Page 19 of The Billionaire's Wife

The dinner ends with another round of wine, and I down mine a bit faster than normal. By the time we’re all heading back to the yacht, I’m a tad bit wobbly on my heels. Although that might be from the fact that I never wear heels.

It’s late by the time we get back to the boat, so most of us head to bed. I’m exhausted anyway.

I immediately flip my heels off when I enter the room, sighing deeply and tossing my purse on the counter.

Alec sits down to untie his shoes in silence. The tension in the air is getting to me, but I try my hardest not to let it show.

“Did you have a nice dinner?” Alec asks without looking up.

I roll my eyes, but I know he doesn’t notice. “It was nice,” I say flatly.

He looks up. “Did you not like it?”

“I said I liked it.”

He frowns. “You’re not acting like you just had a nice dinner. You’re acting like …”

“Like you’ve been ignoring me all day?” I finish for him.

Realization washes over his face, and he slowly nods. “Oh. Okay. So that’s why you’re upset.”

“I’m not upset,” I shoot back, although I realize the futility in that action. Which only angers me more.

“You’re upset,” he insists, and it’s like I can feel the rage literally building up inside of me.

“I’m weirded out by the fact that you’ve been avoiding me all day. And then you sit there at dinner and basically paint me like some helpless little girl who you just take care of—like I don’t have a life of my own. I know none of this is real, but is that really what you’d want in a wife?”

Alec looks taken aback. His eyebrows furrow, and his mouth drops open slightly.

“Your brothers’ wives are accomplished, interesting people. And yours apparently just sits around at home all day being the ‘perfect, little housewife,’ like some type of pet.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Alec interjects, his voice hard.

“Well then why didn’t you let me answer, then? Because I could have told them I’m more than just arm candy.”

“I’m sure they don’t think that.”

“I don’t know what they think. I don’t know what anyone thinks. Olivia and Lilly have been nice to me, but I don’t know them. They probably think this entire situation is insane—which it is—and are just politely passing the time with me. I’m in the middle of the ocean, alone, with a bunch of strangers, and the only person I know even a little bit here has spent the whole day avoiding me.” My rant comes to an abrupt end, and I take in a deep breath of air, sighing angrily.

Holy shit, I’m actually upset. I’m actually hurt by this. I can feel a lump in my throat, but I shove it down. I blink, looking away.

Alec stands, taking a step toward me. “You think I didn’t let you speak at dinner because I think less of you?”

I force myself to meet his gaze, to stare defiantly back at him.

“I didn’t let you speak because you’re not obligated to share personal information about yourself to strangers I strongarmed you into meeting,” he answers. “And I’ve been giving you space today because I thought that’s what you would want after yesterday.”

“Because kissing me was so horrible,” I snap before I can stop myself.

His expression hardens, and he takes another step closer, his body now barely a foot from mine, towering over me. I refuse to step back, instead, staring right back at him.

“That kiss yesterday—was that the kiss of a man who wasn’t enjoying himself?” he asks slowly, pinning me to the spot with his gaze.

I swallow, remembering the way he’d pressed his lips against mine as if he’d wanted more but had refrained. “I don’t know,” I finally whisper.

“Yes you do, Ella,” he murmurs. “You know it, and I know it. You know that kiss yesterday wasn’t just for show. You know I was avoiding you today because all I wanted was to do it again. And you know that it’s taking everything inside of me right now not to push you back onto this bed and absolutely devour you.”

Adrenaline spikes through me, and I can feel a hot flush creeping across my skin. Alec’s eyes bore into mine, and I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. My heart is racing out of control, but the only thing I can think about is the idea of pressing my body against his and giving into every urge flitting through my head.

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