Page 49 of Devil In A Suit

Her reaction is telling—her posture stiffens, and I can tell that my earlier suspicion about her feelings toward him was correct. She clearly desires him, and now she’s faced with the reality that his attention has been captured by someone she considers a two-bit slut.

I meet his eyes again and it’s like the world stops spinning. Everything and everybody just falls away. There is only him and me. His gaze is intense, unwavering, and I feel it on me like a physical touch. I want to hold his gaze, to show that I’m not intimidated by the sheer intensity of the emotions swirling inside me, but after a few moments, it becomes too much. I break eye contact, looking away quickly as though I’ve been burned. How does this man have such a strange ability to makeme feel completely out of control? Almost as if my body reacts without my permission.

Suddenly desperate to do something with my hands, I grab my cup of green tea, though it must be cold by now, only to realize it’s empty. Needing to escape I stand.

“I’ll be in the conservatory if you need me,” I mutter and almost run up the winding stairs.

Chapter Thirty-One

IVAN

I’ve done something I’ve never done—breaking my work ethic for the most frivolous reason. Even Greta, who is usually composed, looks visibly shocked because she knows there is no emergency.

“Are you done here?” I ask.

She recovers quickly, like the professional she is, but boy is she’s flustered—more flustered than I’ve ever seen her.

“I, uh... I was waiting for her to sign the contract.”

“I’m here now. I’ll get it signed.”

“Okay, I’ll head back to the office then,” she says stiffly and starts walking towards the door.

I pick up the contract from the table, grab a bottle of water from the serving tray, and head out to the conservatory to join Lara.

I find her sitting on the edge of one of the chairs. She looks nervous and edgy. An image flashes into my mind of bending her over the table and fucking her until I get every ounce of frustration out of my system. I sit across from her and place the contract on the table between us.

“Greta says you haven’t signed.”

“Greta,” she repeats, nodding. “That’s her name, huh? She didn’t bother introducing herself.”

“She’s busy.”

A flash of irritation comes into her eyes and her voice is sarcastic. “Of course, she is. Everyone is. Which makes me wonder why you came back. Why did you come back, Ivan?”

“To fuck you, of course.”

Her eyes widen in shock. “What?”

I stand, growing impatient. “Sign the papers, Lara. I have to get back to work in thirty minutes.”

She frowns, then snatches the document up and stands. As she reads through it she paces around the room. I relax and take in Muriel’s extraordinary garden. It’s been so meticulously maintained and is now bursting with so many plants, flowers, and fruit. I have never been in here ever since I bought the apartment, and now, for the first time, I realize the effort she has put into this space. It's transformed from a glass room with an indoor garden into an enchanted mini forest. And now the forest has a delectable sprite walking through it.

“I have one more stipulation,” she says.

I don’t stand because if I do, she’ll see how hard I am. The only thing I can think about is the feel of her skin under my hand as I grab her hips and fuck her senseless. My desire for her feels almost crazed, maybe even unnaturally possessive. Yet she’s taking her time as always, torturing me. I curse under my breath.

“I... I hesitated to bring this up because I imagine it carries some negative connotations, but that’s not the case. I just really need the extra clause to protect myself.”

“And what is it?” I ask quietly, not turning around.

“Um... I need it explicitly stated that I’m allowed to leave before the thirty days if you lose interest.”

I frown. “Haven’t we already discussed this? Isn’t this one of the first things I mentioned? You’re free to leave as soon as I lose interest. Why would I want it any other way?”

She stares at me, and then something clicks in my head and I realize what she is up to. I smile nastily. “Were you perhaps planning on finding a way to make me lose interest so you can leave earlier?”

She shifts uncomfortably, confirming my suspicion. I truly can’t believe her audacity, but at the same time, I’m not surprised.

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