Free My Immortal by Erin McCarthy Page A

of New Orleans. She was thrilled to see him for a whole giant number of reasons.
    “Hi,” she managed, unable to prevent herself from shifting just a little closer to him. “Sorry I’m late.”
    His hand slid around her waist, and his gaze pored over her body, lingering on her chest. Marley struggled not to blush, knowing he was doing it just for effect.
    “You’re here now, that is what matters.”
    “We were going to go get a drink,” the other guy said.
    Damien shook his head. “No. She’s only meant for me. She likes to watch the others, but she only wants me to touch.”
    Ho, boy. Marley struggled not to squirm. Damien was saving her behind, but she was embarrassed nonetheless.
    “For real?” the guy asked.
    “Yes,” she said, trying to sound firm.
    “That’s too bad,” he said, but he shrugged and walked away, heading into the room Damien had emerged from.
    Marley sighed in relief.
    Damien gripped her waist harder and leaned toward her. “Marley, what the hell are you doing here?” he said in a low, angry voice in her ear.
    Marley tried to pull away, uncomfortable at the way his warm hand gripped her bare skin, his breath hot and rough on her cheek. “I needed to make sure you could recognize Lizzie…what if she’s dyed her hair or something? If you had just let me come as a waitress I wouldn’t have had to do this.”
    “So this is my fault?” He sounded amused, his thigh brushing hers.
    “Yes.” She turned her head a little to give him a defiant stare. He wasn’t looking at her face. His eyes were down on her chest again. Marley glanced down herself, and swallowed hard. Yikes. She really shouldn’t have worn the bikini. Her D cups were straining, the triangles being dragged low by the sheer force of gravity. There was a lot of skin showing. She needed that raincoat back on and pronto. She pulled away from him to retrieve it.
    “Where are you going?”
    “I’m putting my coat back on.” She bent over and grabbed it off the floor.
    “Not if you want me to escort you through all the rooms so you can look for your sister.”
    “You’ll escort me?” She hadn’t expected him to agree to that. She thought he would toss her out on her bikini-covered behind.
    Marley shoved her arms through her sleeves even though he had just told her not to. She felt way too vulnerable half naked. Generally speaking, she wasn’t all that comfortable in her own skin, even with clothes on. Forget clothes off. Her sexual experience was mostly limited to college, when she’d had what she’d thought at the time was a grand love affair. Later they’d both realized it had been more of an enthusiastic case of puppy lust.
    Damien crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, I’m certainly not going to let you stroll around on your own. I can’t even imagine the kind of trouble you’d get yourself into.”
    He was probably right, but it was still kind of insulting. “Like I said, I wouldn’t have had to resort to this if you had just cooperated with me.”
    “Alright, I’ll accept full responsibility. This is all my fault.” He came toward her, hands landing on her shoulders. Damien’s fingers shifted under the coat, caressing her skin, skimming down her arms, forcing the sleeves of the coat to give way. He caught it, while her breath hitched, goose bumps rising on her flesh. His mouth was right in front of hers, his legs pressing against her bare thighs. Turning casually, as if he had no idea how nervous she was, he stripped the coat off of her, folded it, and set it on the Louis XIV chair.
    Then he rounded on her, shoulders set, voice firm. “So, since we are in agreement, I have created this rather precarious situation, and to make it right, I’ll take you around so you can look for your sister. But you have to stay right next to me. You will not speak to anyone, you will not touch anyone, and you will leave the mask on at all times. Do you understand?”
    “Yes.” She had no intention of disobeying.