Tonight, she would get drunk with her friends and enjoy the Halloween weekend, but on Thursday night, she would be one step closer to the person she wanted to become.

And so the cycle would continue.

BRYNA TWIRLED IN HUGH’S ARMS around the crowded dance floor in the giant ballroom. They were at some gala for one of Hugh’s business associates. It was a big affair with several hundred people all decked out in their best. So much wealth was all concentrated in one place. She didn’t know what they were here for, but she didn’t really care. It was an excuse to wear an expensive beautiful dress, and she would take any excuse for that.

The song ended, and Hugh escorted her over to a group of men standing around with their cocktails in hand, discussing business. Hugh jumped right in. The whole time, his hand rested lightly on the small of her back. In some ways, it was strange to be there but not there.

Arm candy.

Even when she had been with Gates and had purposely gone to events as his arm candy, she hadn’t felt like this. She didn’t mind, not really. But people seemed to know that was what she was, so they didn’t talk to her. She was there to be looked at, not spoken to. She wondered if they thought she must be an idiot with a pretty face. Or maybe they didn’t care.

Bryna shrugged the discomfort away. She was wearing an Alexander McQueen original and living the life she wanted. Who cared if all the men ogled me? Who cared if they direct all their conversations to Hugh?

Hugh finished whatever he was saying and then made some excuse for them to walk away. His hand still rested possessively on her back.

“Do you know how jealous every man in this room is?” he asked against her ear.

“How jealous?”

“Blindingly.”

“And you like that.” She knew he did.

“I like being the one to touch you in this dress when everyone else here is wishing for the same thing,” he said.

He nipped at her earlobe, and she shivered all over.

Desire. It was such a strong motivator. It made smart men stupid. It was even more powerful than jealousy. But desire and jealousy combined? She might as well be carrying around his balls in her pocket.

“Let’s go somewhere more private,” he suggested.

Man, he really wants to get inside me.

She wondered what his colleagues thought of him bringing someone other than his wife here. She hadn’t checked to see that he had one for sure, but she didn’t really think she needed to. Did all these men know he was cheating on his wife and not care? Or had he made some excuse about her? It didn’t really matter to her either way. Nothing was off the table at this point.

“All right,” she agreed. Her nerves rattled a little.

She knew where this was leading, and she needed to make sure she could keep the ball in her court. When he kissed her, everything got fuzzy. It was easy to forget what she was doing with such a rush coursing through her body.

She knew Hugh had a room upstairs in the hotel, and she was sure that was where they were headed.

He had his arm tightly wrapped around her waist on the way to the elevators. They were walking down a darkened hallway with balconies overlooking the courtyard below. They had made it almost to the end when he stopped.

“On second thought.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into one of the balconies.

The curtains swished closed, partially obscuring the view into the hallway.

Her heartbeat skyrocketed when he looked at her. Oh, yes.

He was doing this. She could see it in the devious glint in his eyes that he wanted her right here, right now.

She slowly backed up until her hands hit the ledge of the stone balcony. “Anyone could see us in here,” she said evenly. She tried to keep the excitement from her voice. Her whole body ached for him, and she had to somehow control her urges.

“I know.”

“You’re not worried that someone might try to look through the curtains?” She arched an eyebrow.

He took two paces in front of her. “Let them watch.”

She swallowed hard. Shit.

“You seem nervous,” he said.

She tilted her chin up. A haughty smile appeared on her face. “I’m never nervous.”

“Good.”

His hands landed softly on either side of her face, and then his lips were on hers. He tasted like scotch and honey and all things that made her melt on the spot.

How did he elicit such a reaction with one touch?

It had to be the forbidden nature of the affair. She needed it, craved it. It was too easy when she could have anything and everything she wanted on a silver spoon. She wanted more. She wanted power and passion and the knowledge that he wanted her more than anyone else in his life…if even for a moment.

Their kiss was electric, and he left her panting as his lips slid to her earlobe and then down her neck. She tilted her head back and breathed in the crisp, clean air, trying to right her senses. But when his hand reached down and grabbed her ass, she knew there was little hope for her.

How the hell am I supposed to keep from sleeping with him?

She had no fucking clue. And she wasn’t even fighting it. Alexander McQueen had done the trick.

Her hands went to the waist of his pants, and she made quick work of the button and zipper. She forced her way into his boxer briefs and found him hard and ready for her. He roughly bit into her neck as she grasped him in her hand.

All hers.

“Fuck,” he growled.

“That’s what you want, isn’t it?” she asked as she stroked him.

“Yes. But right now, I think I want you on your knees.”

He pushed her shoulders down, knowing exactly what he wanted and knowing there was no way she could refuse him at this point. She struggled to her knees in a puddle of expensive fabric. She was both terrified that she would rip the outrageous gown and excited that he clearly cared so little for the price tag on the garment that he would risk tearing it.

He removed his cock from his pants, and she licked her lips.

His thumb traced the outline of her bottom lip. “I like that. Do it again.”

She repeated the movement and swirled her tongue around his thumb where it rested at the corner of her mouth. He groaned and then seemed to lose control as he grabbed her head and shoved his dick down her throat.

She gasped around it and pulled back, so she could breathe. Fuck!

Hugh seemed unperturbed by her initial reaction and bobbed her head forward and back on his dick. She easily took up the motion, grasping on to his legs to steady herself. Her tongue licked up and down him as he filled her over and over again. She could feel her jaw locking up the longer he went at it, but she wasn’t about to stop.

Bryna could hear footsteps and voices in the hallway, and it only added to the excitement. She knew she should have felt fear that some other guests from the gala might catch them at any minute, but she felt none of it. In fact, it only made her pulse beat harder and her core throb in time with their movements. He was going to need to do something about that after this.

Hugh grabbing her hair harder while shuddering was the only indication he gave before he came in her mouth. She swallowed quickly, taking him all back. As he watched her, she proceeded to lick him clean. He only moaned more at her touch.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then stood. He had already zipped his pants and put himself back together. She placed her hand on the balcony balustrade to steady herself. Her heart was beating a symphony in her chest.