Maybe it was the way she stood up for herself, or how she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, but something about it had me wishing I could touch her.

That longing became overwhelming at once as desire dripped into my system.

She was my wife. Even if our new marriage was built on nothing at all, that thought alone was enough to stoke that want inside my chest.

Gemma took several deep, angry breaths as she looked at me. “You took me from that club, hell-bent on destroying my life. You brought me here against my will, forced me to marry you this morning, and then dragged me to meet your family as if everything was normal. You’re making me sound like the crazy one. And to top it all off, you nearly ruined the one thing I had going for me!”

I grit my teeth at that and allowed my tone to drop somewhat as I shook my head, trying to combat that yearning within me. “But I didn’t. I didn’t take your internship away—you can still go.”

“The fact that you have to give me permission to go to work is not helping your case,” Gemma uttered, taking a step closer as she jabbed a finger against my chest. “But I suppose you want a gold star for being so generous, right?”

At the end of my rope with her, I latched a hand around her wrist and stopped her from poking me. While not rough enough to cause any pain, I kept my grip secure, catching her by surprise as I slowly closed the space between us.

Instinctively, Gemma backed up as she swallowed hard, eyes locked on mine until she bumped into the kitchen island with nowhere else to go. Startled, she didn’t say anything.

Looking down at her, I continued to narrow the space between us. Releasing her wrist, I caged her to the counter with my hands pressed against the surface on either side of her.

From there, I couldn’t miss the subtle shiver that moved through her, blinking through a stupor at me.

With the near-suffocating proximity as I lowered my face closer to hers, all that fire seemed to snuff out at once, and as much as I was sure she wanted to look away, she never did. Those green eyes were wide with shock and a hint of interest, despite how she tried to hide it.

“Is it such a crime to wish my wife would speak to me?” I asked her, voice low and betraying the lust as it filled my system. “Don’t forget, Gemma. You were the one who walked into that club and asked for me.”

With the slightest hint of teasing in my voice, I watched as Gemma’s chest rose and fell, resembling a near-panicked animal again. As much as I enjoyed her fire, something was endearing about that helplessness in her eyes. How she couldn’t pull away or find the right words.

Even if we had major hurdles to clear before we could ever have a genuine connection, there was something in me that hoped for more. That hoped my plan wasn’t all for nothing.

Towering over her with my mouth inches from hers, a rush of excitement ran down my back from the way she looked at me.

She could hate me all she wanted and try to resist me, but I knew it was futile. I watched how her eyes tattled on her as they flickered from my gaze down to my lips in a quick, frantic sweep.

It was enough to make the corner of my mouth turn up.

Slowly, as if to not startle her, I brought a hand up as I leaned above her, and ever-so-gently stroked her cheek with the back of my finger, letting it just barely glide down to her jaw.

Gemma’s breath hitched, and I knew I had her right where I wanted her.

Unable to take it anymore, I closed the space between us and captured her lips with mine, hand falling to her waist.

Something in me was half afraid she might try to wriggle away, or even slap me for crossing a line.

But to my surprise, as if she had been waiting for it all along, Gemma eased into the embrace and placed a hand against my chest.

Instinctively, I reached down to squeeze the voluptuous curves of her hips, already addicted to how plush and soft she felt beneath me. So much of her to touch and hold—to worship as I longed to.

At the faint moan that escaped her lips, I smirked into the kiss.

It seemed I had been right about my fiery little wife after all.

Chapter 9 - Gemma

I wanted to hate him.

I needed to hate him. More than anything.

But the brush of his lips against mine was electrifying. It sent a shiver through me and sparked every sensation within my system at once. It was almost like he triggered a fuse, and I just couldn’t help myself from getting caught up in it.

I should’ve despised Ben for everything. I did, yet that resistance just couldn’t hold up against the way his mouth melded with mine, pulling me closer by the hip.