I wanted to.
I wanted to push him to the floor, unbuckle his jeans, and ride him until there was nothing but the pursuit of pleasure.
But fear pushed in, icing the heat in my blood.
No.
Somehow, I knew if I let him, North could hurt me worse than all the others.
Patting his chest gently, I eased away from him. “I think we’ve both had a lot to drink. We should try to get some sleep until Allegra remembers we’re in here.”
North didn’t hide his frustration or disappointment, but he moved away from me. Scrubbing a hand over his unshaven cheeks, he gestured to the couch. “You take the sofa. I’ll push two chairs together.”
Nodding, I waited until he’d moved out of my path and then I reclined on the couch, bending my knees to fit. I gave him my back and murmured, “Good night, North.”
His deep voice made me shiver as he replied, “Good night, gorgeous.”
Nine
NORTH
I’d wanted a distraction.
I’d wanted something to change.
Well, wish granted.
Now I was infatuated with Aria Howard.
My wrist hurt from writing about the night in my journal. I wanted to commit every moment and every feeling to paper before I finally got some sleep. It was not Allegra who saved us from the library, but Wakefield. The butler didn’t say a damn word about finding us locked in the room. Both Aria and I had barely slept, though she did at some point, because she snored a wee bit. We were desperate to use the restroom after all the whisky we’d consumed, and even so, Aria asked Wakefield to give us a minute.
Once the butler had departed, Aria turned to me with those stunning green eyes. They were filled with apology, sincerity, and a softness I didn’t know she was capable of until last night.
“I want to say how sorry I am for the way I’ve treated you. It won’t happen again.”
I was surprised by the relief I experienced. “Thank you.” Unable to leave it at that, I lowered my voice and said, “I’m not drunk.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“And I still want you.” I leaned into her as I moved slowly past, and her lashes fluttered, her breathing shallow. Aye, she wanted me too. “You know where to find me if you decide you want to prove those bastards wrong.”
Then she tortured me by nervously licking her plump lips. I seemed to have rendered her speechless, so I nodded with a slight smile and walked away.
Now she was all I could think about. I wanted to erase all the shit those arseholes had planted in her head. How the fuck could they? Cheating on her was one thing, but to say such cruel drivel to her? The next time I saw Preston Holden, he’d be lucky if he didn’t walk away with a broken nose.
I got up off the bed and pulled the curtains closed. I’d already put a Do Not Disturb sign on my door. But as soon as I rested my head on the pillow, I pictured her. Damn, I wanted her. I’d told her things about my past that I hadn’t spoken about to many people. She’d listened like she gave a damn, and I’d felt a weight releasing from me to have her know the truth about Gil. Aria didn’t look at me with pity, but empathy. She didn’t judge me, but seemed to admire me.
I had to admit, I could get high on Aria’s admiration.
Hell, I could just get high on her. I wanted to let her hair down and undress her and have her melt under my hands. Now I knew why she was wound so tightly. She was wrapped in steel armor to protect her from arseholes. Her trust issues were a problem, which meant I’d have to tread carefully. Take things slowly.
Aye, I knew I had major life problems at the moment, and my sexual attraction to a Hollywood princess should nottake priority. But why not? Whether she knew it, Aria Howard needed me. If it was the last thing I did, I’d help that woman get her confidence back. Preferably by giving her many, many orgasms.
Groaning as I hardened at the thought, I turned on my side and tried to switch my tired brain off. The decision was made. As much as I’d love to explore something real with Aria, she couldn’t handle that.
So I’d give her whatever little piece of me she would take.
Now I just had to convince her that an unforgettable night in my bed was exactly what she needed.
