Page 36 of Crazy In Love (Secrets of Suburbi 3)

"Not until you put your clothes back on."

"Baby, you're lucky I'm still wearing my pants."

I swallowed hard. Snuggle Muffins, do something! I glanced over at him and he was still sleeping. Damn it. "Fine. If you want to freeze your ass off, so be it."

Noah ran his fingers through his hair in that way I loved. And then he reached out, grabbed a piece of bacon, and bit into it.

"That's not for you!" I rushed over and quickly tied his hands behind the chair as he swallowed down my torture device.

"It's on my table," he said.

"This isn't your table."

"You always give me everything you put on this table. We've shared silverware. Glasses. The bacon is mine. Can I have another piece? I'm starving." He licked his bottom lip.

And I almost said "yes." Because I was a schmuck. "No." He wasn't supposed to eat it. He was supposed to smell it. All day long he was supposed to just smell it. And get so hungry that he'd tell me the truth. Or at least beg me for it. I'd get at least a little satisfaction out of him begging.

I ate another piece of it as I stared at his abs. Stop staring at his abs! I took another bite. Stop stress eating! I threw the half-eaten piece of bacon back down on the plate.

"Snuggle Muffins, we're leaving." I snapped my fingers.

"Aren't you going to scoop my shit?" There was a smirk on his face.

He was trying to play this off. Like he wasn't just embarrassed a minute ago when he was crouching over the box leaving a dump in some litter. I'd seen his face. I knew the truth.

"Nope," I said. "I'll scoop it later so you have time to think about what you've done."

I walked over to the boxes along the wall and found the one labeled "Christmas Decorations." It was about time I decorated for the stupid neighborhood lighting contest. And a few decorations would probably help me look innocent. Like I was the perfect housewife who would never kidnap her own husband.

"You're going to leave me down here with no clothes, a pile of shit, and bacon I can't reach?"

"Well when you put it like that..." I let my voice trail off. "Yes." I tried to hide the smile from my face.

I realized I wasn't going to be able to carry both Snuggle Muffins and the box, so I lifted the little dude and tossed him into the box. He yelped.

"Oh, you're fine. I'm giving you a lift." I didn't even bother closing the lid. Snuggle Muffins had given me no indication that he’d be able to jump out of a box.

He sighed from somewhere beneath the tangled Christmas lights.

"You can't just leave me like this," Noah said.

"Of course I can. And if you're a good boy and you’re quiet all day long, I might feed you tonight."

"Wait...how long are you going to leave me like this?"

I pulled his gag back in place. "As long as I want." I patted his cheek, my hand hesitating a beat too long on his chiseled jawline.

He tried to say something, but his words were muffled.

"Shhh." I put my finger against his lips.

He kept trying to talk.

This wasn't going to work. I needed him to behave. I needed him to be so freaking quiet all day. I couldn't risk him screaming while Detective Torres was sitting in my kitchen. "Be a good boy and tonight I'll give you whatever you want."

He lowered his eyebrows.

And for some reason I found myself leaning closer. He smelled liked diaper wipes and yet still so much like himself. That alluring scent I couldn't get out of my head. The one that kept me up at night staring at the ceiling. "I promise, Noah," I whispered into his ear. The scruff along his jaw tickled my cheek. "I just need you to be quiet today. Not a peep. And then I'll give you anything you want. Anything." I bit down on his earlobe. Why am I biting him?

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