He looked confident now.
Amused.
Slightly angry.
And very, very, predatory, like he was going to snap any minute and whoever was unlucky enough to be on the other side of said snapping timing-wise would cease to exist.
And what the hell was taking him so long in the shower? Not that mattered. We weren’t having sex and this was all to get him to infiltrate the family.
That was it.
The bathroom light clicked off.
I sailed hard backwards onto the soft bed like a corpse bride and waited while he walked over to his side. So, he was going to sleep with me.
I opened one eye.
He was shirtless and wearing nothing but black boxer briefs.
They were tight on his ass.
Damn, the man had a nice ass, it wasn’t flat.
He must like squats.
I didn’t realize I was staring until he leaned back. I quickly closed the one eye and waited for him to say something. Instead, he turned and faced me. I could feel his minty breath on my face. “I know you’re awake.”
I pressed my lips into a firm line. “It’s hard to sleep when your new husband takes a longer shower than a pubescent teen.”
“Oh sorry, I was masturbating,” he said quickly.
Both of my eyes flew open.
He grinned down at me. “I’m kidding, but your blush is very telling. Did you imagine it just now? Me holding myself in my hand? Did you imagine I was pining for you, thinking of you, wishing it were you?” He leaned in. “Dying just a little bit inside because you only gave me an appetizer and I wanted a fucking meal?”
My heart slammed against my chest. I may not like him but I wasn’t a virgin saint, and he was hot, and right in front of me and legally married to me.
Louis grinned and grazed the front of my white lace bra with one finger. My nipple immediately hardened under the barest of his touch. “Mmmmm… see, you can say all you want withyour mouth but your body still wants attention. Is that what’s wrong with you then? You’ve always wanted the wrong sort of attention and were given it but never really seen? Are you one of those women who scream into the void to let you have your independence then cry in the silence for someone to stand by your side?”
“Stop talking.”
“So, it’s that… you just can’t trust anyone to take care of this.” He grazed my breast again. “Along with this.” He tapped the middle of my chest with his finger. “Then again, I highly doubt you’d lower yourself enough to ask. I highly doubt you’d even think there was a man capable out there, a man who could give you both.”
I snorted out a laugh and batted his hand away. “And you’re that man?”
“In another life.” He flipped onto his back. “I would have been everything to you.”
“And now?”
“Now, I’ll drink your poison and allow myself to be used—but nothing, and I do mean nothing, is free in this world, Tempest.”
“I gave you my name.”
“And one day, I’ll ask for more,” he snapped. “Be ready when I do, and know that tears just make me angry, they won’t work, so even if it’s your dear dad I hold at gunpoint, I’ll expect your total allegiance.”
He turned away from me.
Leaving me to wonder why he would say that.