Page 17 of His Innocent Unwrapped In Iceland

‘Like I told you.’ He calmly took another pin out and then another. ‘When I see an opportunity to acquire something I want, I take it.’

‘So I’m an acquisition?’ Freed from its pins her hair was starting to slip out of the carefully constructed wedding up-do. ‘Like a company you target?’

‘Yes.’ Carefully he lifted both hands and threaded his fingers through her hair, combing through it so her curls tumbled to her shoulders and down her back. A quiver ran through her. ‘I take companies and examine them. Then I dismantle them and figure out what’s working and what isn’t, what’s broken and what’s not. What parts to keep and what to get rid of. That’s why I told David I wanted to marry you. I’m hoping that once I dismantle my fascination with you, I’ll finally be able get rid of it.’

Her breath had gone and all she was aware of was the pull of his fingers in her hair and how much she liked it. How much she liked being a fascination to him too, especially after years of being only a source of disappointment.

‘Seems extreme.’ She made no move away from him even though she knew she should. ‘To pay off my fiancé and do a deal with my father to buy a whole company in exchange for me.’

His mouth curved. ‘I’m not a man known for moderation when it comes to business. All or nothing, Snow White.’ His fingers curled into her hair, holding her in a gentle grip. It was possessive that grip, and she found it unspeakably erotic. ‘I don’t regret paying off your fiancé—he accepted my money without protest which only goes to prove he wasn’t good enough for you. And since buying Kendricks’ was the only way I could get you, I had to buy it. I’m not a man who likes to lose.’

Her heart was beating way too fast. ‘It was leverage too, wasn’t it? To get me to do what you wanted.’

‘Yes. But...perhaps, I regret the threat to Kendricks’.’

She stared up into his amber eyes, part of her angry with him for his sheer arrogance, part of her fascinated. She hadn’t known, had barely even dreamt that anyone, let alone a man as powerful as Orion North, would want her so badly he’d do all of that just to have her. ‘Do you really regret it?’

His faint smile deepened. ‘No.’

She wasn’t sure why she liked the combination of that rueful smile and the heat in his eyes. It softened his hard, handsome features, making him seem more approachable, not to mention even more devastatingly attractive. It made her want to smile too, which was odd given he’d threatened her into marriage for nothing more than some strange fascination with her.

She shouldn’t smile at him. She shouldn’t find his hands in her hair so breathtakingly erotic either, yet she did.

No one had ever found her fascinating. She’d been chosen twice and both times the people who’d chosen her had regretted their choices, first that family, and then David. Orion wasn’t disappointed though, not given the way he was looking at her. As if she was the most important discovery he’d ever made.

Give him time.

No, she wasn’t going to think about that. There was only this moment and the expression in his eyes and she could enjoy that, couldn’t she?

‘Well?’ he murmured. ‘Have you considered my wedding night offer? I should very much like to see you in that nightgown. Seems a waste not to wear it.’

She shouldn’t. She barely knew him and she certainly didn’t like him, and the thought of sleeping with him filled her with a certain trepidation. Then again, this electricity between them wasn’t going away anytime soon and she needed it to, especially when it was affecting what she did in the boardroom. Perhaps spending the night with him would be enough to get rid of it.

It’s not just about the electricity. You want him.

She couldn’t deny it. She’d never met another man who made her feel the way he did. And she was tired of feeling like a massive disappointment. Tired of trying to fulfil the potential her father saw in her. Tired of trying to be something she suspected she wasn’t.

Why couldn’t she have something for herself for a change? That was allowed, wasn’t it? Just one night. He wanted her and it was thrilling to be wanted. It was thrilling to be able to put that look in his eyes, to fascinate such a powerful, ruthless man.

She’d been starting to think lately that she wasn’t good at anything she did, but if she could fascinate Orion North, then maybe she wasn’t as bad as she’d thought.

She wasn’t just going to give in, though. He’d liked it when she’d taken that kiss from him in the plane; she knew he had. He’d liked that she’d surprised him. She wanted to keep doing that.

‘Let me go,’ she said quietly, making her decision.

He didn’t say anything as he released his hold on her hair, but she could see the flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

Good. Let him be disappointed.

Without a word, she went to the bag where she’d put the nightgown and retrieved it. Then she moved over to the bed and laid the nightgown down on it again. ‘You’ll need to help me with my zip,’ she said and turned around, presenting her back to him.

There was a moment of silence.

He moved so silently she didn’t hear him and she only knew he was near when she felt warmth behind her, the dark spice of his scent wrapping around her, and then the tug of his fingers on her zip.

‘Are you going to tease me?’ His voice was full of heat and gravel. ‘Because if so, I should warn you, I like to tease back.’ As if to demonstrate, he drew down the zip of her gown with aching slowness, making her very aware of every inch of skin that was revealed as the material parted.

She didn’t know what to say in response to that, because her voice had vanished. She felt hot, awareness of him prickling over her, humming and crackling like static.

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