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“The annual Blake ball of course,” she said, looking at me as if I was brain dead, “Honestly Eva, what other ball could I possibly be referring to?”

  “It’s Evie,” Briar snapped at her, stealing Chloe’s unopened can of Diet Coke and daring her with her eyes to make a fuss.

  Chloe rolled her own eyes and brushed it off.

  “Why would my family be going?” I asked softly, “It’s held in Sydney isn’t it?”

  Chloe frowned at me, “But anyone who’s anyone goes to the Blake ball. My mother and Briar’s aunt are two of the biggest organisers. Stone’s parents will be there, so will Donny’s and Fredi’s and Jamie’s and Candy’s and…well everyone.”

  Everyone but my family in other words. I forced my eyes down to hide my glare.

  “Evie’s parents live in Darwin,” Briar informed her coolly. I saw Candy flinch from her spot on Donny’s lap, but she didn’t correct Briar. I wasn’t going to either. Now wasn’t the time.

  “Oh,” Chloe said with a little laugh, “I forgot you’re a scholarship student. Must be hard keeping up with spendy-pants Brighton over here.”

  Briar growled and I sighed, wishing that we could have a relaxed evening for once and that Chloe would stop her current trend of sitting with us.

  “If Eva’s not going to be there, I’d be willing to go as your date,” Chloe told Stone with a bright smile, it faded a little and she took a deep breath, “I’m not ready yet to trust another man as my date and…I feel safe with you.”

  Her eyes took on a heated look and she fluttered her lashes before adding huskily, “And we have a history.”

  “It’s Evie,” Stone said casually and several people at the table jumped – unused to hearing the particularly growly tones of his intimidating voice, “And I’m not going.”

  His eyes moved back to his plate, seemingly ending the discussion as he shoved more food in his mouth.

  “I’m not going either,” Candy announced into the silence, wriggling a little in Donny’s lap, “Donny and I are going home for the weekend on parental orders…but we’re going to ditch the party and have our own fun.

  Fredi snarled at them and brutally stabbed her lasagne with her fork, “Good one Donovan! Leave me to the fucking vultures!”

  “Aww Winnie,” he said with a cheeky grin, “You can ditch with us if you want. There’s room in my bed for three.”

  “I’d rather go to the party,” she sneered, before scowling back at her plate and grumbling, “Besides, I don’t have a choice. I have to go.”

  Jamie pulled a face and gave her a pat on the shoulder, “I feel your pain. My parents are making me go too.”

  Stone got up and held up my empty bottle of Coke, asking me with his eyes if I wanted another, I nodded quickly, but hoped he’d hurry back. Chloe was looking ready to pounce on me again.

  Briar sighed and watched Stone’s retreating back. “I wish I could stay here too,” she said with a frown, “But I’m sort of related to the Blakes, so I have to go.”

  “Really?” I asked softly, “My brother’s girlfriend is sort of related to them too.”

  Chloe sniffed, “Really? How did he manage that?”

  I ignored her and turned to Briar to explain. “Her aunt is married to Bear Blake.”

  I saw Chloe’s jaw drop and her eyes spark with anger, “Jemima Blake is a money-grubbing slut!”

  Briar burst out laughing and raised her eyebrows at Chloe, “Says you. You’re just sour that your mother couldn’t get her claws in him before she stole your father from my mum.”

  My head whirled with confusion.

  Chloe looked ready to spit. “My mother was the one who dumped Bear, not the other way around! And if your mother couldn’t keep my father satisfied, then who’s to blame him for choosing mine over yours!”

  Briar shot out of Dean’s lap and Fredi had to stop her from lunging at Chloe. Briar took a deep breath and instead attacked with words, “Yeah well I heard that your father got sick of your mum and proposed to mine! My mum rejected him and then he had to stay with yours anyway because she was pregnant with your older brother!”

  It was Chloe’s turn to shoot up from the table, just as Stone came back into view. Her eyes flickered with indecision, glancing between Briar and Stone. She obviously decided against attacking Briar as Stone pulled out a chair. “It’s not over,” she hissed quietly at Briar, before turning and storming away with her friends.

  “So, Bri,” I said into the tense silence, feeling Stone stiffen as he sat beside me and took in the situation, “How are you related to the Blake’s?”

  Briar sat back down with a sigh and smiled at me. “Much the same way,” she said, obviously referring to Bridget – Cooper’s girlfriend.

  “Mina Jeffries – formerly Blake – is married to my uncle,” she explained.

  Jack Blake owned the Sydney Rugby League team as well as several Blake hotels. Bear – an ex-boxer – and Mina – an ex-model – were his children. Bear Blake had moved to Townsville many years ago and had met Jemima Baker, the sister of Bridget’s Dad. It really was a small world.

  I gratefully accepted the Coke Stone handed me and flashed him a shy look. “So it’s just us this weekend?” I asked him quietly.

  He started to nod, then shook is head, pointing across the large room to a table. Everyone turned and looked to see Alec kissing a small Asian girl. “Alec’s staying too,” Fredi muttered, before leaving the table, her fork still embedded in her untouched lasagne. I saw Briar’s face pale, but Stone pulled me from my seat and placed a kiss on my cheek, before the rest of the band rose to follow Fredi.

