CHAPTER 12 A DANCE OF DESPERATION

She imagined Ethan’s hands on her hips, his gaze fixed on her, his breath ragged as she moved against him. Her heart began to race, her blood singing in her veins. Despite herself, her dance grew more intense, her body now pressing closer to James, her hands running through his hair, her lips grazing his neck. But try as she might to keep her mind focused on the present, her thoughts kept returning to Ethan. As she felt James’s hands on her hips, his breath hot against her skin, she couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel if it were Ethan instead. Would he have been gentler, more possessive? Or would he have been more demanding, his hands roaming over her with more urgency? The thought sent a shiver through her, her mind playing out the possibilities. She could almost imagine the warmth of Ethan’s body against hers, the heat of his breath on her skin. But this was not Ethan, she reminded herself, shaking off the daydream. This was a client, another stranger. A paying customer, a