Page 40 of Never Fake Date the Financier
Adrian turns around, smiling widely until his eyes land on me, and it drops as his eyes flare. He swallows as his gaze takes in the breadth of me. I think he likes my outfit.
“Ella,” he rasps. “I-uh-” he scratches the back of his neck and then finally recovers. “That was a little more complicated than I expected.”
I take a few steps inside the room, my nipples tightening under his gaze.
“Were you working on that the entire time I was in the bath?”
“Would it change your opinion of me if I said yes?”
I snort. “Not at all. I never expected a billionaire to be good with his hands.”
Now it’s his turn to move toward me. “Who says I’m not?”
A chill skates across my skin. I run my hand along my arms, trying to quiet the rippling goosebumps.
“You know,” I begin, glancing at the cot. “You don’t have to sleep on that cot.”
Oh god. Did I just say that?
He makes a throaty noise as he closes the gap between us. That dark intensity returns to his eyes as every part of my body feels like it’s engulfed in flames.
“That’s asking for trouble.” His voice is gruff. Deep. It’s so thick and heavy that I can feel it like a quilt wrapped around my body.
And I open my mouth again, speaking without a second thought. “What if I’m looking for a little trouble?”
He pauses. It’s so quiet I can hear both of us breathing.
“Are you saying you want to break your first rule?”
“I think it’s silly that a man as…” My gaze travels the length of him, trying my best to ignorethe length of himpressing against his sweats before continuing, “big as you should try to sleep on a cot as small as that. It’s a king-size bed. We’d have to use walkie-talkies if we wanted to talk to each other.”
I try to crack a joke to lighten the heaviness in the room, but it fails to land. Adrian’s still staring me down like a predator sizes up its prey. He has one singular focus, and he’s making it clear what it is.
“We wouldn’t be talking,” he rasps. “And we wouldn’t be breaking only the first rule. There wouldn’t be a single rule left unbroken by the end of the night if you allow me to sleep in that bed tonight. I’ve only had one taste of your lips, Ella. I’d ask for the whole thing.”
He swallows.
I swallow, but my mouth is bone dry.
He reaches for my face, cupping my cheek, and I grab his hand in response. It feels so good. Adrian feels so good. I want to keep pushing, but it seems like I might be in over my head.
“But after the wedding ends,” he rasps. “Our contractual obligations end.”
I try to respond, but my throat is sealed shut.
“No rules to break.”
…only bed frames?
He threads his fingers through my hair, dragging his fingertips along my scalp before letting my hair fall away with his hand. I’m not sure if he’s right or making things up, but honestly, I don’t care. Forget the contract.
“Goodnight, Ella.”
I blink, watching him as he heads for the cot.
And rather than argue, rather than listen to that little voice in my head, I wish him goodnight and head into the bedroom. I close the door, but not before I see him remove his shirt. Defined abs. Broad Chest. A v-taper that…phew.
There’s no way I’ll have a good night’s sleep now.
