Page 19 of Dirty Deceptions

“But it still hurt to walk in there today and see you sitting behind that desk.” And she thought of the other fun tidbit. “Also, I’m going to be known as the woman doing the boss. That’s just…humiliating.”

He cursed, surprising her, then dragged her onto his lap. “No one would dare speak of you that way. I would never allow that type of gossip, Lauren.”

Her heart sped up at his vehemence. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and hug him senseless. She kept her hands in her lap instead. “You can’t stop that sort of thing, Alex. Not even you can control that.”

“I can. I will.” His hand went to her hair and he grabbed a handful. “You mean more to me than that.”

“Do I?”

He glared at her, his eyes turning cold. When he reached forward and took something shiny and metallic from a cup holder, Lauren grew curious. She couldn’t tell what it was, but when he brought it to her wrist, Lauren stiffened. “What are you doing?”

Within seconds Alex had both her wrists cuffed. “Making sure you don’t go anywhere.”

“T-That’s not…you can’t just…”

His expression changed as he stared at the metal around her wrists. “I’ve never handcuffed a woman before. I could get used to having you at my mercy, baby.”

She jangled the cuffs, but it was useless. They were secure. “Let me go,” she growled.

“Is that really what you want?” She was about to shoot him down, but his next words stopped her. “Because I think you like when I take control. You like giving that big, beautiful brain of yours a break.”

“That’s not true,” she hedged.Or was it?

He reached for the blanket and tugged, then let it fall to the floor. His gaze raked her from head to toe, leaving a scorched path behind. “You are delectable and I will not give you up.”

“Even if it’s what I want?”

“Is it?” He tilted his head to the side as he skimmed the backs of his fingers down her shoulder, then over to her breasts. Her nipples reacted at the barely-there touch. “Can you honestly tell me that you’re ready to walk away from me? From us?”

She closed her eyes tight, willing her body to cool it. He would pounce if he knew how eager she was for his touch lower. So much lower. “I don’t know. You haven’t given me time to think.”

His palm covered her left breast and he murmured, “Forgiveness comes from the heart. As does my apology. I should’ve told you who I was. I’m sorry, Lauren.”

Tears burned her eyes. “I keep thinking, ‘what if there are other things he’s keeping from me’? Trust, Alex,” she explained. “It’s very important to me.”

His hands closed around her face and he forced her to look at him. “I swear there isn’t. There are no skeletons. What you see is what you get. You can believe that if you believe nothing else.”

“A billionaire boss handcuffing me in the back of his limo,” she replied, her lips twitching as the amusement of the situation registered.

He didn’t laugh though. “I did say I would do whatever necessary to keep you.”

She quirked a brow at him and decided to tease him a bit. He deserved it considering. “So now I’m a sex slave?”

His hand journeyed south to the V between her legs. “Don’t tempt me,” he warned. “Keeping you all to myself is very appealing.” He licked his lips as he stared at her parted thighs. “I adore the little hearts, baby.”

Oh, crap. She was totally caving.

Chapter Six

He watched her walk around his townhouse. All she wore was the tank top and panties and Alex wanted to eat her up. Her round bottom beckoned him to stroke and play. Her long, shapely legs were sexy as hell.

Lauren caressed the back of his black, Italian leather couch with a single fingertip. She still wore the handcuffs. To his surprise, she hadn’t insisted he remove them. She went to the fireplace mantle and picked up a photo of his parents. It was back when they were still married. During their happier days.

“She’s pretty. You have her eyes, I think,” she replied as she replaced the picture.

Every move she made drove him higher. Some guys watched football games as a hobby. Alexander would be content to watch Lauren. The way she moved was beauty and grace. Her spunky attitude was sexy. But the vulnerability that she’d let slip during their argument was addictive. Made him want to protect her from the big bad world.

Instinct told him Lauren had shared a part of herself with him that she’d never shown another living soul. His lie had split her open and left her raw. Alexander would show her that she could be or feel anything she wanted and he would always be there to see her through it. If he could, he’d take away all her fears and doubts and replace them with love and warmth. He’d encase her in a cocoon so protective she’d never doubt him again.

---