Page 26 of Satin Empire

“It means cutesy nickname intended to make me feel small or weak.”

He sighs and shuffles closer. I have to stifle a little shriek, terrified he’s about to reach out across the invisible line separating us, but he’s only getting comfortable.

“I can’t talk to you and I can’t call you baby? What’s the point of having you in my bed?”

“That’s something you should really think about.” I roll over again, showing him my back. “Goodnight, Carlo.”

He’s silent, and I start to think he’s actually going to follow my rules, at least until he breaks them both. “You know this is awkward for me too, don’t you, baby?”

I grimace but perk up at his words. “Awkward for you… how?”

“I’m used to sleeping alone.” He stretches and every time he moves, it’s like the whole mattress shakes. He’s too damn big for this bed even though I’m pretty sure it’s a California King, about as enormous as a mattress gets. “Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had plenty of women in here before you.”

Heat flushes my cheeks and a spark of anger lights in my belly. “Thanks, asshole. I didn’t need the details.”

Another laugh and this one makes it sound like he’s staring deep into my soul. “Are you jealous, baby?”

“Let’s just go to sleep. I don’t feel like doing this with you.” I don’t want to talk about this, especially since I’m pretty sure I am jealous, and I definitely don’t like that. Carlo can bang as many random chicks as he wants—that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I may be his wife, but neither of us chose it.

But he’s not interested in following my orders, apparently. “I’m trying to say you’re distracting. Even one glimpse of those long legs of yours and those hard fucking nipples has me absolutely riled up over here.”

“Go jerk off in the bathroom and leave me out of your fantasies.”

“You are my fantasy.”

I wriggle my hips, biting down on my lip to stifle a moan. Oh my god, my core clenches, and all I want to do is straddle this beefy man and ride him straight into the pits of hell, except that would basically shred all the self-respect I have left.

“Rule three. No more talking dirty.”

“Why not? You always react like I’ve stroked your pussy with my tongue. It’s really satisfying.”

Oh, fucking hell. I squeeze my eyes shut and pin my hands between my knees. If he doesn’t stop, I’m going to start dry-humping a fucking pillow just to keep myself from losing my mind.

“What are you trying to do right now?” I whisper at him, so frustrated I could scream.

“Let me ease the tension. We’re lying here pretending like we aren’t attracted to each other. Why not get it over with? I’ll happily suck your clit until you scream and come, and when you’re done, I’ll stroke your hair while you fall asleep.”

Please, God, if there’s any mercy left in this world, let this man lose the ability to speak, because I am getting full on horny-brain, which means I’m about to lose control.

“We aren’t real, okay? Just stop it and go to sleep.”

“That’s the problem, baby, because we are real. That marriage was the real deal, and maybe we won’t be forever, if we’re lucky, but we’re right now. We’re the foreseeable future.”

I grunt because he finally managed to say something that made me lose my raging lady-boner. “Wow, I’m convenient for you, that’s super-hot. Aren’t I too young, or does that only matter when I’m not a piece of ass lying in your bed?”

He grunts in response and I can tell that annoyed him, but he can go to hell. If he’s trying to say that he’s horny and wants to fuck me and I happen to be within arm’s reach, no thanks. He can bang his hand for all I care.

Except the thought of him stroking his cock, that veiny, gorgeous, muscular forearm of his pumping up and down nice and slow as he makes animalistic grunts of pleasure gets me nice and wet all over again.

I am a total mess.

“That isn’t what I mean,” he says but I’m already shaking my head.

“Forget it, okay? Let’s abide by rules one through three and just go to sleep.”

I can tell he doesn’t like that but this first night is already bad enough, I really don’t need him making it any worse.

But once the silence falls for a while and I’m dropping off to sleep, my mind going loopy and slow and drifting toward the invisible line between awake and unconscious, I swear I hear him whisper, “You’re the least convenient person I’ve ever met, and I still fucking want you, baby.”

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