Page 33 of Ice Cold Hearts

What?

“I was so angry and embarrassed that I didn’t think, I just shouted. I was feeling so defensive and vulnerable and humiliated, but I never, never should have taken it out on you. I try so hard to rein in my temper, and I just…” She shakes her head dismissively. “No. That’s no excuse.”

If someone had just scientifically proven to me that the moon was made of cheese, I wouldn’t be more shocked than I am right now.

She reaches her hands toward me. I wasn’t expecting it, so I automatically recoil.

Her face crumples, and I feel like a monster.

“Ian.” Emily swallows hard. “If you don’t want to see me anymore because of it, I’d understand.”

“Oh, Emily.” I reach out and clasp her hands. “That’s not it at all. I just wasn’t expecting you to touch me or to apologize. I thought you were trying to let me down gently because of how awful I was to you outside the club. I say the wrong thing more often than the right one, I’m afraid.”

She squeezes my hands. “Neither of us was really at our best, huh?”

“Definitely not.” I smile. “I am sorry for raising my voice.”

“Me too.” Emily blinks, and a few tears fall on our joined hands.

I free one of my hands and wipe away a few tears, but that was apparently the wrong thing to do because she starts crying harder.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” I say dropping my hands into my lap. “I was trying to make it better, not worse.”

I’m not sure if the sound she makes is a laugh, a hiccup, or a sob, but I’m utterly charmed by it.

“I don’t think there’s a sweeter man alive than you, Ian,” Emily says, cupping my face in her delicate hands. “I promise I’m going to try my hardest to do better next time.”

“I do like the sound of that,” I admit.

“My apology?” She smiles incredulously.

“No.” I smile shyly. “The next time part.”

Emily closes the minimal distance between our lips and kisses me softly. My hands drift to her waist, and she hums contentedly. I pull her closer as she parts her lips for me. She tastes like liquor and lust. I know then that I could kiss her every minute of the day and it would still never be enough to diminish my desire for her. My hands drift up to the tie of her dress.

Alexei clears his throat, stopping us from continuing. Emily tries to pull away, but a cushion’s distance is too far away so I shift her onto my lap.

“If you’re going to undress her the first chance you get, why send me for clothes?” he says dryly.

“Don’t pout just because you didn’t get to do it first,” Emily teases.

“Are you looking to be put over my knee tonight?” he threatens.

“You promise?” she challenges.

Alexei sighs, running his hands through his hair. “If I didn’t want to know what happened at the club, you’d already be over my knee and Ian would be getting an exceptional view of your gorgeous round ass.”

My dick is now uncomfortably hard. I can tell Emily’s aware because she grinds her hips into me. I grip her waist hard.

Alexei walks over and tips her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.

I can’t resist nipping the side of her neck and leaving my mark there. She moans, and I can see Alexei fighting to control himself.

“That’s enough, Kitten,” he commands. “Stop trying to get out of telling what happened. Spill it.”

She turns from him, curling into my chest, and an intense wave of protectiveness overcomes me. I rub gentle circles over her back.

“It’s just so embarrassing,” she mumbles into my chest.

---