Page 34 of Exquisite Temptation

My brother cocks his head, fixing his eyes on me. "If you don’t want to stay with us, you can crash at Christopher’s. He’s got more than enough space for both of you." His firm, final tone of voice tells me I’ve no choice but to accept. God, I don’t trust myself not to let my guard down if I’m around him every day.

My heart speeds up, beating like a deer on the run.Tell him. Now is your chance to confess.I shift my head in Allie’s direction, exchanging a knowing look.

She presses her lips, giving me a single nod and clearing her throat. "Erm, I’ll go pack."

"Great." He checks his watch. "I need to stop at the office to pick up a few things, then we can grab breakfast."

"Sounds like a plan." She gives him a dazzling smile before strolling off.

I plonk myself on the seat, fidgeting with my necklace. Judging by the look on his face, he knows something is up. "I need to tell you something, but please promise me you won’t say anything to Christopher."

He raises his left eyebrow a fraction, his expression stilling and growing serious. "Sure, I promise. What’s going on?"No point in going in circles, just come out with it.

"Me and Christopher are ‘friends with benefits.’ We negotiated a six-month strict contract." I release a drawn-out breath.

What I want to say to my brother but can’t is that I’m hopelessly in love with Christopher and every single day, I fight the urge to unburden myself and confess my true feelings. And while I’m falling deeper and deeper in love with him, he’s been sticking to the rules, almost rigidly. The dreaded fear of rejection stops me from telling him, so I hang in there, in the ‘friends with benefits’ zone, hoping one of these days he will tell me he is madly in love with me, too.

"He is a stickler for rules. I’ll give him that. How long have you been seeing each other?" He keeps his feature deceptively composed, but the muscles ticking along his jawline betray his frustration.

A throbbing pain shoots through my head as my mind takes a ride on the ‘impending doom’ merry-go-round. What if my confession ruins their friendship? What if this changes my relationship with my brother? Now I need to tell Christopher. Oh, crap! Ground open up and swallow me.

"Two months." I lower my gaze to hide the shame burning inside me.You are such a hypocrite,my annoying self retorts. "I’m so sorry for not telling you sooner. You have every right to feel upset. I’m mad at my parents for hiding the truth from me, yet here I’m doing the same." I bite my lower lip to contain the emotions brewing inside me, but rogue tears roll down my face.

"Hey, hey. It’s okay. Just because we are related, you don’t owe me any explanation." His heartfelt words break me inside.Look what you did now. You made him worry about you.

I drop my head in my hands, sobs lashing my chest. He lays his hand on my shoulder, offering a silent support. God damn it. When did I turn into a cry baby? When the sobs subside, I dry my face with my sweatshirt.

"Thank you. You are the best brother in the world. I was so worried I’d disappoint you or, worse, you would stop talking to me."

"Don’t be silly. If I’m honest, I’m disappointed with Christopher. But he must have a reason he’s not told me yet." He goes quiet for a moment, lost in thought, before he continues. "What I don’t want is for him to break your heart if this doesn’t work out. He's been wallowing in his grief for far too long and it’s time for him to let someone in." A gentle smile creases the corners of his mouth.

"I hope he does," my voice comes out as a weak and tremulous whisper. Allie shuffles back with a large suitcase in her hand, saving me from breaking down again.

"I’m ready whenever you are," she announces, biting her lower lip. Allie is a worrywart by nature, unduly dwelling on other people’s troubles.

"Give me a minute to talk to Christopher, pet." Rising to his feet, he strolls inside.

I fill Allie in on the conversation I had with my brother and she reassures me it was the right decision. He stalks towards us, gazing at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"All sorted. Just call him when you are on your way."

"Thank you for everything." My ribs collapse in a turbulent exhale as all tension leaves my body. After we briefly hug each other, they leave and I scurry to my room to pack.

Chapter 22

Micaela

Theslow,seductivemelodyof Ficci’s "Breathe You In"sends pleasurable chills along the length of my spine. I stand in the middle of the playroom waiting for Christopher’s orders.

"Strip and kneel by the bed, pet." His dulcet, sexy voice melts my insides like an ice cream on a hot summer day.

"Yes, Sir."How about a seductive striptease? He didn’t tell you to undress fast, my bratty submissive chuckles. Perfect.

Leaning against the bedpost, he cocks his head to the side and folds his arms across his

bare, muscular chest as if he knows I am about to give me a show. I anchor my gaze onto his and run my hands over my body, swaying my hips in smooth circles in sync with the rhythm of the song. Parting my lips, I toss him a playful smirk and slide my skirt down my legs. I bend over to the ground and giving him a bird's-eye view of my ass. Darting my eyes away for a few seconds, I flick them back to him and slip the straps off my top, pulling it over my head. He watches me intently, his dark eyes drinking me in and stoking a fire between my thighs. I lean over and roll off my stocking, letting it float to the ground. After repeating it on the other side, I unhook my bra and slide the straps off my shoulders before slipping my panties off. Christopher unfolds his arms and straightens, giving me a silent signal I need to end the show before his patience runs out.

Lowering my gaze, I drop to my knees. I kneel back on my heels, head up, keeping my back straight and hands on my thighs. Peeking through my eyelashes, I watch him lay blindfold, chain leash, nipple clamps, rope, and riding crop on his custom-made king-size bed. Moving closer, he stands in front of me. I stick my tongue out and lick my lips in a slow motion as my eyes drink in his bare, tattooed, and ripped torso. A cocky smile tags at the corner of his lips.Smug asshole. He knows he is my catnip. My nipples pebble and abdomen clenches with need at the sight of his well-defined Adonis belt disappearing below the waistband of his black lounge pants.

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