Page 21 of Frosted Hearts

"You find something to watch?" Steel asks, entering the room. His words startle me and I jump slightly.

"Whose Netflix account should I use? I know there are a couple of good ones on there and some new ones I haven't seen yet. Figured we could watch one of those if that's okay?" I don't know why I asked him if it would be okay. God, Illeana could you sound any stupider? Ugh. Mentally I facepalm as I watch him looking at me.

"You can just sign in under Emma, she won't care," he answers, as he comes to a stop next to the couch. "Take a seat and get comfy then I'll give you the cocoa. I may have accidentally filled it a little too much."

Doing as he says. I curl up on the corner of the couch against the arm, my feet almost underneath me. With the TV remote in my right hand, I take the offered mug with my left and bring it to my nose. "Mmm, this smells delicious."

"Choose the movie, Princess," Steel states, as he settles back into the armchair I saw him in when I had come downstairs. It was as far away from me as possible.

Weird.

Focusing on the television, I managed to find the list of Christmas movies and begin scrolling through them all to decidewhich one we should watch. When I seeThe Merry GentlemanI know I found the perfect choice. This one is going to probably annoy him the whole time but it is a good one. He doesn't need to know I've seen it before.

"Really this one?" he sighs, shaking his head.

"Is there a problem?" I turn and glare at him. Just waiting for him to make a further comment.

"Nope, no problem," he shakes his head. "Press play."

I do exactly that, and let the silence settle between us, the only sound coming from the movie. Every so often I'll glance out of the corner of my eye to watch Steel and see his reactions. Several times I caught him huffing or just shaking his head but he never once made a comment about the movie. Not even when he saw it was going to be aMagic Mikestyle Christmas movie. Damn, I was kinda hoping he would make a comment, or just get up to leave. He was already hot and cold with his actions today as it was, and I was weary of why he wanted to watch a movie with me tonight.

"That was interesting," Steel states when the movie ends.

"Was it?" I question curiously. There's no way he actually enjoyed the movie, not one.

"Sure, we can go with that. it was definitely made for you females." He rises from his chair and comes to a stop in front of the end table where I had sat my empty cocoa mug about a quarter of the way into the movie.

"You're not wrong there," I chuckle, stretching my arms over my head before I move to stand and follow him into the kitchen where he begins to rinse our mugs out and then leaves them in the sink. Covering my mouth with the back of my hand, I let out a big yawn.

"Someone's sleepy," he states, looking at me from the other side of the kitchen island. "Can I ask you a question before bed?" It comes out of nowhere and I'm not sure why but I tell himto go ahead, curious as to what he is going to ask. "Whose the character on your pajamas? I've been trying to figure it out all night and can't place the creature."

"Oh, him?" I question, pointing at my shirt. "This is Stitch. You know from Lilo and Stitch."

"Ahh, I don't think I've seen that one actually," he shrugs. "That'd explain why I couldn't place him."

"The man who is practically a child hasn't seen Lilo and Stitch?" I gasp, faking shock. "We are going to need to change that."

"Did you just call me a child?" he questions in a demanding tone. I can't tell if he's serious or joking, so I stay quiet waiting to see what his next move will be. "I suppose you may not be wrong."

I yawn again, unable to help myself when I try to respond. "Sorry."

"It's okay. It's getting pretty late, we should probably head to bed. I'm just going to make sure everything is locked and double-check the security alarm. Why don't you head to bed," he suggests, walking around the kitchen island. "Goodnight, Illeana."

"Night, Steel," I mutter, turning away on my heel to go down the hallway and toward the room I was given. I am exhausted, even though I really shouldn't be this tired for not doing much today. Before turning into my room, I stop in the bathroom to use it and brush my teeth.

I'm only in there for about three or so minutes when I hear Steel walk past the bathroom door further down the hall to the room he told me he was claiming as his for our stay. "You can do this, Illeana," I mutter softly to my reflection in the mirror. "You just need to handle a week here with him. Then after that, it will hopefully be the last time that you see him and can go yourseparate ways." With that mini pep talk, I open the bathroom door to go to my room.

I don't make it more than four steps before I come to a stop. Steel left his bedroom door cracked open and it's giving me a perfect view of his reflection in the mirror. He's shirtless, and I can make out the V on his hips and the six-pack of abs that he is sporting.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity Fuck.

The man drives me absolutely insane and sends mixed signals constantly. The last thing I should be doing is checking him out. I need to stay away from him. Far far away from him. I need to put up walls.

Shaking myself from my stupor, I take the last couple of steps and enter my room, ensuring I shut the door behind me and I even turn the lock. I doubt he would come check on me but I'd rather not risk it. The locked door gives me a sense of control that I desperately need right now.

Crawling into bed, I turn the bedside lamp off and try to think of anything other than the man at the end of the hall. It doesn't work. My thoughts are consumed by him shirtless and making me wonder what else he looks like under all his clothes. Squeezing my thighs together, my body begins to react to my thoughts and the path they are taking.

This is a really bad idea, Illeana. I scold myself silently, at the same time I run my hand down my stomach and into the waistband of my pajama pants and then my panties. No one has to know I'm using a mental image of the man I hate to get me off before bed. I know if I don't, I'll never be able to sleep tonight.

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