Page 49 of Red

She felt him leave her, his cum sliding from her body and smearing her thigh. Too exhausted, too exhilarated, too stuck in her own mind to care, she wrapped an arm around his stomach.

Melinda looked up at him to find his attention fully placed on her. Time had stood still from the moment he’d shoved her into the bedroom. But now it needed to move again. She needed to remind herself this was an arrangement. A marriage on paper. Nothing more.

She needed to protect herself.

He frowned. “What has you so worried, sweet girl?”

She closed her eyes and snuggled into his chest. He’d had her body, but he would never have her heart.

Chapter 17

Erik rinsed his razor. When he looked into the mirror, Melinda stood behind him, wearing only a towel. Steam from the attached shower room followed her.

“You’re not shaving off your beard, are you?” she asked with mild alarm.

“Would you disapprove if I did?” He poised the razor at his cheek where the shaving cream waited to be swiped away.

Her eyes darted away, and she tightened her hold on the towel.

“It’s your beard.” He could sense her confusion. She had a preference but wouldn’t share it. To share it might mean letting him get another inch closer to her, and after the night they’d shared, she was definitely on the run.

Most nights sleep fucked with him, making it difficult to find and almost never possible to hold on to for more than a few hours at a time. But last night he’d fallen asleep easily after she’d closed her eyes and drifted off. And, for the first time in as long as he could remember, he didn’t wake before dawn.

“So, I’ll just shave it all off, then.” He pulled his cheek taut and repositioned the razor.

“No. Wait!” She darted forward and plucked shaving tool from his hand.

“Did you take my razor from me?” he asked with mock irritation.

“You weren’t going to shave it off, were you?” she asked timidly, cheeks flaming.

Grinning down at her, he took the razor from her. “No.” He turned back to the mirror, still watching her expression. “Just trimming.” He finished swiping the last bit of unwanted hair away and put the razor in its case.

Melinda took a step toward the door, but he grasped her wrist, tugging her to him. “You sleep okay?” he asked, brushing a curl from her cheek. It was all piled high up on her head in the messiest bun he’d ever seen.

“Yeah.” She didn’t withdraw him, but he could see the war in her eyes. She wanted to stay, but reasonable, fearful Melinda wanted to run and hide.

No more hiding.

“Good.” He tugged at the end of the towel she had tucked in place, shoving her hand away when she tried to block him. “No more of that.”

She settled her gaze on his chest. He hadn’t dressed yet; other than his boxers, he was as naked as her. Cupping her chin, he drew her attention up to him.

The indecision still fought in her eyes. He didn’t like the turmoil. There shouldn’t be any.

“You make things more complicated than they have to be,” he said, running his thumb over her lower lip.

“How so?” She kept her hands at her side while he dropped the towel to the floor.

Taking a nipple between two fingers, he pinched it, dragging it toward him. Her pupils sprang free of the control she had on her body. Her automatic response his power, to the little bites of pain he gave her thickened his cock. She couldn’t hide her arousal from him, and he loved it.

“You think too much when it comes to us. There’s nothing to fight about. It’s done.” He released the pressure on her nipple and shoved his thumb into her mouth, hooking her cheek.

Her eyes flashed to his. She didn’t panic, but she was unsure.

“Let’s see if you shaved today, too. Do any trimming while you were in the shower?” He reached down between her legs and slid his fingers over her mons. A thin strip of hair, but otherwise clean shaven. “Ah, you did.” He laughed when the bright blush appeared on her cheeks.

“You can’t hide your reactions, and it’s fucking beautiful,” he said softly. He removed his thumb from her mouth.

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