Page 188 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

‘As if you’ve never seduced someone into doing something you want?’ He laughed.

Right. Elodiehadnever seduced anyone. She’d flirted—but only so far—then she was very good at escaping. And she didn’t get seduced. She didn’t lose herself in desire and heat. Never had. But shewantedto know. Shewantedto be normal. This was her secret reason to say yes. But it had to stay a secret.

The physical relationship between them was to be a separate issue. She had an opportunity to discover something for herself. And right now it was the only thing she could think about.

‘You know how this game works,’ he murmured. ‘The stakes aren’t even that high. Neither of us is going to get hurt.’

Right. What was another failed marriage to her name? Maybe hardly anyone needed to even know about it. Surely it would be brief. Just long enough to secure a safe future for her sister and ensure he had the assets he wanted.

‘You’re too smart to turn down a deal that benefits you and those you care about so greatly. You’re a realist, Elodie. You know what you want and you know you can get it all from me.’

Affair. Benefits. No complication. No messy misunderstandings. No expectations that couldn’t be met. She’d sworn not to get hurt by a man again. And she wouldn’t, because this was simply an arrangement. There was nothing deeper—no emotional connection. No guilt. But he could give her something she’d never had.

He watched her hesitation with raised brows. ‘It’s not like you consider wedding vows to really mean anything, right?’

That hurt but at the same time helped narrow her focus. He wanted her but didn’t think much of her. She could hate him a little for that. Which was good. It would protect her from his immense magnetism.

‘It doesn’t bother me that you broke them before,’ he added. ‘They mean little to me either.’

She didn’t believe him. Hejudged.

‘So this is to be an open marriage?’ she questioned even as the idea repelled her.

‘Oh,no.’

His immediate guttural denial made her skin prickle and he captured her in a hard embrace.

‘My affairs are always monogamous.’ He lifted her chin so she couldn’t avoid his eyes. ‘I won’t cheat on you.’

The strangest sensation of trust washed over her—belief in him—a fragile thing that scared her into pushing back. Because she couldn’t drown in it. She’d believed someone once before when he’d made promises.

‘I don’t care if you do,’ she lied, purely to keep him distanced.

‘To be clear,’ he said harshly, ‘you won’t cheat on me either.’ He ran his hand firmly down her back, moulding her against his rock-hard frame. ‘You won’t have the time or the energy to even consider it. I intend to keep you utterly exhausted.’

His heat and strength seeped into her. This was a threat she knew he’d honour. And just like that he got her. Her overwhelming physical response was unlike anything in her life.

‘Wow,’ she breathed to mask her trembling. ‘Big promises.’

‘Big enough to satisfy you.’ His smile was more a baring of teeth. ‘Say yes already.’

This was what she wanted. Him roused. Her on fire. To the point where thinking was impossible. There was only feeling. It compelled her to soften and lean right against him.

‘Elodie?’ He jerked her closer into an intimate embrace.

His hand lifted, gazing her breast. His erection dug into her lower belly. Her nipples pebbled hard against his hand. But her physical acceptance was not enough.

‘Fine.’

Not the word he wanted but the meaning was the same. He grunted and smashed his mouth on hers. She moaned, bowing into him so he scooped her closer still.

The kisses destroyed her. She clawed him closer as the animal inside overtook her again so swiftly. He was sohotand she wanted him everywhere. Heknewbecause he moved almost as fast as she needed him to—unbuttoning her blouse to press kisses down her neck while hungrily grinding his hips against hers in that shamelessly sensual dance. Hell, they were almost consummating the deal while still fully clothed and it wassoarousing. Elodie moaned.

Ramon wedged his hand between them, sliding it beneath her waistband until he got his fingers right between her legs and she moaned into his mouth again.

‘Three steps ahead again, Elodie?’ he growled.

‘So?’ She gasped in stunned pleasure at his repeated—deeper—incursion. ‘Are you going to catch up?’

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