Royally Chosen Christmas (Royal Sons MC #7) - Elle Boon Page 0,46
moved on like he always did?
“What’s made you go quiet and pensive?” He returned with two bottles in his hand. One icy cold beer for him and an orange juice for her.
She accepted the beverage he’d held out, knowing he wouldn’t budge and allow her to drink anything else, until he was assured for himself, that she’d drank what he felt was good for her body. The fact she also wanted the refreshing OJ was a moot point. While he sipped his drink, she walked around the huge white kitchen. It was nothing like their family home, which was not to say it wasn’t homey, but where their mother’s house was all dark wood and filled with things, his space was clean lines with white and stainless steel. The small pops of color kept it from looking too stark, making her wonder who helped him design the space.
“Do you like it?” His question broke into the quietness of the night.
Talena nodded as she ran her hand over the sleek countertop, noticing the little flecks of sparkle in it. “What kind of material is this?”
“It’s called Pyrolave Enameled Lava. Eleven thousand years ago the Nugere crater erupted in the Regional Nature Park of the Volcanos of Auvergne, where the Volvic lava used by Pyrolave is extracted. The company will custom make your countertops to your specifications, size, color, everything. Nothing is too extreme for them. If you look at their gallery, they’ve had some pretty extreme color choices by their clients. I didn’t want anything crazy, but I did want something other than a flat white, or as you’ll see in the other rooms, the colors I chose for them also have a little sparkle to them.”
She finished her orange juice, looking around for the recycling bin. “Where should I toss this?”
“Here I’ll take it.” Hollywood reached for the small bottle, taking it and his own glass one to a cleverly hidden set of bins inside the cabinet near the mudroom door.
His fingers brushed hers, sending tingles up her arm. She rubbed her hands up and down both sides, feeling the fine hairs standing up and pretending it was from the cold air blowing down on her from the central air vents. Luckily Hollywood appeared to ignore the impact he was having on her, for the moment. Although looking at his face, she saw his eyes twinkle. He wouldn’t let her put him at arm’s length for long.
Instead of letting him dictate to her like she’d always done, waiting around like a good little girl, she moved to where he was looking at a stack of papers. Not that she wanted to see what he was reading, but she wanted...she wanted him. If she only got him for one night, one hour, one whatever, she was going to take it and store every moment away to pull out whenever she needed a pick me up.
She saw the way his body tensed slightly at her approach. And still, she didn’t let that keep her from sliding her hands around his waist. God he was all hard muscles covered in silky soft skin. From the times she’d seen him without a stitch of clothing on, he was nothing short of a girl’s wet dream come to life. If he turned her away, Talena didn’t think she’d ever be able to face him again.
“What’re you doing, baby girl?”
The way he spoke in the deep growly tone let her know she was getting to him. “Hmm, I’m touching you.”
“I can feel that. Do you know what happens to little girls who take what they’re not told they can?” His fingers trailed over hers, tickling the backs of her hands, keeping his face turned away from her.
She realized he could see her through the mammoth refrigerator with its gleaming exterior reflecting both of them. A little distorted but if she could make them out, he could too.
“I asked you a question, Talena. I expect an answer,” he growled.
Talena froze, her mind trying to figure out what he’d said. “I’m sorry, can you repeat the question?”
“Sir,” he said.
“Excuse me?”
He turned around, spinning until she was pinned between him and the counter. “There are things I need in a relationship, T. These are non-negotiable. What we start tonight, they’re not a one and done thing between us. I’m not going to lie or pretend with you, and I’ll expect the same from you. Understand?”
She licked her lips, her heart beating so hard she wondered if he could see