Fueled by his need to taste her, to touch her, he ran the pad of his thumb over her plump lips, then circled his arm around her tiny waist, anchoring her to him. At that precise moment he decided that he’d like nothing more than to spend the rest of his life pleasuring her the way she deserved to be pleasured.

Dark lashes fluttered over come-hither brown eyes. Color bloomed high on her cheeks. Her sensuous voice was low, hesitant, but underneath the waver he heard the desire, the need. “Who are you?”

He brought his lips to within a hairbreadth of hers and breathed a kiss over her mouth. Her nipples pressed into his chest and tightened. His desire mounted when he felt the way her body reacted to his close proximity. “My sweet Brianna. All you need to know is that tonight I am the man, or rather the pirate,” he said with a grin, “who is going to make all your fantasies come true.” He fingered the soft material of her costume, his mind visualizing the path his tongue would take while ridding her of her clothes.

Her mouth fell open, her eyes widened. Clearly, understanding had dawned.

“The spell,” she whispered.

“Yes, the spell.”

“She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

No more questions. Just know that tonight you are mine.” He slid his hand down to the small of her back, then traced the curve of her lush ass. “Say you’ll be mine, Brianna.”

She nibbled her lip, as though undecided. But her hesitation lasted only seconds. Xander knew she wanted this as much as he did, so much so that she’d gone against her own best interests and written a forbidden love spell.

She sucked in a breath, then whispered, “Unbelievable.”

He chuckled and pulled her impossibly closer, until she could feel his arousal pressing insistently against her hip, clamoring for attention.