London Dynasty (The Dynasties #1) - Geneva Lee Page 0,41

I knew I’d made the right choice.

Spencer stood in the entry, discussing something quietly with Tod, but he turned when he heard me. Whatever he was saying died on his lips as he drank me in. He met me at the foot of the stairs, completely abandoning Tod, who looked pleased by the snub rather than offended.

“You are a goddess,” Spencer murmured in a low voice meant only for me.

“Which one?” I teased.

“I’m still trying to decide.” He grinned. “I’ll tell you when I figure it out.” He looked over his shoulder. “I will take good care of your daughter, sir.”

Tod tipped his head. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kerrigan.”

“Dad,” I forced the term of endearment out, earning me a flash of shock from Tod who quickly covered it. He left us then and I felt a flutter of excitement to find myself alone with Spencer.

Would tonight be the night? I’d done my best to avoid worrying about whether I would go to bed with Spencer this evening. Now that he was standing before me, I could think of nothing else.

“I have something for you.” Spencer reached into his pocket and blood pounded in my ears as I waited. But the box he retrieved was too long to be a ring box. Apparently, he’d meant it when he said he wanted to get to know each other before we got engaged. He flipped open the lid to reveal a dazzling bracelet made up of two strands of diamonds and an intricate clasp like none I’d ever seen before. “May I?”

I didn’t trust myself to speak so I merely held out my hand.

“There’s a little trick to this,” he said. “I’ll show you later.” He wrapped it around my wrist and fastened it.

I admired it for a moment. “Thank you.”

“I know you’re expecting a ring, but—”

“I don’t expect anything, Spencer.” The truth slipped out of me. My words. Not the ones I should use as Kerrigan. I’d never expected anything in my life. It made things easier.

“That changes now,” he said darkly and I looked up, startled, by the bleak current in his voice. “If you’re to be my wife, you should expect to be treated well, to have expensive things, to have strangers admire you.”

“And what should I expect from you?” I asked, trying to puzzle out his suddenly stormy mood.

But his answer was as cryptic as the clouds in his eyes. “Nothing and everything.”

Spencer extended an arm and I took it, unable to tear my eyes from how the diamonds glittered with every movement. Outside, I discovered just how important appearances were to him. A cherry red McLaren sports car was parked in front of the house. Before I could stop myself, I giggled.

“Is something funny?” he asked as he led me toward it.

I pointed to the car and back to my dress. “We match.”

“So you do,” he said slowly. He studied me for a second before catching his lower lip in his teeth and looking away.

I swallowed at the lingering hunger I’d glimpsed before he turned away. There was no denying the white-hot intensity blazing in his eyes. He’d been thinking about my dress and his car. I had no idea what wicked thoughts my innocent observation had produced, but the effect they’d had on him had, in turn, tightened my core and dampened my knickers.

“Where are we going to dinner?” I asked, desperate to break up the tension stretching between us.

“Dinner. Right.” He opened my car door and helped me inside. “We better go before I lay you across the hood of the car and see how well you match.”

My mouth fell open.

“Even your damn lips match,” he muttered gruffly. “I bet your cheeks would, too...Christ, we need to go.”

He slammed my door and circled to the driver’s side, getting in without a word.

I was beginning to see what Iris meant when she said what I wore was armor. Not only did it strengthen me, but it also had quite the effect on my intended, it seemed.

“Dinner,” he said as he hit the ignition button like he was going to walk himself through step-by-step. Whatever internal struggle he was dealing with wasn’t giving him any slack.

That’s why I couldn’t help myself when I added, “And after—dessert.”

Chapter Eighteen

It was a mistake to bring up what might happen after dinner, given the enclosed space we now found ourselves in. I couldn’t help but notice how tightly Spencer gripped the steering wheel. Five minutes into our drive, I realized that if