"I know you're not."
A hand touched her elbow. "Torrance? I am Abdul al Bashir, cousin to the sheikh. May I have this dance?"
She turned and saw a stunning man. With golden skin and fathomless dark eyes, he was dressed in an immaculate tux and smiled down at her with a flash of white teeth in a stunning face. Oh, he was one of the five cousins she'd absolutely planned on avoiding. No matter how delicious he was, he came with four extras … and her heart belonged elsewhere. Not that she could handle the three currently propositioning her. Not only that, Abdul and his brothers were Bezakistani men. They'd been known to steal the bride they wanted.
Still, it might get her out of temptation's way if she danced with him.
"I'm afraid not. So sorry," Rory lied as he began to tug her away.
Tori stood her ground. "Mr. al Bashir-" Then she squeaked. "What the hell!"
One minute she was talking politely and the next she found herself in Rory's arms, being carried out of the ballroom. Staid, very British Rory Thurston-Hughes picked her up and carried her toward the exit like a pirate with a particularly thrilling bit of booty.
"Rory, what are you doing?" she demanded.
He was supposed to be the reasonable one, but he'd proven that looks could be deceiving.
Rory kicked opened the door to the hallway. Kicked it open. Yeah, nobody noticed that and it certainly didn't make her ovaries melt at all. Nope. She didn't like this side of Rory. Well, no part of her except those softening pink bits and maybe her heart.
"I'm taking charge." He strode down the hall. He didn't pause or hesitate. When he walked past reporters, he didn't bother to look their way. He was a man on a mission.
"Put me down! You can't carry me off. I thought I was supposed to smile at the press and make my nip slip go away." Though she'd actually planned to be long gone by now, Tori realized it was too early to leave.
"I don't care about that. Your breast looked stunning. If it ends up on the front page, I'll make a poster of it. I don't care what other people think. I'm done with that and you need to be done with it, too." He stopped when they passed a security station. The guards allowed them into the palace's private family wing. One even grinned as he opened the door for them.
Once the door closed, they were alone in a grand foyer. The heavy portal blocked the sounds of the party. Now that her surroundings were quiet, she could practically hear her heart pounding.
Finally, Rory stopped, and she found herself on her feet again. Tori tried to catch her breath as he pressed closer and invaded her space. "This is too fast."
His fingers brushed her jawline. He dipped his head low. "No. We've dragged this out for months. I won't slow down. Now that I've made the decision, I can't wait any longer."
His mouth descended on hers in a slow slide. He clutched her hips, pulling her into the cradle of his muscular thighs. His lips took hold of hers, molding in a dominant glide. Her whole body went soft and she was grateful for his arms around her. They held her up when all she wanted to do was drop to her knees.
Rory was kissing her. Finally. Callum had mentioned topping her. She knew what BDSM meant to well-meaning Doms. It meant they cared about her. It meant they protected her and watched over her. She might be naïve, but that was what it meant to her sister and husbands. BDSM didn't guarantee a happily ever after, but it should mean she got a say in whatever happened. If they were going to this much effort, surely she meant something to them.
Tentatively, she let her hands roam Rory's shoulders and back as his tongue plunged inside her mouth. There was no questioning lick. He dominated, delving deep. His tongue slid along hers, luring and tempting Tori.
Every cell in her body seemed to soften, and she felt her pussy growing slick and wet. Heat burned through her flesh, and she slid her left leg against his to get closer. Rory answered with a groan, pressing her against the wall and pushing his erection against her. He felt so big, so hard. Tori writhed against him, trying desperately to rub herself against his cock and satisfy her growing ache.
His forehead pressed to hers as he took a long breath, trying to calm himself. "Keep doing that and I'll prove to you I don't mind risking a scandal. I'll pull up this skirt and fuck you right here."
She had to be the sensible one. "I don't think this will work."
"The sex will be divine. I already know it."
Tori had no doubt of that. "I meant anything more."
"We'll make it work, sweetheart." He brushed another kiss against her lips.