Free Stolen Desire (The Lust List: Kaidan Stone #3) by Nova Raines, Mira Bailee Page A

His expression is serious, and he looks worried. “I'll be right back.”
    He strides across the veranda and back into the house, and I push off the wall of the pool and drift to the other side. Small lights are embedded along the edges every few feet, but otherwise it's dark. And the pool's huge, so even though almost the whole party's in here now, everyone's coupling off, with plenty of space between us.
    It's amazing in here. The infinity pool is made to give the illusion that it stretches right into the ocean, and I can almost believe it. I can hear the waves crashing in the dark, and I rest my elbows on the edge of the pool and try to make out the sand and ocean below. It'd be a long fall from up here.
    “Hey gorgeous,” someone says smoothly.
    I jerk to the side, away from the voice, and look up to see Corey in the dim light. He's inches away from me, but I can smell his beer breath anyway. “Um. Hi.”
    “Why don't you come a little closer?”
    “No, thanks. I'm taken. Kaidan should be here soon.”
    Corey chuckles. “Whatever. Be a prude.” He swims away, probably seeking another victim.
    I sigh and sink against the pool wall, listening to the waves. I keep my eye on the veranda for Kaidan, but long minutes pass, and he never comes back.
    I hear a light splash a few feet away to my left, then giggles. I can see the shadowy form of a couple floating my way.
    “Come on. You know you want it,” slurs a girl with a British accent.
    “Not right now,” A deep male voice.
    It's Trish and Alejandro.
    “Come on,” she insists.
    “I fucked you four times today.”
    “Well today is almost over,” Trish says. “The clock resets at midnight.”
    “My dick's not a fucking pumpkin.”
    “Well it's magic to me, baby.”
    I let myself drift away, lest this conversation get even more awkward when they bump into me.
    There's silence, then panting. I hear a grunt.
    “You like that, don't you?” Trish asks.
    Alejandro moans.
    “And this? I know you like this.”
    “Yeah, I like it,” he replies.
    “Oh. Should I stop?”
    “No! No, keep going.”
    And that's my cue to get out of here. I kick my feet to propel myself back toward the stairs. A few other people are starting to get out and get dressed now, too, and that's a great decision. ’Cause this pool's about to be contaminated by a totally different sort of swimmer.
    I climb out of the pool and the cool air runs over my skin, making my nipples harden. I'm suddenly very aware of the way my wet bra and panties are clinging to me like a second skin. Where's Kaidan?
    And where is my dress? It's just gone. Poof. No longer where I left it.
    That's when I see Corey, getting dressed a few feet away next to a tiki torch. His eyes trail over my exposed body, and his mouth turns up in a smirk as he pulls his pants up. I catch sight of everything , because apparently he decided to take off his wet boxer briefs and go commando.
    My face is burning as he meets my eyes and winks. I glare at him and cross my arms over my breasts until he leaves, heading into the house.
    I glance around, but my dress is nowhere to be found. That fucking creeper! Did he take my dress? Who else would? I'm not going to stand around practically naked.
    I stalk to the door, dripping as I go. I try to wipe off most of the excess water, but I'm not successful, and I end up just shivering. I go into the house, and thankfully Corey isn't waiting in the ballroom to leer at me some more.
    I stop by a bathroom off the main hallway to dry off, and when I walk out, I pause.
    Angry voices are coming from a cracked door a few steps down the hall. One of the voices belongs to Kaidan, and I can't help myself.
    I walk up to the door, shivering and wet, and I try to eavesdrop.

“Get the fuck out of here, Devon,” Kaidan says, his voice low.
    I hear something heavy crash to the floor. “Fuck you,” Devon slurs. “I can be here if I want to.”
    “Get your wasted ass out, before I make you.” Kaidan's voice