Page 54 of His Wild Attraction

She always tasted so good. Like the lemon drop candies she kept in her purse.

“Hi,” she replied, and I was struck again by the fact that something was wrong.

It was like a sixth sense where she was concerned. No. I wasn’t psychic. I wasn’t crazy enough to think that was even possible.

But I knew Ellie. I’d studied her.

Okay, maybe stalked was a better word, but I shrugged off the negativity associated with that.

I was crazy about the woman, so yeah, I knew her expressions.

Not all of them. But enough that I sensed she was upset about something.

I furrowed my brows and followed her as she turned her back on me and retreated to the kitchen.

Fuck.

The smells were even better in there.

Hints of garlic, basil, red wine, and tomatoes danced in the air. The unmistakable scent of fresh baked bread, and fuck, was that chocolate?

Did she make dessert, too?

I groaned and licked my lips. I’d taken to working out during my lunch hour just to keep fit. But it was worth it for a chance to have Ellie’s cookies in my mouth.

Goddamn.

That thought sent my mind straight to the gutter.

“So when were you going to tell me Adrik and Marat are your cousins?” she asked, shoulders stiff as she stirred something inside a pot.

“Huh?” I asked, thoroughly distracted by the tiny bow hovering right above her ass.

Like her ass was a present just for me. The little string dangling from the bow was practically begging me to tug it. To unwrap my wife like a fucking gift.

But I didn’t.

I wouldn’t.

I never touched my wife unless she moved first.

It was the only concession I made to her sensibilities.

I didn’t know the details of her former marriage, but I knew her ex was already living on borrowed time.

Gary Peters was a walking dead man for the things he did. I just needed time before I could make that happen.

Right now there was too much attention on him to make his death not look like the cold-blooded fucking murder it would be.

I didn’t need that kind of heat.

But wait, what did she just say?

“Who told you that?” I asked, curious.

“I was at Sofia’s today. The wives talk.”

Ellie shrugged, her back towards me, and I took a step closer to her. I had to bridge the distance, even if just an inch at a time. I couldn’t help it.

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