  “Band practice,” he muttered against my ear, brushing his lips against it and then walking away. I frowned in annoyance that I hadn’t been invited to watch. Yet again! But I shrugged it off and hurried to my room, eagerly retrieving the folder from beneath my bed.

  ***

  I was scribbling furiously, enthusiastically mapping out an erotic evening for Stone and I, when the man himself barged in, twirling a drumstick with the fingers of one hand. My jaw dropped and my eyes widened in alarm, my body freezing with anxiety as I realised I couldn’t possibly hide all the erotic material in time. He raised an eyebrow at my face and stopped next to the bed, glancing down at the papers spread over my mattress with curiosity. Both his eyebrows rose this time as he picked up a particularly graphic printout and started to read.

  I snapped out of it, quickly snatching it back from him and shoving everything back in the folder and tossing it on the floor, kicking it under the bed and then sinking to the floor, barring him from going after it. He chuckled and started to the other side of the king single, moving slower than usual, as if seeing what I would do. I didn’t care if it was a test. I surged to my feet and leapt over the bed, planting myself in front of the other side, landing hard on my ass, my legs spread wide.

  His firm lips quirked and I knew he was fighting a wide smile. His eyes practically danced as he hauled me off the floor and tossed me on the bed, pinning me with his body, even as he stretched a long arm down and retrieved the folder. He sat up, pinning me with his strong thighs, even as he kept his considerable weight off me. My hands were pinned to my hips, my legs unable to move much without hurting him. He placed the folder on my stomach and started to browse. I turned my face away and bit my lip, completely embarrassed. I let out a breath of relief when I saw my notebook had fallen off the bed and Stone hadn’t bothered to retrieve it – I didn’t want him to know what I had planned.

  That’s if I didn’t die of humiliation right now.

  His investigation of the folder was brief, so I didn’t have long to wait before he set it down and switched his gaze to me. A big hand carefully turned my face back to his and he leaned over me slightly, balancing with his other hand next to my head.

  Explain, his eyes commanded.

  Bugger that. If he wasn’t going to talk…I wasn’t either. I tried to turn my face away, but his grip on my chin didn’t ease.

  “Evely
n,” he growled. I shivered beneath him, momentarily distracted from my embarrassment as I absorbed the feeling of him pinning me down, his strong thighs pressed against me, and absorbing the vibrations of his sexy voice right down to my toes. My name was a warning. He wasn’t going to let this slide.

  I closed my eyes, hoping that if I wasn’t looking at him, it would be easier to talk.

  Stone shook my face gently and I obediently opened my eyes. Bully, I glared up at him. He glared back, but amusement still shone in the depths of those steely greys.

  I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “I wanted to try something new,” I whispered very quietly.

  He raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue. I swallowed nervously and blushed again.

  “I wanted to…spice things up,” I said hesitantly, “Make things more interesting.”

  Stone pushed away, sitting back on his heels, watching my face even more closely than before.

  “You’re bored?” he asked carefully, no emotion in either his face or his voice.

  My eyes widened and I quickly shook my head. Shit, obviously the wrong thing to say!

  There was no choice. I’d have to come clean about what I’d heard.

  “I…um, well,” I stuttered, before dropping my gaze and lowering my voice to the barest hint of a whisper, “I heard that you like your sex kinky and wild.”

  I dared a glance up to see Stone’s mouth drop open ever so slightly, before quirking up at one side. You think you’re boring me? His eyes seemed to ask. I slowly nodded my head.

  He seemed to think that was funny, because the spark returned to his eyes and he chuckled as he moved off me to sit at the foot of the bed. He grabbed the folder again, this time looking more thoroughly as he tugged me by the foot towards him. I reluctantly crawled to him, kneeling beside him nervously as he turned his head to wink at me. He shoved the folder towards me and moved to lie down on his back.

  Go on then, his eyes dared me. I cowardly averted my gaze, but ended up staring at the thick erection in his jeans.

  Oh lordy.

  I glanced back at his face to find him laughing at me. No, not out loud, but his amusement was clear in his face. Anger suddenly bubbled up to cover my blush of shame. I slammed the folder closed and shove it back under the bed, marching across the room to sleep on Candy’s bed instead.

  Stone’s laugh escaped, rich and dark and deep. It made me angrier, even as arousal made me tremble a little…

  That made me angrier still.

  I heard his weight leave my bed and his feet pad softly over to me. I kept my back to him, silently fuming even though it was childish. He chuckled again, before wrapping an arm around my middle and lifting me into the air, letting me dangle at his side as he moved back toward my bed. I squealed in surprise and contracted my muscles, trying not to move too much. I was worried that he might drop me.

  He did drop me. Onto the bed. I bounced a little, before curling into a stubborn ball in the middle of the mattress. He shoved me over and curled in behind me, rubbing a big hand along my side and pushing it beneath my singlet.

