Her stomach did a slow roll seeing that look. Every single cell in her body woke up, came alive, went on full alert. There was so much caring in that look.
“I can’t do that,Solnyshkuh.” He whispered his denial to her, his thumb sliding over her right cheekbone, tracing the contour gently.
She forced herself to keep her resolve. This man was gorgeous. He was also dangerous. Not just because he could look like a predator very high up on the food chain, but because she knew he had the capability of capturing her heart. If he did that and left her—which was inevitable—she would be shattered. She was far too fragile for a man like Andrii Federoff.
“You have to go.” She tried to be firm.
“You don’t want to throw me out,” he said softly. Too softly.
His tone sent shivers of awareness down her spine. It sucked to be so susceptible to him. Azelie just didn’t have physical reactions to men. Any man. The fact that the chemistry between them sizzled, was so strong it was nearly tangible, was frightening.
“I do,” she insisted. There was silence.
She knew he was looking down at her with those eyes of his. It would be a mistake to look up at him. His thumb slid along one cheekbone, tracing the curve. He didn’t say anything. She sighed.
“Okay, I do want you to stay,” she admitted. Why she told him the truth when it was embarrassing, she didn’t know. “But you still have to go, Andrii.”
“Thank you for telling the truth when most women wouldn’t. You don’t play games, Zelie. That’s one of the hundreds of things I love about you.”
She detested that when he complimented her she melted inside. Especially when he used that voice of his. His voice should be outlawed.Heshould be outlawed. She needed to grow a spine.
“I need you to go, Andrii, and not come back. Take whatever you brought with you.” That was definitely firmer, even though she whispered.
He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip, sendinga million sparks dancing over her skin. Heat rushed through her veins to pool low and wicked.
“I need you to explain why you’re so afraid of me,Solnyshkuh. You’ve already conceded that you know I’m not a man to beat a woman. Punish my woman when she fucks up, yes—beat her, no.”
She inhaled sharply, eyelashes fluttering in the hopes that he couldn’t read her expression. Should she even ask? She didn’t dare chance prolonging their conversation. She had to get right to the point. Still, she couldn’t help herself.
“Punish her?”
“You,” he clarified. “I’m spelling it out quite clearly that I want you to be my woman.”
She tilted her chin. “You aren’t making a great case for yourself, throwing around words likepunish.”
“We’ll get there. Right now, tell me what you’re most afraid of.” He poured command into his voice. He didn’t raise it, but it was a definite order.
Azelie refused to be embarrassed. She had the truth on her side. “Men like you don’t stay with women like me, Andrii. And I’m not built for flings.”
His hands once again cupped her face, forcing her head up.
“Look at me.” There was steel in his voice.
He waited until she raised her lashes and met his slashing silver eyes. Instantly, there was that same roller coaster wreaking havoc in her stomach.
“I want an explanation of what you mean. Exactly, Azelie. Men like me? Women like you? What does that mean?”
He never called her Azelie. Never. Right from the first meeting he had called her Zelie. He wasn’t happy with her. She fought to overcome the rush of fear that she’d displeased him. She kept her chin tilted.
“You want me to tell you the truth, don’t you?” she challenged. “That’s what I’m doing. I don’t have to like it and neither do you, but nevertheless it’s the truth.”
His thumb slid along her chin, featherlight. Sensual. Ahint of power. Azelie had no idea how he could convey so much in a simple touch.
“You haven’t explained, and I have no idea what you mean.”
She lowered her lashes, unable to meet the building desire in his eyes. “You’re gorgeous. You walk into a room and women throw themselves at you. Clearly, you have a lot of experience. You’re dominant, overwhelming and you know how to use your voice to get what you want.”
A faint smile came and went so quickly she wasn’t certain she really saw it, but for that brief second, her heart stammered.
