Page 57 of Lovely Venom

He’s freshly showered, and his hair is still damp, but there’s an undone look to him I’m not used to seeing.

He’s usually polished to perfection, but this morning, his waistcoat is unbuttoned, and his tie is hanging loose around his neck. Whatever he’s doing on his phone seems to have interrupted him, and despite my resolve not to be affected, I can’t stop myself from looking.

No mortal man should be this hot. Particularly not one who seems to get under my skin so much.

When he glances up and our gazes meet, a familiar tension pulses between us. The urge to look away rises inside me, but it feels like if I do that, he’ll win.

Darkness melts through his eyes as they slide over me in lazy appraisal. He misses nothing. Not the increase in my pulse, or the way my breathing shallows, or the tightening of my nipples as his attention lingers there.

It isn’t often Cristian deigns to look at me this long, but when he does, it short-circuits my entire nervous system.

As a performer, I’m used to the male gaze. Men tend to like what they see on the surface, and they don’t care about the rest. But Cristian doesn’t just look at me. He has a unique talent for seeing what’s beyond the exterior and laying me bare in a way nobody else ever has. It’s exactly why his attention is so dangerous, and why I need to escape it.

“You said you needed to go over something?” I break the silence.

His lip twitches as he tosses me an infuriatingly smug look, clearly pleased that he won that round.

“Here are your new keys.”

He pulls them from his pocket and extends his hand, forcing me to go to him. It feels like another test, and it irks me even more.

But he’s not the only one who can play this game.

I haven’t forgotten the way he would tense if I ever got too close, or how the smallest accidental touch would annoy him. So when I take the keys, I make a point to brush my fingers against his, drawing out that interaction.

Something flickers behind his eyes, but otherwise he looks unfazed, which reads like a challenge to me.

Taking things up a notch, I press my body closer and slide my fingers over the length of his tie. Crossing one end over the other, I loop it beneath his neck and slowly tighten the knot.

“We can’t have any rumors about the state of our domestic bliss.” I smile up at him. “What would people think if I sent my unwanted husband off in such disarray?”

He watches me in silence, his gaze tracking my fingers while I work. I take my time perfecting his tie, then fasten the buttons on his waistcoat with more care than necessary. It’s supposed to be a game, but something about this little skit feels more significant than it should.

I’ve never done this for another man. The only reason I even know how to knot a tie is because I had to learn for some of the costumes at work.

Cristian’s face remains impassive, but the unnatural stillness in his body tells me he’s affected.

Satisfied with the accomplishment, I smooth out his waistcoat and relish the small victory. But for reasons I can’t really explain, I don’t stop there.

My hands slide down the flat planes of his abs, pinky barely grazing his belt before he grabs my wrists and imprisons them.

“What’s the matter?” I ask innocently, pleased to see irritation lurking in the depths of his eyes. “Rough night on the sofa? Maybe you should consider sleeping in your own bed.”

“Touch me like that again, and I’ll consider it an invitation to yours.”

“Is there anything else?” I mutter, wondering why he’s still holding my wrists hostage in his ridiculously oversized hands.

He releases me and nods at the keypad by the door. “We need to go over your security system.”

“Fine.” I cross my arms. “Tell me what I need to know.”

He directs me to the keypad and has me enter the code. As I do, he stands right behind me, the heat of his body penetrating my back.

I try to pay attention as he goes on to explain motion tracking, battery backup, and something about locks auto-engaging after a certain period of time. But every word he utters brushes the top of my hair, sending tiny shivers down my spine.

“Is there a problem?” he murmurs. “I thought you liked playing this game. You were having so much fun with it a minute ago.”

I turn around to glare at him, and quiet satisfaction sparks in his eyes.