Hope mustered a smile as Colin stared down at her in brooding silence. They had ceased to dance completely, their still figures drawing increasing attention from other guests, and most especially from Princess. But he didn't seem to notice this, and she took it as a good sign.
"I'm not pressuring you or anything." Hope decided to keep things light with a teasing tone. "It's just an, um, offer that I wanted you to be aware of. And in any case, I can always go to Wilson—-"
"Try it then, and you'll have his death on your hands."
Hope was about to laugh when she belatedly noticed the rage in his eyes, fueled by jealousy.
"I was just j-joking," she stammered.
"You think it's funny to consider giving yourself to someone else when I already own you?" Colin glared down at her. "I think it's time I give you a lesson of what it means to be mine."
And off they went, with Hope once again half-running to keep up with her husband's pace, andoh!
They had just walked past Princess, and it was as if the other woman didn't even exist for Colin. Hope glanced up, wondering if he was just faking it, butoh!
He had sensed her looking at him, and Colin immediately met her gaze with another glare. "I know what you're thinking."
He did?
"You saw Wilson waving at you," her husband snarled, "and you're already thinking you're better off with him."
What was he talking about?
"You think you'll have a happier and less complicated life with him."
Hope could only blink. She had no idea where all of these thoughts were coming from, but...wait. Was he saying the truth about Wilson waving at her? It would be awfully rude not to wave back, wouldn't it?
She tried to look around, but the moment she did, Colin jerked to a stop, and Hope gasped as he yanked her toward him. He cupped her chin, his grip fierce.
"Eyes on me, wife," Colin growled down at her, "and no one else. Got it?"
They were on the move again even when she had barely finished nodding, with Colin driven by some inexplicable urge to...oh?
They were inside the elevator in a flash, and her heart leapt to her throat when she realized he was taking her back to their suite. She wanted to say something to diffuse the tension between them, but no words came to mind. All she could do was stare. And feel.
And with the way her husband was staring at her, and the way his glittering gaze was making her burn...
Once inside, he only had one question. "How do you want me to take you?"
Only one word leapt to mind.
"Passionately."
His nostrils flared. "So be it."
Colin claimed her mouth in a kiss that made his intent perfectly clear. She washis.And he would make sure of it by driving her so crazy with need that she would soon remember nothing but her name.
He swept her in his arms without breaking the kiss. Started undressing her as soon as they made it to his bedroom. Then laid her down on the bed before stepping back to strip himself of his own clothes.
Her throat dried as her husband eventually stood before her, his big, hard body magnificently naked.
"I'll let you stare as long as you like next time," Colin said thickly, "but right now..."
He joined her in bed, positioning himself between her legs, and the heat of his body started burning through her every thought.
"Look at me, Hope."
And so she did.
