He shakes his head and pushes away from the desk to cross to me. “Are you always this difficult?”
“I’m not being difficult.”
“Yes, you are. You’ll take whatever you like. It’s all been paid for, so don’t worry about that.”
“But—”
He shuts me up by wrapping his arms around my shoulders and pressing his lips to the top of my head. It’s the nicest way I’ve been shut up, that’s for sure. This is the nicest a man has ever been to me in my life.
And I can’t believe it, but I trust it.
“Are you buttering me up with cuddles?”
“Is it working?”
I sigh and wrap my arms around his waist. “Kind of.”
He chuckles and tips my chin up so he can kiss the tip of my nose.
This man still hasn’t kissed my lips yet. And man, do I want him to.
“They’re just clothes, firefly.”
“Those are expensive. I didn’t look at the labels, but I know expensive clothes when I see them. Iworethem once upon a time.”
“And you’ll wear them again, but they won’t comefrom your father.” He drags his fingertip down my cheek to my neck.
Suddenly, all I can picture is his hand around my throat, forcing me to my knees, and holy shit, that’s my new goal in life. I wonder if I can manifest that?
Except he hasn’t made any moves on me at all.
I don’t even know if he’s attracted to me like that.
“What?” He skims his finger over my eyebrow.
I bite my lip. “I’m struggling to see how this makes sense, Rome. You were a stranger only hours ago, it feels, and now you’re cuddling me, when I’ve never been cuddled by a man before. And … are you even attracted to me?”
Fuck, I feel like a fool. Of course, he’s not.Maybe he wants a pet. I’ve read romances where the alpha hero just wants a pet.
His eyes darken, and his hand slides into my hair at the back of my head. He makes a fist and tugs my head back more.
“You’re in my home, slept in my bed, in my arms, and I just brought all of the ready-to-wear items in the city for you to choose from. Why would you think that I’mnotattracted to you?”
“You haven’t even kissed me.” It’s a whispered confession, and his eyes immediately drop to my lips.
“Not yet,” he murmurs and leans in, but his lips land on my forehead. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”
I can’t stop the “psh” that pushes through my lips. “Right.”
That hand loosens, letting go of my hair, but he holds the back of my neck.
“Since the moment I saw you, I wanted you. I want to get you naked and fuck you so hard and for so long, you’ll only ever remember me. I want to kiss you for days. I want to listen to you laugh, and talk, and anything else you want to do until we fall asleep, and then do it all over again. I don’t deserve one minute with you, but I’m going to take them all.”
I swallow hard. I don’t know what to say. All of the words have left my brain, and my blood has pooled between my legs.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he murmurs, staring down at my lips again, “but it won’t be a sweet peck, and it’s not going to be when there are two women in my house,when I never let women into my house, who are waiting for you.”
I lick my lips.I never let women into my house.
