The Billionaire's Christmas Bride (Big Bad Billionaires #3) - L. Steele Page 0,19
heart begins to race.
"You know," he replies, his tone hard.
Sweat beads my palms, and it’s not because the inside of the room is warmer than it was before… When had he lit the fireplace? Probably when I was outside. The light from the flames flickers over his face, throwing his features into relief, deepening the shadows under his cheekbones, hollowing out the spaces under his eyes. His dark hair appears almost blue, and those grey eyes seem almost colorless. Deep and fathomless. What would I find if I looked into those depths? A soul that would take, a male who’d possess, who’d pleasure me in the way no one else ever has. A dominant man who’d push aside all of my doubts and teach me how it is to be claimed. A shiver runs down my spine. Is that what I want? Is that why I haven’t left? Hell, it could be just the two of us in this house—a faint scratching comes from the direction of the kitchen—and the puppy. Not another living soul for miles around; no business demands on either of us. He’d come to heal and I had come to find…something… That spark inside of me that had vanished…and which I had been hoping to recapture. That leap of faith that had pushed me to start my own business… That makes me take a step forward…close the distance between us.
He watches me as I move closer. He lowers his feet to the floor, parts his thighs. I step in between them. He tips his chin up. It feels…different this way. Me looking down on him. The angle intensifies that brooding edge that coils under the surface. I want to find out what makes him tick. Why he blows hot and cold; why he’d decided to spend the holidays alone…when he could have been with any woman… Instead, he’s gotten me. I frown.
He shakes his head.
I scowl.
"You have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for," he mutters, half to himself.
"And you do?"
"I’ve been around the block many more times than you."
"You sure?"
"Have you?" he shoots back.
"Maybe not as much as you," I concede, "but I’ve had my share of boyfriends."
"How many?"
"What’s it to you?" I snap.
"If we’re going to get through our time together, then there are some ground rules you need to follow."
"You?" I scowl.
He tilts his head.
"You meant we need to follow, surely?" I elaborate.
He stares at me with those almost-colorless eyes and another shiver of electricity runs up my spine. Shit, he doesn’t even need to speak to me and I know what he means. Is it because I am that tuned into him? More likely, I know exactly the kind of obnoxious, merciless man he is. My toes curl. Why the hell does that turn me on? It shouldn’t be so appealing. I shouldn’t be this attracted to him… It’s precisely the fact that he wouldn’t care about my needs, that he’d simply take what he wants from me, that I find…refreshing. There would be no pretensions with this man. It would be all give… At least, there would be no surprises, huh? So, I won’t be disappointed. Is that how low my expectations have fallen?
"You shouldn’t overanalyze everything," he remarks.
"You shouldn’t take everyone around you for granted."
"Now you’re doing that NLP shit…" he points out.
I half laugh, "You going to explain exactly what this is about?"
"This?" He looks perplexed.
I point to the space between us, "This."
"Ah." He steeples his fingers together. "It’s simple. I am willing to let you stay here for the holiday season."
I frown.
"But?"
"Did I say a ‘but’?"
"There’s always a ‘but’ with people like you."
"People like me?"
"Overindulgent, spoilt, rich pricks who think they own the world.”
"That’s because I do."
I snort; I can’t help it. "Why am I not surprised that you said that?"
He raises his shoulders, "It’s a fact."
"Whatever," I mutter.
"What was that?"
“I said, ‘What-fucking-ever,’" I say, with more aggression that I am feeling.
"Hmm, you have spirit. That’s good."
"Oh, stop talking in riddles."
"That’s Saint," he chuckles.
"What?"
"Doesn’t matter." He draws in a breath, then straightens his shoulders, "Enough beating around the bush. It’s six days to Christmas. We spend it together. You do everything I ask of you in that time."
"What does that mean?" I stare.
"Exactly what it sounds like. Nothing hidden."
"Does it mean…uh…?"
"What?"
"You know."
"No, I don’t." He smirks.
Oh, spit it out already, why the hell am I being coy? "Sexual favors," I burst out.