. It’s a soothing rhythm, yet it sets my soul on fire. I’ve got her so close, but it’s nowhere near close enough. The way she feels against me is intoxicating, and fuck, I need more of her.
“You really do look stunning tonight, Celeste,” I murmur, the words leaving my lips without conscious thought.
Her eyes widen, and then she huffs. “While most of the women in your life might appreciate your white lies and attempts to charm, I don’t. You forget that I’ve seen the endless parade of girlfriends you went through in high school. I know exactly what your idea of beauty is, and I’m well aware it isn’t me. Stop messing with me.”
I spread my palm across her lower back, and slowly slide the other up her spine until I’ve got it nestled in her long hair. “Girlfriends, hmm?” I repeat, a hint of anger manifesting in my voice. “And here I thought you knew me better than anyone else, Celeste. I’ve never called anyone mine.”
Her disarmed expression warms my heart, and I smirk when she stumbles a little, taking it as an opportunity to hold her closer. “You’re still as clumsy as you are beautiful,” I whisper.
She looks into my eyes, her lips parting a little when I tighten my grip on her hair, unable to suppress my need for her. I’m trapped in her gaze, feeling more vulnerable than I ever have before. All our lives, I’ve hidden what I feel for her, but the years she was away from me tore down my defenses.
One of her hands slips down to my chest, and I glance at her yellow nails. “What is it called?” I ask without thinking, involuntarily revealing my obsession with her.
She blinks in confusion. “I’m sorry, I don’t follow,” she replies, sounding breathless.
I smile and ball my hand into a fist, gripping her hair harder. “The nail polish. What are you wearing tonight, Celeste?”
Pure disbelief flickers through her gorgeous eyes, and fuck if the way she looks at me doesn’t make my cock twitch. “H-how do you know about that?”
I grin as I move my hand on her back just a touch lower before pulling her against me harder, making her feel exactly how she’s affecting me. My lips brush against her ear as I lean in. “I’ve watched you for years, Celeste. How could I not know?”
Her gaze is heated when I straighten, her cheeks perfectly rosy. She’s never looked more beautiful. “Tell me. What is your nail polish called?”
Celeste bites her lip for a moment, and then she smiles. “I Just Can’t Cope Acabana.”
I burst out laughing, drawing curious glances from those around us, and she grins back at me. “You can’t cope, huh? With what? Being back? Seeing me?”
“You’re still as big-headed as ever,” she says, but there’s no malice in her words this time. “My world doesn’t revolve around you, Zane.”
“Is that why I caught you trying to steal one of my champagne glasses? Because you weren’t at all interested in the way I run this hotel?”
She throws me a glare and pushes against my chest in warning. “I was not trying to steal anything!”
“I’ll let it go if you admit one thing. Admit that you missed me.”
Celeste rolls her eyes, and I gently begin to massage her scalp, needing to touch her as intimately as possible. “Unlike you, I don’t make a habit of lying, and that’s exactly what I’d be doing if I said that I missed you, Zane.” She glares at me, and I smile back at her despite her scathing tone. I just love the way she’s giving me her undivided attention. “Being away from you was the highlight of my time in London. Not having to see your smug face brought me more joy than you’ll ever know.”
“That’s unfortunate,” I whisper, unable to tear my eyes off her. “Because I missed you, my beautiful Celestial. I missed that soft huff that escapes your lips when I annoy you, the way your eyes flash when I outdo you, the way you challenge me to do better.”
“Is that what this is?” she asks, her voice faltering, her vulnerability shining through. “Is this another game we’re playing, Zane? Another contest?”
The way she looks into my eyes without a hint of the timidness that always hid away her beautiful soul is a real fucking delight. “Perhaps so.”
“You’ll never win this one.”
“You don’t even know what game we’re playing yet,” I counter.
She shrugs and subtly rolls her hips, drawing a soft moan from my throat. “I have a pretty good idea, Zane. You won’t get me into your bed — I’ll never want you.”
I smile, my heart pounding wildly. “That’s not what you said when you came all over my fingers on prom night, my sweet goddess.”
“That was a mistake,” she snaps, taking a step away from me, her eyes flashing with shame and anger. “It’s one I’ll never repeat, Zane. Not even in my worst nightmares.”
It hurts to know she regrets the one night that meant everything to me. Nonetheless, I smile, the way she expects of me. “I’ll remember those words fondly the next time I’m pushing my cock deep into you, Celeste. When I’ve got you on the brink of an orgasm, my name on your lips, I’ll make you eat those words before I make you beg for more. And you will. You’ll beg, just like you did that night.”
She glares at me, but that hatred I see in her eyes… it’s laced with pure, unadulterated desire. She’s right to say we’re playing a game, the way we always have. What my beautiful Celestial hasn’t quite figured out is that this time, I’m playing for keeps.
