Page 57 of Set In Stone

Her cheek warmed under my palm from the unexpectedcompliment.

“Cut that out,” she said as the delicate blush deepened. She playfully swatted myarm.

“Cut whatout?”

“That look in your eyes. It’s like you want to throw me down and devourme.”

“Maybe Ido.”

I removed my hand from her cheek and slid it between her thighs. Pressing my thumb against the material of her slacks, I exerted pressure in all the right places. She closed her eyes and leaned into me. Then, rather abruptly, she pulled away and sneezed. Not once, buttwice.

“Damn it!” she swore and she reached into her purse for a tissue. “Sorry. I’m not very sexy rightnow.”

I chuckled, amused by herirritation.

“I need you to feel better, Miss Cole. I left you alone last night so that you could get your rest.” I paused and flashed her a wicked smile. “But my cock won’t be patient for muchlonger.”

“Your sexual appetite is absolutely insatiable. Do you know that?” She shook her head at me, then stood to throw away her tissue. When she returned, she looked back at the blueprints. “So tell me about this eight car garage. Are you planning to buy enough cars to fillit?”

Her tone was somewhat mocking and I grinned at the sarcasm I’d come tolove.

“I already have enough to fill it,” I stated with a deliberate hint of arrogance. “Well, technically I have seven, one of which is yours, and abike.”

“How did I not know that you had eight vehicles?” she askedincredulously.

“You never asked. Two of them only get pulled out in the summer months. We haven’t been through a summer together yet, so I never thought to mention it. However, I did tell you that collecting expensive cars was a hobby ofmine.”

“You did,but…”

I could tell she was over thinking again. No surprisethere.

“What’s going on in that inquisitive brain ofyours?”

“I just feel like lately…I don’t know. There’s so much I don’t know about you. Well, not you personally, but about your world. Your business and your possessions.” She paused and shook her head. “I know it shouldn’t matter, but it kind of does. Am I makingsense?”

“You’re making perfect sense, but it doesn’t matter right at this moment. You’ll know about all of my holdings soonenough.”

“What do youmean?”

My newfound good mood instantly vanished. One minute we were planning our home, then the next I was feeling the sharp slap from reality. It was a reminder that we may never be free from it. I sighed, a heavy tiredness settling in my bones. I didn’t want to have this conversation today, but there was no use putting it off. She would know everything in a few daysanyway.

“Depending on what happens with this fucking news reporter, I might need to protect my assets. There are too many unknowns at the moment. As we speak, Stephen is drawing up papers to transfer everything over to you in the event that something happens tome.”

Krystina’s brow furrowed. If she was shocked at what I told her, she didn’t show it. Instead, she looked sad and confused. Her eyes searched mine as she placed a hand overmine.

“Everything will be okay,Alex.”

“We don’t knowthat.”

“Let’s not talk about what-if’s.Okay?”

“We need to,” I asserted. I pulled my hand from under hers and pushed the blueprints aside. “In fact, we should discuss some of it now while we have the time. There are things you need to know about myassets.”

She shook herhead.

“Alex, I will look forward to the day when I can learn all about it. I’m actually kind of excited by the idea. But I want to do something else rightnow.”

My eyebrows rose when she unexpectedly stood, grabbed her coat, and slung her purse over hershoulder.

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