would’ve just done it.”
He squared his shoulders, as if proud of what he was about to say. “I reminded myself that if I broke my promise, I could lose the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
I whispered. “Me?”
“You, ángel.”
But I wasn’t an angel. I was so far from it.
“Those bites of pain were well worth my reward.” He rose, unfolding his tall frame. My gaze locked on his dick.
How would I make it through another night without sex?
He headed to my bathroom, giving me the view of his powerful back and shoulders, his lean hips. . . .
His ass.
Good thing I’m not standing.
His taut cheeks were sculpted with hollows on the sides. The play of contracting muscles taunted my nails to dig into them. I wanted to grip that flesh as he pounded me. I imagined nipping him there, and a whimper escaped my lips.
He paused, then walked on, saying, “Are you objectifying me, Vika?”
A laugh bubbled up.
When he returned, he pulled on his clothes before my rapt gaze. I kept thinking, That god of a man just came from my bed. . . .
Dressed, he sat beside me. “I am pleased we have things settled now.”
“Settled?” Oh. That.
“You and I are exclusive with one another.”
As I stared into his thrall eyes, I figured, Well, we could be exclusive.
Ah! I dragged my gaze away. “I can’t look at you.”
He pinched my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Why, ángel?” Hurt flashed across his expression.
“Because I feel as if I’m under some kind of spell. You look at me like this, and I can’t think. And worse, I can’t seem to tell you no.”
“Then never tell me no.”
“You’re crazy.” I bit my tongue as soon as the words left it. I hadn’t meant to say it earlier either.
“Yes. I am on occasion. But tonight I wasn’t.”
I needed to get to the bottom of this. There were different levels and types of crazy, right? He was probably just a social oddball, an eccentric—
“I have a gift for you.”
Gift???
He reached into a jacket pocket. “Close your eyes, and keep them closed.”
I did.
“I hope you like diamonds.” Cool metal glided over my collarbones and neck. The strand was heavy. “You can look now.”
I gasped at the necklace. A dozen large diamonds were spaced randomly down a platinum chain, each one set in a bezel of tiny sapphires. The stones came in all different shapes: oval, pear, marquise, triangular. The necklace had no discernible pattern. I loved it!
Though ridiculously picky about clothes and jewelry, I could wear this piece forever. “Are you dicking with me?”
“No. I am not.”
I dragged my gaze from the sparkling rocks. “Ah, you do want to be my sugar daddy. A piece of jewelry for an orgasm. It is Vegas after all.”
“If I paid you what that orgasm was worth to me, I’d be back in the research lab because I would be penniless.”
And here comes the charm. I couldn’t stop a grin.
“I gave you that necklace because it’s a good start for your collection. I warn you now, I will spoil you to an embarrassing degree.”
I tilted my head. “You’re not the first man to tell me things like this. To make promises.”
“Then I’ll be the first man smart enough to keep them. I will pick you up tomorrow at one. Pack for warm weather.” I got the sense that leaving me pained him. As soon as the thought occurred, he informed me, “This will be the last night I part from you.”
I couldn’t allow myself to believe the promise in his eyes—because it was way too soon. Plus, he was a man.
But what if . . . ?
At the door, he said, “Have sweet dreams, moy ángel. Mine will be of you.”
What if, what if, what if? Once he’d locked me in and I heard the limo leave, I squealed with happiness, drumming my feet on the bed.
CHAPTER 19
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At ten till one, a knock sounded. I was still in my underwear! “Just a sec,” I called, shimmying past my overnight bag to reach my closet.
I grabbed a simple black linen sheath I’d made. The shortest part of the asymmetrical hem hit just above my knees. I smoothed my hands down the front, proud of my work, then stepped into pointy-toed black pumps.
My gaze lit on my new necklace, laid out on my duvet. Last night, I’d sent a picture of it to the family’s conference line along with a message: Got drama from night before worked out