Now, he waslookingat her.
And God help her—shelikedit.
Simon’s fingers traced down the inside of her wrist, barely touching yet sending shivers through her entire body.
“You need to be punished,” he murmured.
Rachel swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. “Punished?”
A slow smirk curved his lips.
“Yes, my sweet wife.” He leaned down, his breath hot against her ear. “We need to teach you a lesson, don’t we? I intend to make sure youneverbreak the rules again.”
Rachel’s breath came faster, her pulse hammering in her throat. “Simon,” she started, though she wasn’t sure whether it was meant as a protest or an invitation.
He did not move away.
If anything, his grip on her wrist tightened slightly, his thumb pressing into her skin in a way that made her stomach twist.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that,” she whispered.
Simon tilted his head, his gaze traveling over her flushed face, her lips parted in uncertainty. “Like what?”
She swallowed. “Like you’re?—”
“Starving?” he finished for her.
Rachel exhaled sharply. Hewaslooking at her like that. With the kind of hunger that should have scared her. But instead, it made her want to stay.
“You provoked me, Rachel,” Simon murmured, his fingers trailing up her arm, skimming over her bare shoulder.
“I did not,” she tried to argue without a trace of conviction.
His gaze darkened. “Youdid.” His touch moved lower, just the faintest graze against the neckline of her chemise, sending heat curling through her limbs. “You tempt without realizing. You awaken things I have no business wanting.”
Rachel barely breathed. “Then why are you still here?”
“I came to check on you,” he admitted, though the hoarseness in his voice suggested that was no longer the only reason.
She swallowed. “You should go.”
He did not move.
Instead, his hand traced down her waist, fingers splaying against her hip. His thumb brushed against the soft, exposed skin there.
Rachel gasped.
“Tell me to stop,” Simon murmured.
Rachel opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because how could she tell him to stop when shewantedthis?
Simon exhaled heavily, his lips pressing together. Then, slowly—tooslowly—he pushed the thin fabric of her chemise higher, his touch searing.
Rachel trembled. “Simon…”
