“Why?” I snagged her wrist. “Why does the idea of my help intimidate you?”
She stayed, giving me her back as she shook her head. Those wavy locks of dark brown swayed over her shoulders. “I won’t be seduced.”
Fuck.
I gritted my teeth, annoyed with myself how much it had to matter that she chose to want me. I couldn’t force it. She mattered too much. She was too high of a reward to manipulate.
“Look at it as my offer of gratitude.” I tugged on her arm, and she slowly faced me. “As a thank you for helping me when you didn’t have to.”
She frowned. “All I know is that if I become yourthing, your mistress, your woman, your lover, nothing willeverbe the same for me again.”
I scowled, picking apart the riddle of her words. “What?”
“No, Andre. I told you once, and I’ll repeat myself until I’m blue in the face. I won’t be seduced.”
And there it was.
She couldn’t lie to herself or me that she wanted me. Her repeated stubbornness not to be seduced could only mean that she didn’t trust me.
I released my fingers, watching her lower her arm. Her refusal to trust me, to give in to me, irked me. Although it wouldn’t help me at all, her defiance sparked my need to conquer her. Her resistance pushed me to sink deeper under the spell of obsession.
I wanted to own her. To have her until she screamed my name. To worship her until she was spent and fully vulnerable to me.
Not like this.
She was too strong, too proud, too determined. And I wouldn’t be the asshole to tamp down her fire.
Forcing her wasn’t the thrill.
Waiting for her to cave would be.
I stood, stepping into her space. She still hadn’t stormed off or left the balcony. Fiery to the end, even like this as she stared me down, she enticed me. I had to admire her for her tenacity to stand up for what she believed in.
“Nothing would ever be the same if you were to trust me and submit to me,” I said slowly.
She tipped her chin up higher, but I caught the tremble in her lower lip, the faint hint of tears clinging to her eyes.
I licked my lips and leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. “Maybe that’s the point of it all.”
Leaving her with those parting words, I put my hands in my pockets and left her on the balcony.
Nothing would be the same if we surrendered to this connection simmering between us.
That was a premonition I wouldn’t backtrack on.
I was convinced life would only bebetter, fuller, and more worth experiencing fully if she could submit to me. If she could swallow her pride or ignore her worries long enough to see that I’d keep her safe and satisfied in all ways.
In the vein of hoping that good things really did come to those who waited, I heaved out a long, deep sigh as I headed to my room, wondering when she’d finally take a chance on agreeing with me about that token of philosophy.
I’ll let you see how long you can deny us what we want, Sofia.
I’ll be waiting for you.
8
SOFIA
The following afternoon, I felt like a bomb ticking away and ready to explode. Over and over again, Andre’s parting words teased me and pricked at my mind.
