A nervous excitement coiled in my belly. I’d never felt this way before—I had no clue what was going to happen next. I had zero ideas about the consequences of my boldness, just that there were definitely going to be some. A delicious shiver jolted my spine.Anticipation.My body felt alive, my animal instincts on alert. What had I done?
More importantly, what was Rhodes going to do to me?
The billionaire watched me. His eyes trailed over my gown. I felt both hot and cold under his stare. Brazen, but alsovulnerable. The moment stretched out.I never should’ve opened my mouth…
“Get on the bed,” he said, his voice thick.
I immediately obeyed, stepping backward and sinking down onto the mattress. I kept my gaze trained on him.
“Do you want something from me, Rory?”
“No.”Yes.
He stepped closer, watching my face. “I’m not sure I believe you.”
He stripped off his jacket, and I watched, mesmerized, as he loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves. His forearms were muscular, with thick veins running along them. He came closer again, standing above me, and I swallowed hard as I stared up at the handsome, chiseled man before me.
Heat spread through me. My heart hammered in my chest.
I’d really gone and done it, now.
“Ithink you do want something from me.” Rhodes sounded smug.
“I’m sure you’re wrong occasionally,” I quipped.
“Ha.” He seemed surprised to laugh. He raked his hands through his hair, making it stand up in thick, luscious waves. “I’m not wrong often. And I’m not wrong now.”
I arched an eyebrow. “We’ll see,” I replied, all false bravado.
“Oh, we will.” He started pacing in front of me, his muscles and immense power on display, a jaguar stalking its cage. “What am I going to do with you, huh?”
It seemed like he was talking to himself. Making plans. I shivered, wondering just what they might be.
He stopped stalking and turned to me. “I want to try something.”
I blinked at him. “W-What?”
“We’re at the ‘we’ll see’ part, Rory.” He chuckled darkly. “So where’s your nerve now?”
I couldn’t speak. I just watched him, entranced.
“Let’s test a theory,” Rhodes continued. “Like I said, I think you want something from me. So let’s see, shall we?”
The false bravado evaporated. I held my breath, waiting for whatever he’d do next.
Rhodes came to the edge of the bed and knelt down before me, looking up in my eyes. “You’re so beautiful.”
That took me by surprise. “Thank you.”
He reached out and stroked my cheek. “I said you wanted something from me… But I want something from you, too.”
My heart rate sped up. “You do?”
He nodded, gazing up at me. The moment stretched out as I stared into his dark eyes, fascinated, completely under his spell.
He leaned closer to me. His eyes were asking me a question.
My heart hammered inside my chest. The room was suddenly unbearably, excruciatingly hot. I realized something, something my body had known all along: I wanted Rhodes Barrington.
