Without taking his eyes off the pages of the book, he answered, “No.”
My brows furrowed, accentuating the frown on my face. “Well, I’m pretty sure you’re stressed out from the day’s work, and your body needs rest.” I paused, my gaze unwavering. “Your bedroom is across the hall.”
“Why are you trying so hard to get rid of me?” he asked, still not bothering to look in my direction. “Does my presence bother you?”
“As a matter of fact, it does,” I answered, my voice rising a little higher than average.
“Why?”
“Are you kidding me?” I set the book on the nearby table and rose to my feet. “You’re always in my space—you won’t let me go, and you won’t let me breathe,” I rambled on, words flowing rapidly.
Finally, he lifted his head and faced me, his expression soft but unreadable. “It is my duty to protect what’s mine.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “You think spending a million dollars at the auction to ‘buy’ me somehow gives you authority over my life?” I asked, my tone low and venomous. “You think you own me because of that? Well, newsflash, I belong to no one.”
He set the book aside and quietly rose to his feet, his imposing six-foot towering over me. “You know,” he began, taking silent steps forward, “I couldn’t figure out why you disliked being around me. I thought it was because of your so-called hatred for me.”
He halted in front of me, his lips curling into a faint smirk. “But now I know why.”
I swallowed hard, struggling to be unaffected by how close he was to me. His scent was intoxicating—traces of sweat, his cologne, steel, and expensive tobacco. The sight of his muscles and rugged physique caught my eyes, stirring emotions I’d tried so hard to bury.
He reached out and ran the back of his hand along my arm, his touch awakening the passion in my heart. And just like that, something sparked inside me—dark and primal. I hated how much my body betrayed me around him and how easily he set my soul on fire.
My gaze dropped to the floor, my heart pounding loudly. Nik lifted my chin, his cold, hollow eyes staring into mine. The hunger in their depths fueled the flame burning inside me, and although I tried to hide my arousal, it was clear he could see right through me.
“You don’t avoid being around me because you hate me,” he said softly. “You do that because you’re afraid.”
I clench my jaw, my breath catching in my throat. “I’m not afraid of you,” I said, my voice weak and shallow.
“No, you’re not.” He let out a faint scoff, his eyes never leaving mine. “You’re afraid that what happened the last time will repeat itself.” Nik leaned in, his hand traveling down my lower abdomen.
“It was a mistake,” I said, trying to sound confident despite my aching heart. “One I’m not willing to make again.”
His lips curled into a sly smile. “I doubt that,” he whispered in my face, his hand caressing the edge of my waistband, enough to make me shiver.
My body stiffened when he dared to dip below, a slow and deliberate test of boundaries. A soft gasp escaped me, my chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. “Nik, we shouldn’t…”I breathed, my voice trailing off, betraying more confusion than command.
“You don’t mean that,” he added, his fingers teasing my underpants.
“I do.” My heart was warm with desire, my wetness proving his claim.
“Then push me away,” he dared me, his hand sliding lower, closer to my throbbing cunt.
Everything was happening so fast, and I barely had time to think. The atmosphere shifted from calm to hostile, then to charged with sexual tension in a matter of seconds. That’s how powerful his effect was on me. Also, he was right; this was the reason I’d been avoiding being alone with him in a closed room.
He gently lifted my chin and looked deep into my eyes. “I don’t care what you think about me. I’ll never take you without your consent. If you’re not enjoying what I’m doing, then tell me to stop.” He slid his finger through my slippery folds.
A cold shiver ran down my spine, and I bent slightly in response. I reached for the table behind me and gripped the edge, anchoring myself. The feeling fanned the fire burning inside me, leaving me vulnerable.
“Go ahead,” he added, watching my resistance gradually dissolve. “Tell me to stop.”
My grip tightened around the table’s edge as his touch sent jolts of electricity coursing through my blood. The sound of his deep, husky voice only fueled my hunger—and the more I tried to resist, the weaker I became.
I wanted him so badly, but hated how he could easily get between my legs at will, without even trying. I should push him away, I should say the words, and since he was a man of his word, he’d leave me alone. But how could I reject him when everything in my body craved him?
His touch had stirred up emotions I could no longer control, and with each thrust of his finger, I felt myself unravel. He teased my wet cunt with practiced ease, caressing the right places at the right time.
“Say it,” he whispered in my ear. “I promise to step away if you do.”
