Page 14 of Exposing Adonis

“You wouldn’t dare.” I wanted to sound tough. I wanted to say it like a warning. But my breathy voice sounded uncertain, and weak. “Not in front of everyone … ” he cocked a brow. “Not in front of my brother.”

He wouldn’t. Would he?

He pulled me into him, his hand snaking around my waist. He placed my offending hand on his heart, flattening his on top, careful not to touch the open wounds on the knuckles. I felt his heartbeat. His warmth. God, his hands were so warm, and rough. The beautiful, strong veins and muscles held me right to him.

“Let me be clear, darling,” his voice wasn’t even mean. It wasn’t growly. Somehow, that made it worse. It was more threatening. But my thighs clenched at the promise of what he could do to me. “I’d fuck you in front of the Pope if that’s what it took to show everyone you were mine.”

I gasped and tried to pull away, but his arm was like a fucking python that slowly tightened around me.

“A fact you seem to be in denial about,” he whispered, his breath hot against my cheek as he leaned down. “You have to trust me.”

“Why? When you don’t trust me.” There was that hurt again. That sense of betrayal. I bit my cheek to keep those feelings from bubbling to the surface. “If you had, you wouldn’t have done that to my brother.”

“Protocol, love,” he said, unphased, unapologetic. “I swear, I won’t doubt you again.”

“Don’t lie to me,” I scoffed. “That’s a promise you won’t keep.”

“I will,” he said, firmly, his hand pressing against my hips until his hardening cock pushed against my stomach. I tried not to gasp, but it was impossible. He smelled so good. It was so natural to be in his arms.

“And when you break your word,” I asked, meaning to come off snarky but instead coming out soft, weak. Aroused. “When you doubt me and shut me out. What will I get?”

One side of his mouth tilted up.

“What do you want?”

“Don’t answer a question with another question.” I countered.

He chuckled, his tongue darting out to taste my lower lip.

“I’ll give you all my worldly possessions,” he swore. I rolled my eyes.

He sounded so confident. But I knew better. I knew men. And I knew myself. He’d doubt me, discard me, and that would be the end of it. His cavalier attitude just reinforced that. No one this careless with his words could possibly understand the depth of that promise.

“You’re not taking this seriously,” I said under my breath, turning my head away from him. He cupped my cheek and turned my face right back until we were nose to nose.

“No, I’m not.” His hands came down to cup my ass, separating my thighs and putting them around his waist. “I’m distracted by the scent of your arousal.”

“Stop,” I said, weakly, putting my hands on his chest to keep some fucking distance between our faces. To keep myself from kissing him. From showing him my need.

He placed me on the map table, which put me at the perfect height to feel the erection pushing against the zipper of his pants. He looked down between us and groaned.

“Woman,” he said it like it was a curse. As though his hardening cock was my fault. “There’s no time for this.” He wasn’t talking to me. He was talking to himself. His large hands came to rest on either side of my neck, cupping my nape as he pulled me in to kiss my forehead. “Will you be here, waiting for me?”

A lump formed in my throat.After everything, he wanted me here waiting? Like a lover?

“I know you’ll wait for your brother,” he said against my skin, his hot breath sending warmth down my body. “But will you wait for me too?”

I tried to pull my head away, but his hands tightened.

“Don’t pull us apart, Lea.” My hands were still on his chest, but they weren’t pushing him away now. I was fighting not to fist his shirt in my hand and pull him towards me. “I like it when you run. I do. It turns me on. But not right now.” He brought his head down so we were forehead to forehead, his warm green eyes staring deep into mine. “I want you here. With me. Is that too much to ask?”

I stared at every line on his face. From the creases at the corners of his eyes, to the broadness of his jaw. I slid a hand up to his neck, to the pulse that beat rapidly beneath his skin.

He smelled so good. I couldn’t stand it. My mouth watered and I licked my lips.

I shook my head. “No,” I whispered. “It’s not too much to ask.”

I wanted to lie, but the words wouldn’t form on my lips.

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