me. That’s the joy of having your life documented by every media outlet in the world—not a lot goes unreported.
“I’m an open book. You only have to go as far as the nearest tabloid to learn everything you need to know about me.”
Her head tilts before she shakes it and returns to her meal. “I doubt that. Tabloids seem to think rumors are facts, after all.”
“Yes, they do.” I’m not hungry anymore. Abandoning my plate, I stand and move toward the window. She has questions, which isn’t unreasonable. “What do you want to know, Clara?”
“What will you tell me?”
I smile flatly and turn to watch the London Eye spin outside the window. I know the right answer. Instead, I answer honestly. “Nothing. I’ll tell you nothing you want to know. I’ll crack a joke or distract you with a kiss.”
Clara falls silent, and I almost look to see if she’s checking the exit. It would be the smart move—and the one I don’t want her to make. How is a woman supposed to react when you tell her that you’ll lie to her? A smart one might run, and Clara is smart. I’ve seen her marks from Oxford. But she’s something else, too. Something hard to place.
“You’ll like me better if you believe the tabloid headlines,” I add when she doesn’t speak.
“Even the one that claimed you had an orgy at Brimstone last month?” she asks, breaking the tension.
“Wouldn’t you rather believe that one was true?” I smile. “It promises inhuman stamina.”
She smirks as though to say it had already been established. “I will admit I don’t like the idea of you screwing a whole room full of women.”
There’s confidence in the confession, and I realize what that hard-to-place characteristic is: she’s brave.
“Ahhh. The jealous type?”
“How would you feel if I screwed a room full of men?” She calls my bluff.
That image pops into my head, and I react, my fist hitting the window frame and surprising both of us. “Touché, poppet. But I should warn you I’m not good at sharing.”
“No doubt that comes from never having to share much as a child.”
“More than I would have liked.” I don’t want the distance between us anymore. I need her to see me—to understand me. “While I’m fucking you, no one else will. Do you understand?”
She stares up at me for a second before calmly placing her dish on the table and standing to meet my eyes. “Is that an order?”
“You didn’t seem to mind my orders earlier.” Maybe she needs a reminder. My hand pushes between the folds of her robe to the taut plane of her stomach. “You liked being told what to do.”
“In bed,” she says, moving away from me. “I don’t like being ordered around.”
“I wouldn’t dream of ordering you around outside the bedroom, Clara.” What would be the point? Our relationship can’t go further than that. But what she did in any bedroom did concern me. “But asking you not to sleep with other men seems to be on point, no?”
“Am I allowed to sleep with other women?” She says flatly.
“No, but that’s an interesting idea.” But—I could never find another like her.
“Okay, down, boy. I’m just trying to prove that you’re being irrational.”
“It’s not irrational,” I say. My hand lashes out and yanks open her robe. It’s time for show and tell. “I have many things I plan to do to this body. I want to take my time with it. I need to, so I’m not interested in playing games. If you want to be with me, I expect loyalty.”
This time she doesn’t try to back away. There’s no protest when I step closer and slip a hand between her legs. My fingers stroke along the bare flesh until she’s whimpering.
“I have no issue with exclusivity, but you don’t do relationships,” she says in a strained voice.
“I don’t court. I’m not looking for romance or marriage. I want to fuck you, Clara. I want to make you come, and I want your perfect cunt to be mine exclusively.” Her eyes shudder for a moment when my thumb finds her clit. Then they reopen, blazing with determination, and I feel her hand on my cock.
“This is mine then,” she says.
I bite back a smile, even as I thrust it into her warm, soft palm. “It’s all yours, Clara.”
I kiss her to end the argument because I don’t want her to think about this. I’m offering her so little. She’ll see that eventually. I’ll let