The Cinderella Obsession Read Free Page A

a shivering tremor through her. She looked into his eyes and felt her insides melting. His spicy scent stimulated her senses. Intoxicating. She breathed him in, his essence infusing her body with desire. She fought the urge to lean toward him and nuzzle his neck, to inhale her greedy fill.
    His smile warmed and he gathered her hand in his. The frisson of excitement that rippled through her at his touch exhilarated her.
    "Amy, you haven’t answered me," the Arabian prince demanded.
    "Kyle, Amy is with me tonight. I don’t really think it would be appropriate for her to go off with you after the party, do you?"
    "With him?" the man named Kyle directed at Vanessa. "Is that right, Amy?"
    Vanessa glanced from one man to the other and couldn’t think of any reason Prince Charming might by lying, so she nodded.
    Kyle scowled. "And I believed you when you told me the two of you were just good friends." He turned to the other man. "You didn’t wait long to move in, did you?" He turned and stormed away.
    Vanessa’s sensible side scolded her for doing anything as foolish as coming to the ball. At the same time, she felt a thrill at being fought over by two such magnificently handsome men. Especially the one by her side now.
    "I’d say he’s definitely jealous." He tucked her hand in the bend of his elbow. "Come, you must dance with me."
    Stunned, she started to stutter a protest, but fear of discovery held her silent. She didn’t want to risk trouble for both herself and Rachel.
    Before she knew it, he swept her onto the dance floor and slid one arm around her waist. He led her around the other dancers with graceful ease and she found herself relaxing slightly, enjoying the ride.
    She watched him surreptitiously from behind her mask. So, he thought she was a woman named Amy. Obviously he knew Amy fairly well, judging from the fact that he felt comfortable kissing her on the hand and holding her close on the dance floor without any encouragement at all.
    "Amy, you’re not saying much tonight."
    She patted her throat and shook her head.
    "Laryngitis? Are you contagious?"
    Vanessa shook her head again. He pulled her tight to his body and, suddenly, she felt very glad Amy had taken sick. Could this man be Amy’s lover? Vanessa pushed aside the sharp stab of jealously at the thought. It didn’t really matter, because all Vanessa could possibly hope for would be this one evening with him. Still, a girl could dream.
    "I’m glad. Now we can get on with the plan."
    Plan? If the plan was to drive her insane with wanting, then it was working wonders. She felt his warm breath wisping against her ear, then his lips brushed her temple and tremors of excitement quivered through her. He swirled his tongue around her ear and, at her slight gasp, he whispered, "This is just the beginning, sweetheart."
    Things were getting badly out of control. Her pulse and heart rate had taken a quantum leap. She slid her hands to his chest and pushed weakly, desperate to distance herself from the source of fervent longing overtaking her senses.
    His eyebrows raised slightly. "What? Too much?" He stroked his hand seductively down her back.
    She avoided meeting his gaze, still sane enough to realize her eye color might not be the same as Amy’s. The song ended and another started up. He took her hand and led her off the floor.
    "Let’s go somewhere more private," he murmured.
    She slowed, their arms pulling taut between them. If she went somewhere private with him, she couldn’t be held responsible for her actions. She felt wild and reckless. The way he affected her senses gave her far too much pleasure. It couldn’t be good for her.
    "But not too private, right?" He winked, as he continued across the room to a pair of French doors. He opened them and led her outside into the mild spring night. The quiet, broken only by the occasional chirp of a cricket, enveloped them both. The sweet smell of cherry blossoms filled the air and stars glittered like diamond