He continued herding her backward, his eyes a dark emerald as he studied her with a searing intensity.
“I’m a gambler, princess. I never depend on luck to get what I want.”
“And what do you want?”
“You.”
***
Liam watched in satisfaction as Holly bumped into the rack. Precisely where he wanted her.
Not that she appeared ready to capitulate to their mutual need, he ruefully admitted. She’d devoted the past year to denying her desire for him.
He was going to have to strip away her layers of defenses before he could find the passionate woman he knew was waiting for him.
Thankfully, he was damned sure he was going to thoroughly enjoy the process.
She licked her lips, her breathing ragged even as she tried to pretend she wasn’t completely turned on beneath her anger.
“Am I being punked?” she demanded.
He reached to grasp a strand of her dark hair, smoothing it between her fingers.
It was glorious, but he wished she’d left it up.
For the past six months he’d watched Holly enter her office with her hair pulled into a tight bun and her beautiful body covered by a tailored power suit.
And every day he’d fantasized about pulling the pins from the silken strands to watch it spill down her naked body in a cascade of ebony.
Later, he silently promised himself, adding it to the growing list of desires he intended to fulfill.
“Punked?”
She bit her bottom lip, making his cock twitch.
“Sasha is determined to make me forget about—” Genuine pain darkened her eyes.
Shit.
“Your ex-jackass?” he snarled, his entire body vibrating with fury at the mere thought that this was supposed to be her wedding night.
“Ted,” she snapped, as always rushing to the bastard’s defense. “And I wouldn’t put it past Sasha to arrange this ridiculous charade.”
“This doesn’t get any more fucking real, princess.” He didn’t bother to disguise the dark possession in his voice as his hand lightly circled her throat. Any pretense she didn’t belong to him was over. “It has nothing to do with Sasha or that bastard who thought he could claim what’s mine.”
Her lips parted, shocked acceptance rippling over her face.
That’s right, he silently urged. Look into my eyes and accept that you belong to me.
“This is just crazy,” she breathed.
His hand slid down, smoothing the tiny strap off her shoulder so the neckline dipped down to reveal one rose-tipped breast.
No bra.
Hell.
Liam sucked in a harsh breath, feeling as if he’d just been sucker punched.