Page 33 of Let Me Love You

“Tell me what’s so important you came barging in during my lunch and insulting my family.”

He crosses his arms over his chest, his glare straying to the door. “Later today, after you spoke with the marketing team, I wanted an update on the marketing plan. But now, you canceled.”

I stare at him, waiting for him to continue. “You came in here like a lunatic, and that’s all you wanted? Tell Martha to put you on the schedule for tomorrow.”

“If you keep abandoning your duties, the board won’t stand for it.” With that, he storms out of my office and into Martha’s space where Serenity and Summer wait.

I follow behind him to make sure he leaves my family alone. Summer shrinks back, and I immediately go to shield her. She hugs my leg like I’ve seen her do to her mother. I don’t deserve her trust with the abuse Mr. Lexington just doled out.

Chapter 14

Serenity

After running into that disgusting Mr. Lexington at Victor’s office, I avoided Victor for the remainder of the day, which wasn’t hard because he doesn’t come home until at least eight and I’m usually in his library, snuggled under a blanket, reading romance books that are suspiciously placed on his shelves. But I promised to make him a home-cooked meal, and I’m a woman of my word. I lift the lid off the pan and check out my work.

The shrimp scampi is drool worthy.

I check my watch, and it says it’s six-thirty. Summer goes to bed around seven-thirty, so I couldn’t make it any later. Maybe if I keep the lid on the skillet …

The front door opening and closing pulls my attention, and my heart hammers against my ribcage. Victor is never home this early. There’s a security gate so no one can get in. But what if someone figured out how to get through? I’ve seen plenty of movies where people scope out a place until they find all the weak spots and then strike.

I wipe my suddenly sweaty palms down my apron, grab a butcher’s knife and rush out of the kitchen. Summer is in the living room—farther from the front door—so if I get there first and it’s an intruder who followed me here from Granite Falls, I’ll be able to lure them away from her.

But I’ve paid them off. So, what do they want with me now?

It doesn’t matter. If something doesn’t add up, I have to stay on high alert. I creep down the hallway, my slippered feet silent as I pad across the wood floor. As I near the front door, I hide behind a wall, inhale once, and peek around the corner with a thudding heart. A familiar broad back faces me, and I heave out a breath.

Never did I think seeing Victor would calm my erratic pulse. “What are you doing home so early?” I ask, revealing myself.

Victor turns, and his eyebrows raise. “I thought I’d come in time for dinner since it was promised, and I’ve got to say it’s been on my mind.” He motions to me. “Care to explain why you’re holding a knife?”

“I … uh, funny story,” I say and try to flash him a friendly smile, but I’m absolutely certain it came out more deranged and he’ll flee any moment. “Well, you never come home this early, so I thought it might be an intruder.”

Victor loosens his tie and unbuttons his suit jacket, saying nothing. Seeing him in a more natural state and not completely put together … wow. He turns away to hang up his coat, and my eyes stray to his ass. It strains against his slacks. I swear it belongs in a museum with how perfectly shaped it is.

When he turns back to me, he prowls over. I gulp and take a few steps back until my back hits the wall with a soft thud. He places his hands on the wall around my head, caging me in like he caught his prey. My heart thumps, and my chest rises and falls rapidly as he leans down and whispers, “You know, I love how that sounded coming out of your mouth.”

I squeak and try to duck away, but he lowers his arms to stop me. And for some reason, I don’t try again.

“You like that I thought you were an intruder? Do you have those kinds of fantasies?” I ask, a little too breathlessly.

Shut up, Serenity. You don’t need to know his sexual fantasies.

He tips his head to the side, leans in, and whispers, “Do you spend a lot of time wondering what my fantasies are?”

“What? No, of course not.” I put my hands on his chest to shove him but freeze. He’s a wall of solid muscle. I move my hands down, and my fingers find the crevices of his six-pack through his button-down shirt.

“Are you done feeling me up?” His voice is husky. “Or do you have other plans that go against our verbal agreement?”

I jerk my hands off him, and my cheeks burn. Fuck. Shit. Any other swear word I can think of. How am I forgetting this isn’t real?

“Uh, I—” Well, damn. I always know what to say, but he’s the first person to stun me speechless. “I wasn’t.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t hold it against you.” He winks, and I swear, I’m not melting. “And I won’t tell anyone how much you enjoy my body.”

His words remind me of our invisible line. I place my hands on my hips as if to keep them under control, but the movement is awkward with my limited space. “You make that sound so dirty.”

“It can be if you let it,” his deep voice rumbles and wraps around me like a warm embrace. “You can touch every muscle on my body.”