I smirk to myself as my fingers move lower and lower until my shirt is loose around my shoulders. I can’t blame her curiosity since I let her listen in on my meeting, but she doesn’t need to know everything.
That’s not why I had her there.
Luckily, my plan somewhat worked. At least enough to keep me from unraveling.
Having her close to me today helped me focus more since I wasn’t wondering what she was doing. All I had to do was look over to see her.
Granted, keeping my eyes off her took real effort. She looks lovely in the dress I picked out.
“They hit us first,” I say as I roll my shoulders, working my shirt off my body so that I can toss it into the nearby laundry basket.
“What happened?”
I undo my belt and slip it off my waist before hanging it on one of the dresser knobs like I always do. “If you want moreinformation from me, then you’ll have to give me something in return.”
She sighs heavily.
Amusement warms my chest as I remove my pants and throw them into the laundry basket as well, leaving myself in my black briefs. I unfold my sweatpants and pull them on, feeling the steady quickening of my pulse as I hear slight movement behind me.
I can feel her still watching me, and it chips at my control one second at a time.
I walk around to the left side of my bed that’s closest to her, and not the side I usually sleep on. My eyes flick over to hers.
As expected, Alina’s gaze is locked on me, my chest and abs in particular. She quickly looks away, but she’s already been caught.
“Enjoying the view?”
“Gavriil,” she warns me.
I almost laugh. Watching her lose her composure is dangerously satisfying.
It’s cute when she’s flustered. It’s so easy for me to make her blush and I haven’t even properly touched her yet.
I walk closer to the cage, inspecting her as she shifts uncomfortably on the mattress. Her head shifts a few times as she rearranges her hands beneath it, failing to adequately replicate a pillow.
“You could sleep in my bed with me,” I say, testing the line between invitation and command as I wrap my hand around one of the bars. “It’s much more comfortable.”
Alina shakes her head, but I don’t miss the way that she hesitates for a second before doing so. “I’m just fine in here.”
Stubborn. I should let her suffer the consequences, but the thought doesn’t sit right. And I’m not going to be able to sleep if I keep hearing her toss and turn.
I grab one of the pillows from the head of my bed and slip it through the bars, holding it out to her. “Take it.”
A look of surprise fills her face. “What’s the catch?”
“I get a good night’s sleep because you’re not moving around so much.”
Alina doesn’t look satisfied with my answer, but she gets up and walks over to grab the pillow anyway. She clutches it to her chest like it’s something precious, and the sight lands harder than it should. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply, lingering just on the other side of the bars from her. “The bed invitation is still there, though.”
“I’m sure it is, but it comes with too many strings,” Alina says, our eyes meeting. “What was today all about? The outfit. The meeting.”
“Would you rather sit in here in your lingerie?” I ask her.
I enjoy seeing the skimpy outfit on her, but she looks more comfortable in this dress. More confident.
Which is even sexier.
