Males in the crowd who would dare approach her were few and far between. She preferred the distance most of the time, but she enjoyed the occasional spin around the dance floor, and she lit up when males worked up the nerve to help her forget her duties for a song or two.
Skimming the crowd, he searched for Hadley, but she was nowhere in sight.
“I have something to show you.” A warm hand slid into his from behind. “Quick.”
Midas let Hadley tug him from the yard, through the house, and out the front door.
“Where are we going?”
“Shh.”
Laughing under his breath, he followed her into the woods and understood in minutes where she meant to take them. Sure enough, the cabin came into view, and she let herself in without knocking. It was a safe bet no one was home thanks to the party at the house, but he performed a quick search to be sure they weren’t intruding.
“Who left candles burning?” He blew out the first one then turned back to her. “That’s a fire hazard in this dry—”
Soft light caressed Hadley’s bare skin, and the second candle’s flame was spared only by virtue of him forgetting how to breathe.
Twenty
Halfway through our surprise engagement party, I got struck by inspiration and drafted Lisbeth for cupid duty. That is to say, I bribed her to sweet-talk Ford into bringing her to this cabin and setting the scene. I might have had more success with the whole seduction thing if I hadn’t stripped buck-naked the instant Midas turned his back. Instead of aroused, he looked kind of, I don’t know, peaked. Like he might faint.
Thank the goddess, I had also bribed Ambrose into disappearing for the night so he couldn’t mock me about this for all eternity.
“I can’t not make it weird.” I covered my face with my hands. “I’m sorry I—”
“Hadley.” Midas pried my fingers apart then lowered my arms to my sides. “You’re beautiful.”
“I’m naked.”
And I was covered in contraceptive sigils that smelled of blood and crushed herbs, a quickie engagement gift from Grier.
“I noticed.”
“I’m really sorry about that.”
“Why?” He trailed his gaze down my body, and my stomach quivered. “I’m not.”
“I’ll put my clothes back on.” I shifted my weight from foot to foot. “This is just too awkward.”
Midas captured my wrists and pinned them behind my back. “How about I take mine off instead?”
“Sure.” I wet my lips. “Yeah.” I stopped fidgeting. “That would work for me.”
“Don’t move,” he cautioned then released his hold. “I will chase you if you run.”
Heat flashed through me, pooling low in my belly, and I darted a glance toward the door.
“Hadley,” he growled in warning.
The challenge proved too much for me, and I feinted toward the exit.
Midas was on me in a heartbeat, his arms locking around my waist, his breath hot in my ear. “Behave.”
The oxygen inside the cabin took on a syrupy quality. It was too thick and moved too slowly through my lungs. Sliding his rough palms down to cup my butt, he lifted me, and I linked my ankles at his spine.
“You’re a butt guy, huh?” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Why does that not surprise me?”
“I’m a Hadley guy.” He nipped the side of my throat. “I like all parts of you equally.”
“Even that wonky little toe without a nail?” I scratched his scalp. “You like that as well as my butt?”
“Yes,” he sighed. “Even that wonky little toe without a nail.”
His shins bumped the bedframe, and he tossed me onto the mattress. I bounced once then rolled off the edge onto the floor. I landed on said butt with a grunt then rocked back into the wall, smacking my head.
“Oomph.”
It does not get sexier than this, folks.
Midas wiped a hand over his mouth. “Are you all right?”
“Are you laughing at me?” I rubbed the back of my skull. “Seriously?”
Hooking his thumbs into the hem of his shirt, Midas pulled it over his head and tossed it aside.
“Your abs won’t make me forget what you’ve done, mister.”
Anchoring his hands on his hips, he managed to flex muscles other guys would have to photoshop on.
I was definitely still mad at him. He had done…something. Yeah. Something.
Goddess, the man’s abs had abs. How was that fair?
And he wasn’t striking a pose...
He was hooking his thumbs into his belt loops and sliding his jeans down his lean hips.
A zipper and button must have been involved at some point, surely, but I had been too distracted by the way candlelight played across his rippled abs to notice. Maybe he removed his underwear with the same economy of motion, or maybe he had gone commando tonight. All I knew was once he kicked the pile of denim aside, he was gloriously naked, and I had trouble recalling my name. Either of them.
Midas was beautiful. I forgot that. I made myself forget it. Or else I would stammer and blush and never be able to speak to him without humiliating myself every time I opened my mouth.
Naked Midas made it impossible to forget or overlook or look away. Frak. I was doing good not to drool.
Between the two of us, we were road maps of life experience, scars upon scars upon scars. Exposing our bodies, our histories, took courage. I wanted him to know I saw him, and not only the marks left by his past. Even if it made me sound like an idiot. “You’re gorgeous, you know that? How are you even real?”
Bright pink splashed across his cheeks, and he shifted his weight like he might grab for the sheets to hide from my frank assessment. “Thanks?”
“You’re welcome,” I said primly, and used the wall to help me stand. “Now come here and kiss me.”
Happy to oblige, he leapt across the bottom corner of the bed and landed in front of me.
Surprise and shock mingled in a super-attractive snort. “Showoff.”
Midas set his hands on
