Page 21 of Knightfall
“More. She wants us to hate each other more. She never wants us to have a moment’s peace.”
The amusement faded from Declan’s face. “I think we’ve already got the hatred figured out.”
“Sard you. Just give me your shirt for a towel.”
“What?” he balked.
I took a step closer and put my hand on his arm. “Give me your shirt.”
Heat flashed in his eyes for a moment. And then it was gone.
“No,” his words made me second guess what I’d seen.
But my instincts screamed that I was right. My mind flashed back to the look Declan had when Ryan gave him an order in the hall. There’d been tension there. Sexual tension? I decided to test it. “Declan McCarthy, you give me that shirt right now, or so help me—”
“You’ll what?” his whisper was breathy. Yeah. Some part of him liked it when I bossed him around.
I narrowed my eyes. “Are you willing to find out?”
“Yes.”
“Stand still and face that wall,” I growled.
To my surprise, he did.
I stalked around him as if I were going to his bed to grab a sheet. But as soon as I was behind his back I grabbed my long hair and pulled it forward over my shoulder. I leaned toward him, putting my hair as close to his back as I could without touching. Then I twisted. A waterfall erupted from my hair and drenched Declan’s backside.
“Ah!” he jumped.
I didn’t give him a chance to retaliate. Bastard wouldn’t give a lady his clothes? Well, then his clothes would get ruined.
I tackled Declan to the ground and sat on his back. Then I rubbed my sopping body over him like a cat. I pressed my chest to his back and ran it up and down. I ran my legs over his pants. When he reached his arms back to grab me, I balked.
“Don’t you dare touch. Put your hands here.” I tossed his hands straight out on either side of him and scooted up to straddle his torso. I leaned into his back and pressed his palms to the floor. “Stay.”
Declan complied, out of shock or arousal, or maybe both. I got my front side dry, but my back was still drenched from my hair.
I decided to press the point.
“Turn over, Declan.” I sat back on my knees so he could.
When he did, his face was flush. His eyes were dilated. His breathing was rapid and shallow. “Now, you can give me your shirt, or you can—”
“Sard you,” he breathed.
“I didn’t offer that as an option.”
He didn’t laugh. Neither did I. I stared down at his ice blue eyes. I noticed the tiny frown line between his brows that he got from reading his ledgers and muttering at them day after day. My fingers went to smooth it down of their own accord before I caught myself.
I’m teaching him a lesson, I had to remind myself. Feeling the heat of his body underneath me made it hard to remember that.
Declan’s eyes roamed my body and I decided to see just how far I could push him.
I grabbed Declan’s right hand. I turned his palm so it faced away from me, so he couldn’t cop a feel. Then I dragged his arm down my back slowly. I rubbed his forearm everywhere. I grabbed his left arm and did the same for my legs, dragging his arm up my calves and over my thighs, along the ridge of my ass.
And as parts of my body grew drier, other parts grew wetter, particularly when I felt his bulge pressing against the crack of my ass. I hadn’t had a man’s hands on me, caressing me, in so long. Declan didn’t speak, but he was panting by the time I was done.
I leaned forward as if I was going to kiss him. But I simply patted his cheek with a wicked grin. I stood, looming over him, letting him see my most intimate part. “Fine. Forget the shirt. I’ll air dry the rest. But I warned you.” I stepped back.