  “Go on,” he growled quietly in my ear, “Show me what you want.”

  What I want? Wasn’t this about what he wanted?

  “No,” I said, turning my face into the pillow. I felt his chuckle along my exposed neck, his lips brushing over it as his warm breath caressed the skin.

  “Yes,” he ordered, his teeth carefully scraping against my pulse.

  “I’m not prepared,” I gasped, trying not to sound aroused and failing miserably, “Tomorrow.”

  He made a small sound that I took for agreement, before he eased backward and rolled me onto my back. He pinned my hands above my head with one hand and fisted the fabric of my singlet with his other.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered, my chest heaving with both fear and excitement.

  He lowered his mouth to mine and lightly bit the bottom lip. “Showing you,” he muttered, soothing the bite with his tongue and tightening his gip on my wrists.

  Showing me? My mouth dropped open. Oh God! He saw this as a challenge! He was going to show me how bad he liked it.

  Part of me was intrigued. The other part of me was still annoyed that he’d laughed at me and I could still see the amusement in his eyes.

  “No,” I said firmly. He backed away a little, his eyes showing surprise, but the rest of his face carefully blank.

  “You’ll have to wait,” I said smugly, “I’m tired.”

  His eyes narrowed with suspicion, as if he knew I was deliberately toying with him. He pressed his arousal against me, letting me know that he needed it pretty badly.

  Tough, I told him with my eyes, but I trembled a little, worried because I’d told Stone no and no one ever did.

  He growled, but he smiled ever so slightly and eased down next to me, his breath leaving his body in a frustrated rush. My body tingled with anticipation and I smiled wickedly into my pillow. I was going to tease him mercilessly tomorrow night.

  He won’t be laughing then!

  TWENTY-SIX

  Dinner Wednesday night was even worse than Tuesday. I sat on the edge of my seat, nervous as hell about what I’d planned for tonight. Stone was sitting close to me and I could feel the tension in his body. He was practically humming with anticipation, yet his face was emotionless as always as he slowly ate.

  Candy and Donny had reached a new level of flirtation, edging close to indecency as she straddled his lap and playfully fed him, pecking his lips in between bites. Fredi was actually sitting next to them, her hand tightly clutching her bottle of Sprite, not moving a muscle as she stared at the table. I looked up at Stone, hoping that he’d say something to diffuse the situation. They’d listen to him.

  No such luck. He was letting it play out as usual. I scowled. What was the use of being a big bossy brute if you didn’t use it to your advantage?

  To make matters worse, Alec and Asian girl seemed to be an item now. Nobody had mentioned her name yet, but she was sitting at our table, on Alec’s lap, cheerfully whispering into his ear as he casually stroked her legs. Briar and Dean sat opposite them, but Bri didn’t seem to be paying any attention to Dean. Instead, her eyes followed Alec’s long fingers, watching him trace circles against his new girlfriend’s legs.

  Candy let out a shriek of laughter, startling both Briar and I. Everyone turned to watch as Donny grinned into Candy’s neck, making her giggle as he teased a particularly ticklish spot. Mason’s favourite spot. I knew that from the many nights they’d slept in the bed next to mine. Mason liked to make her giggle, chuckling as she tried to be polite and stifle the sound. It was almost as bad as listening to sex in my opinion…but they did that very, very quietly if I was in the room. Still…yuck.

  There was a clatter from across the room and I looked over to see Mason storming towards us, his usually playful expression dark as his eyes narrowed on Donny.

  Fuck.

  My muscles tensed in anticipation of a fight, but Mase simply grabbed Candy and threw her over his shoulder, striding towards the stairs without looking back at us. Candy winked and waved at me and I knew then, that she and Donny had done this deliberately. Donny’s wide grin seemed to confirm my thoughts. He gave a huge sigh, his shit-eating grin still in place as he slung an arm around Fredi.

  “Looks like I’m all yours again Winnie,” he told her with a wink.

  Rage flashed in Fredi’s eyes and I saw Donny’s face freeze. Right before she backhanded him.

  The sharp slap echoed throughout the hall as Fredi pushed away from the table, her chair scraping loudly before she left without a word.

  The table remained silent. Donny stared down at his tray of food, a red mark on his cheek, his face drawn tight. He was angry. But with whom? Fredi? Or himself? I didn’t know the history between the two, but I thought he’d deserved that particular slap. From the look on their faces, Alec and Briar thought so too.

  Chloe laughed softly, “Never a dull moment
at this table.”

  My hands fisted in the fabric of my denim skirt and I willed her to keep her mouth shut.

  “Is there a band practice tonight?” she directed her question at Alec. He shook his head.

  She made a sad face. “Aww, I miss watching you play,” she said, as if addressing all the members, but her eyes fixed on Stone.

  My nails dug into my skin a little and I forced myself to relax.

  “I don’t know why I haven’t been to watch one in so long,” she purred.

  Because you dumped Stone, you stupid bitch and now he doesn’t want you.

  Alec shrugged and shifted his girlfriend on his lap. “We’ll let you know when the next one is…but we don’t really have people watch our practices anymore.”