Page 56 of Lust and Honor

“No, I didn’t dress up for him. But even if I did, it’s none of your business. Last time I checked, you said I could be with whoever I wanted.”

A smirk pulls at his mouth.

“So that’s what today was? Hunting season? Because that outfit definitely suggests it.”

I let out an irritated breath.

“I wasn’t hunting. There was no reason to scare poor Marcel like that.”

“I didn’t scare him. He scared himself.”

“He got scared because you were staring at him like a hungry bear.”

His eyes sweep over me again before he plants one hand against the closet door behind me and leans down until my back hits the closet door.

He brushes the back of his fingers over my cheek.

There’s nothing gentle about the touch.

Everything about him feels like a threat.

I jerk my head away. “Cut the crap.”

This time, he grabs my chin firmly, forcing me to look into his eyes.

“He got scared because he realized touching you means touching something Maxim already had his hands on.”

His index finger slides over my lips.

“Here.”

He releases my chin and trails his hand lower, tracing a slow circle over my breast through the fabric of my dress while my breathing turns uneven.

“Here…”

His hand moves lower.

“And—”

Before he can touch me between my legs through the dress, I grab his wrist.

Like it always does, my body reacts instantly to his touch, but I refuse to humiliate myself by showing it.

I hide the reaction behind anger. “Stop this bullshit.”

But he doesn’t stop.

His nose trails slowly along my cheek as he murmurs,

“He knew he should smell you the same way I did.”

Without meaning to, I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with his masculine scent.

The same scent burned into my memory three years ago.

His lips brush near my ear.

“And hear the same moans of pleasure I pulled out of you.”