Bitten By Desire

CHAPTER 2

SATURDAY

The way he was staring at me made my heart thump sharply in my chest. "I have a picture of the portrait, if you don't believe me." I lifted my camera so I could show him the screen.

His eyes stayed glued to my lips. Or was he staring at my neck?

"Sorry," I said. "I should really get back..."

He grabbed my wrist as I tried to step past him.

"Or you could tell me why your phone is more interesting than the party," he said.

His hands were so cold. My immediate reaction was to pull away from him. But I couldn't stop staring into his eyes. I knew it didn't make any sense. But it felt like I was staring at the man in the portrait.

"Your phone," he continued. "What were you doing?"

I'd completely forgotten that he'd asked me a question. "Looking at my ex's social media." Why the hell had I just said that?

The corner of his mouth ticked up. "Did you see anything interesting?"

I shook my head.

"So you wandered into this room...far away from the party. To stalk your ex?"

Okay, now he made me sound completely unhinged. First, thinking he was the guy in the portrait. And now being obsessed with my ex? "Honestly, I came here to make him jealous."

"And how is that going?"

"Not well. I haven't found a single striker to hook up with." I laughed at my own joke. Even though he didn't know what Zoey had planned for me.

"Hmm." He grabbed my camera and tugged, snapping the cord around my neck.

I would have been pissed, but it was hard to be mad at someone with such beautiful eyes.

"I have a better idea." His eyes gravitated to my lips again.

I swallowed hard. "And what is your idea?"

"Show him you're better off without him. Living your best life." He held up the camera and took a picture of me.

I flinched. I was used to being on the other end of the lens. "I don't think sharing pictures of myself on social media will make him realize that cheating is wrong."

"He cheated on you?"

I nodded. "Just once." As if that made it better.

"Once a snake, always a snake, Emma." He didn't lift his gaze from the screen on my camera.

"How'd you know my name?"

He ran his fingers down the cord where my name was stitched.

I don't know why, but I suddenly felt very exposed. I wished I had my camera back. I'd much rather take a picture of this guy. Just like the portrait in the living room, I wanted to capture his beauty and keep it forever. "What's your name?"

He lifted his eyes from the screen. "Callum."

"Not Sir William?"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He looked anything but amused. "No. Callum Walsh."

Callum Walsh. That was definitely a sexier name than Sir William whatever.

"Lower the strap of your dress," he said.

"What?"

His eyes locked with mine. "You're confident and sexy, even when it's just you on a Saturday night. That's what will make him reel."