Page 182 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

His mouth thinned. ‘Which is why—when the time is right—you’ll give me hell and walk out. You’ll destroy me like you no doubt destroyed that other guy.’

She masked her flinch. ‘As ifyouwould ever allow yourself to be destroyed.’

‘You see?’ The crocodile smile returned. ‘It’s perfect. Because you do not care about marriage. You do not care about me. Neither of us will mistake this for anything more than a temporary deal to resolve family drama.’ He leaned close. ‘You’re as bulletproof as I am.’

He was so wrong. But she couldn’t ever admit that to him.

‘As appealing as you’ve made it sound,’ she said with a bored expression, ‘there’s not enough in it forme.’

‘No?’ His gaze sharpened. ‘Then tell me, Elodie Wallace, what is it that I can do for you?’

She fought to keep her brain together and not let the new sensual ache in her body derail her completely. ‘Are you really trying to offer me anything I want in return for my hand in marriage?’ She shook her head and went full bluff. ‘Sorry, but I alreadyhaveeverything I want.’

‘No,’ he scoffed. ‘There’s something you need. There’s always something.’

‘You’re saying anyone can be bought?’ she asked.

He was so cynical.

‘You know it.’ He suddenly leaned close, his blue eyes glinting and jaw angular as he sucked in a sharp breath. ‘Why not take everything that you can get from this?’

‘“This”?’

‘Don’t pretend to be so naive,’ he muttered harshly. ‘Don’t avoid the obvious.’

She couldn’t believe the fire now in his gaze and couldn’t stand the energy coursing through her. She had to move. She pushed back from the table at the exact moment he did. He moved with such rapid force the chair toppled behind him but he didn’t care—he grabbed her hand instead.

People shook hands in all kinds of settings so the smallest of strokes of his thumb on her wrist shouldn’t have had the effect on her that it did. But it was such a gentle caress. One he repeated—almost as if he were unconscious of the action. Except he was as aware of it as she.Hyperaware. Heat flooded her face and the answering splash of colour on his upper cheekbones melted her.

‘Thisis the obvious?’ Her voice was high and thin because she was breathless and yearning and hotter than she’d ever felt in her life.

‘Has been from the moment you stormed my house.’ He kept those mesmerising blue eyes on her. ‘The fact is you want me as much as I want you.’

He crowded closer but she craved closer still. With a hitch of her breath, with an unconscious sway towards him she admitted it.Invited. His other hand landed on the small of her back—beneath her blazer. Her breasts tightened against her bodice. She gazed up at him, her lips parting as he lowered his head to hers. One kiss. Just one. Just to see.

He caught her mouth with his and in seconds it was the most sexually explicit kiss she’d ever experienced. His tongue teased then plundered, full of intent and carnal temptation. With a moan she sank against him, and his hold tightened. She gasped as his lips trailed lower, teasing the sensitive skin of her neck. Her knees weakened at the caress—such was the cliché she’d become. But in an instant she was his plaything. Somehow her blazer slipped from her shoulders to the floor. She swayed, so supple for him, so eager for his touch, and he lowered her back against the table. Their empty plates were at one end but now she was the dish on offer. And he feasted. His body was like rock and the intensity ofhisarousal turned her on even more. She was breathless with awareness of it—achedfor it. She wanted him. Completely.

In moments they were hurtling towards a foregone conclusion. She would sleep with him. She would doanythingwith him. Frankly, he’d seduced her before even touching her and now that he had, she’d gone up in flames. Eviscerated. Inevitable. He tugged her bodice down. She sucked in a shocked breath because he was strong and bold. Her breasts were exposed to his gaze, touch, tongue, and he took quick advantage in that order.

‘You are stunning, my flame-haired vixen,’ he groaned huskily. ‘You know how to make an impression and I so appreciate it.’

‘It wasn’t for you,’ she moaned.

‘I know,’ he laughed exultantly. ‘But I’m not my cousin. I’m not a weak man. I know what I want and I’m not afraid to reach for it.’

He wantedherand he made no effort to hide it. No effort to restrain his intense kisses, caressing her with mouth and hands and closeness—rousing her to an equally wild hunger.

This boiled down tosex. From the moment she’d set eyes on him the awareness had kicked in. It had been a swift, unstoppable reaction she’d never experienced before and incited a shocking greed that she couldn’t control. She wrapped her leg around his hips so she could feel his hardness right where she was aching and wet. Even through the layers of clothes, the feel of him against her was shudderingly good. He moved against her again and again in the most delicious erotic tease and suddenly she was about to lose control. She was about to—

‘Oh, no,’ she muttered to herself, a shocked gasping whisper.‘No!’

‘But you’re so close,’ he muttered hotly. ‘Let me finish you—’ He broke off on a growl and stepped back.

Elodie almost wept as a wave of frustration smacked into the empty space he’d left. She’d be shaking in bliss if she’d just bit her lip! For a split second longer she remained leaning back on the dining table, staring up at him. The fire in his eyes, the flush on his cheeks, the satyr-like smile on his lips...he gazed down at her so hungrily and she was stunned at how sexyshefelt. She’d been more turned on in the last minutes than she’d ever been in her life—a breath from an orgasm she’d never experienced with another.

And it had taken him mere moments. A chill ran through her body, dousing the flame of desire. That had been too intense. Too quick. She scrambled to cover up. She’d never been as close to losing complete control of herself.

‘Games, Elodie?’ he growled softly. ‘Of course you like to play them. But you really don’t need to feign shyness.’

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