Page 38 of Room One Hundred and Twenty

I should listen to this small little voice in the back of my head demanding I make a run for it. Run and never look back.

Instead, my feet remain concreted against the carpet. I’m a freaking statue under his gaze. Not because I’m afraid of him but afraid of the effect he has over me.

Swiping his finger against the cupcake, buttercream coats his fingertip. Some of the chocolate shavings have fallen toward the floor, but neither of us takes a moment to notice the mess. Instead, our eyes are locked in place.

“I would like you to try this frosting,Eloise.” With a challenging tone, he uses my name against me. There’s something about the tone of his voice that makes my knees feel like they’re going weak.

“Why?” I rasp as my heart picks up in speed. Now this was not something I was expecting. Eyeing the cream on his finger, I swallow thickly. Up close, I can see the small hairs on his knuckles. There’s a small curl to the digit, silently beckoning me to take a step toward him.

My mouth waters shamefully as my eyes burn from forgetting to blink.

“I heard a rumor and I wanted to see if there’s any truth to it.” He doesn’t move, his eyes trained on my mouth. “Call me curious.”

Fucking Nicolas. I’m going to kill him. How much did he reveal, and why to Rhett out of all people? If this man knows, I can bet Jake does as well.

Rhett is patient and stubborn. He’s also challenging me with the lift of his brow.

“I think you’ve simply fooled them.” He puts one less inch between us. “Iwon’t be fooled as easily.” He’s suddenly so close, his presence suffocating. “Prove me wrong, Eloise.” He purrs my name, taunting me with it. “Or, are you scared?”

Iamscared. Scared of all this attention I’m getting and what damage it does to me.

“What if I don’t want to?” I ask, my voice soft. “What then?”

What if I keep denying these sensations?

“Then I’ll have my answer.”

His answer towhat?

Blinking, I try to accept that this is happening. Entertaining his request is not going to be a good idea. There’s only one direction this will head.

I shouldn’t. Not with this man. Jake and Nicolas are already plaguing my mind. I don’t know if I have any room left for Rhett.

“Well?” Looking like he’s in no race to step back and claim this is only a part of the test, I see the frown on his lips. Up close, I can see the shift of his eyes. Gone is the cool tone of the blue, replaced with burning heat. Underneath his scowl, there’s a hunger lying beneath. One that’s been left alone for far too long.

Just like that, I realize I am the biggest problem here.

I can’t tell myself no. Even when something is bad for me, I consume it nonetheless.

“Do you get off on people doing what they’re told?” Grabbing his hand, I keep hold of his challenging gaze. Bringing his finger close to my mouth, I watch the way his pupils dilate. With my pulse shooting up to my throat, I don’t just lick the frosting off of his fingertip.

I suck the large digit into my mouth.

Jaw flexing, he twitches against my tongue. Chest rumbling, he takes another step closer. Making sure not to leave any space between our bodies, he doesn’t know the definition of personal space. Guiding my body with his own toward the edge of his desk, he pulls his finger out of my mouth with apopand grazes my wet lips.

“Someone finding arousal in tasting desserts is a bit outrageous, don’t you think?” He hums softly, his chest vibrating. “You have no room to question what gets me off, Miss Tanner.”

My skin feels hot beneath my clothes. Wearing too many layers here, I fight the urge to claw at my outfit.

“Nicolas has a big mouth.” Licking the leftover glaze on my lips, I work on steadying my breath. “But he isn’t a liar. It’s the truth.”

No one wants to admit their weaknesses, especially to someone who considers themselves so powerful.

At the start of a smirk forming on his lips, I’m left in awe. Even if I’m merely amusing him, it feels rewarding to knowI’mthe one who can lift this man’s frown at times.

With a gasp, he plants me on the edge of his desk. Right between a cup of pens and a bottle of hand sanitizer.

“Five more of these left. It would be a shame to waste them.” Crowding himself between my knees, his hands press against the desk at my sides with athump. “What do you think we should do with them?”

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