He cut off. Probably because he'd found the bed empty.
His footsteps were in the hallway again. But only for a short distance.
I grinned when he pulled open the door to his own room.
And found me on his bed. Completely naked.
"It's one forty,"I pointed out, returning to the spoiled brat persona I'd felt such shame about downstairs."You're late."
He stilled and narrowed his eyes into an expression I couldn't quite read. Annoyance? Offense?
I shifted self-consciously on top of the bed. Had I taken this little prank too far?
But then his eyes heated with a new flame.
"I tried to make myself wait in the office until thirteen thirty." He closed the door behind him."Just to prove to myself I could."
"How did that go for you?" I asked breathlessly, even though I already knew he couldn't have gotten all the way over here in less than ten minutes.
"You weren't where I told you to be when I arrived." He removed both cufflinks and released them.
I watched them hit the black-and-white floor with two cold plinks.
“And where’s the romper?” He was down to his suit pants now. All those abs rippling as he kicked off his shoes.
“Somewhere safe,” I answered with mock gravity. “Some ruthless CEO was making all sorts of horrible threats against her, you know. And as for waiting on the couch…”
I raised both shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. "Maybe I was on the couch. At one thirty-seven. You’ll never know, because you were too busy playing chess games."
“Hmm.” Cole rolled his neck in a way that put me in mind of a prizefighter right after he steps into the ring. "Do I have your consent?"
"For sex?” I tilted my head, a little confused. “Totally. I thought that was covered in the con?—"
"For punishment." Cole's lips lifted into a cruel smile.
"Oh,"I said out loud, somewhat dully. Even as my mind was going,"Ohhh!"In, like, italics, with threehs, while clutching at hypothetical pearls.
I squirmed, and the sensations from yesterday and the hotel room returned with a vengeance, even though he had yet to touch me.
"What—what would um...punishmententail?"
Long, cold beat."I would like to surprise you."
Another weak"Oh"fell out of my mouth.
"You'll like it,"he assured me. Before adding,"Eventually."
Would I?"And if I don't?"
"Say ‘Grandma,’"he answered."Trust me, that will kill the mood, and I'll stop whatever I'm doing."
I almost laughed. That was funny. He'd actually said something funny. But my heart was beating too fast.
"Oh,"I said again. Before deciding at the same time I added,"Okay, you have my consent to, um...punish me."
He held me there from his standing position at the edge of the bed, his green eyes running over my body like a scientist.“Show me.”
I froze.“Show you what?”
