Grievous (Wanted Men #5) - Nancy Haviland Page 0,74

gift gracefully. You will not refuse it. Not for any reason. I damaged yours, and now I have replaced it.” He took immense pleasure in securing his collar around her slender neck. He fixed her hair before going back to his chair…

Seeing the band grace that throat had molten lust pouring into his groin. “There is something about your throat. I do not know why but it is my favorite part of your body. Yes,” he said when her eyebrow rose. “My favorite. And I felt the need to adorn it with something after all.” He picked up his coffee and took a drink while she brought her fingers up to touch the evidence that she was in no way available to others. “It really is very simple. ‘Thank you, Lucian’ That is all I want. ‘Thank you, Lucian.’”

She fingered the tag and was stunning even as her expression hovered between a frown and a pout. If that bottom lip popped out anymore, he would likely become her slave.

“Mine cost eleven dollars.”

His mouth curved down, and he shrugged. “It was eleven dollars well spent because it was lovely on you. This one is the same.”

“But it isn’t the same.”

“I will not sit here and argue with you.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “What does it say? Will you tell me what it cost?”

“Of course, not.”

She waited, and when he remained silent, she pressed. “What is a mea?”

He looked at the mouth that had just spoken the word mine in his language. “It is similar to draga,” he lied, his voice quiet.

“Oh. Uh, but what if I really don’t want to wear it?”

“Then I will be gravely insulted.”

A twinkle entered her eyes. “Gravely insulted.”

“Gravely.”

“Well, can’t have that, hmm?”

“No. We cannot have that.” But I want to have you again. Right now. He wanted to be close to her, and what better way than to have their bodies connected. Was there another way? Not that he knew.

“Just a simple ‘thank you, Lucian,’ huh?”

He nodded. When she was amused, the honey streams in her eyes were hypnotic.

She got up and came behind his chair. His nape prickled until she looped her arms around his neck and rested her chin on his shoulder. As she stroked her hands across his chest, tendrils of warmth rippled through him, converging in his groin and somewhere under her palms. They began fighting for supremacy, so he ignored them both.

“Thank you, Lucian,” she murmured. “It was very kind of you to replace my broken necklace with this lovely…collar. You expect honesty from me, and I’ve done my very best to give it to you. Please have the decency to do the same.”

He stared straight ahead as she nuzzled behind his ear. Rather than tip his head to give her room—why did he want to encourage the affectionate gesture?—he took her hands in a loose hold and led her around. She wanted honesty from him? He kissed the pulse on her wrist and curbed his need to see her in nothing but his gift.

“On your knees.”

Disappointment filtered into her expression when she heard his cooled tone. But she gracefully lowered herself so she was kneeling between his legs.

“You demand honesty from me? Fine. It is absolutely a collar. A stamp of ownership I have now placed on my most prized possession. You should be thankful I do not lock you in one that claims you as Fane Property. There are those that cannot be removed but by the rightful owner of the pet.” She sat back on her feet, her mouth falling open with a soft pop that he heard over the crackling fire in the hearth a few feet away. “Would you like more honesty, Yasmeen? If I see it anywhere other than around your neck, I will make you hurt. I will not lay a finger on you, but you will hurt.” He reached out and cupped her face, and had to pull her up to kiss her. It didn’t matter right then that she didn’t return the kiss. “I would ask that you not make me do that because I am finding it unpleasant to see misery in your eyes. I did not think something like that would bother me, but it does.” He lifted a finger. “But not enough to prevent me from teaching you a lesson you will never forget.”

She pulled back. “Listen, I think I’ve been pretty accommodating with you and your, uh, issues. But this…” She felt the collar. “I think this