Page 204 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

‘You should send another proof-of-life picture,’ he said huskily. ‘You look...’

Beautiful. Like an utterly irresistible living jewel.

‘What?’ She eyed him warily.

‘Cute,’ he completely understated, reaching for some defence against his weakness. ‘Didn’t expect you’d be so cuddly.’

She stiffened. ‘Apologies if I overstepped.’

‘No, you were sweet. I slept well.’

Her expression pinched. ‘So glad.’

He laughed. ‘And you didn’t?’ He tossed the papers beside her and thrust his hands back in his pockets. He could practice self-restraint. Sure he could.

‘What’s this?’ she looked sniffy.

‘Your wedding present.’

She scanned the first page. ‘You’ve bought the building? Not just the business?’ She nudged the offending document with a single finger until it fell from the bed to the floor. ‘This is more than we agreed,’ she said coldly.

His adrenaline surged. She wanted to reject it. She wasn’t just reactive or responsive, but volatile as hell. He liked it—liked that she let him know the second she was unhappy about something. That at moments like this, she held nothing back.

‘Spectacular as it was, this isn’t a bonus for last night.’ He couldn’t resist stepping closer. ‘Consider it payment for your vow of obedience yesterday.’

‘What?’ She sat bolt upright, clutching the sheet to her beautiful body. ‘I never vowed obedience.’

‘Didn’t you understand the Spanish?’ he inquired innocently. ‘I think it had a slightly different meaning.’

‘Rubbish.’

‘It is so easy to aggravate you.’ He laughed again. ‘Now you own the building you can really go to town. Put in that flood room and you can drown the most annoying customers.’

‘Don’t put ideas in my head.’

‘You already have ideas. Sadly, there isn’t the time to enact them right now. That is why I’m keeping my distance. Your temptress wiles will not work on me this morning.’

Who was he kidding. He was going to act on them.

‘Wiles?’ She held the sheet to her neck and awkwardly swivelled to get out of bed, dragging the linen with her across the room. ‘I’m not doing anything. You’re the one with the apparent need toflex.’

Yeah, he had no idea why he’d thought he should get dressed earlier. Dumbest idea ever. And if she still wanted him to take the lead, he’d do so. Happily. He trod on the edge of the sheet. She stopped seven paces from the bed. Tugged. He didn’t relent—rather, he took two handfuls of the thing and pulled it right off her. Delighted when she was suddenly naked before him.

She glared even as colour tinged her from top to toe. Only then she flicked her hair and turned her back. Possessive fire destroyed his soul.

‘Don’t turn away from me.’ He was on her in two paces and spun her to face him. Embarrassingly, his words were a strangled plea. ‘Look at me,’ he muttered breathlessly. ‘Right at me.’

‘Why?’

Because she couldn’t hide her response to him when she faced him and he needed that desperately. Because he didn’t want her to shut him out. He needed to see the heat and longing she couldn’t suppress. Forhim.

‘So you can’t pretend to yourself that it isn’t me who does this to you,’ he growled. ‘That it’smeyou want more of.’

Yeah, he got off on that in a way he wasn’t sure was altogether healthy. More than a desire, it was a desperate need. He growled, pushing out that disturbing thought. He’d reduce her to that writhing beauty again—squirming and sighing at his touch—where the only word she could utter was his name. That was all he needed.

‘Egotist.’ But she faced him and her body flushed with desire.

He stripped off his tee, observing with keen pleasure the colour flame across her face. ‘Yeah, but you can’t deny it.’

---