Page 45

"Uh, okay."

"Don't tell me you're not excited about shopping?" He raises a perfectly groomed eyebrow at me, and my heart stutters. Fuck, why does he have to be so handsome? "Are you sore?" His expression changes to concern.

"I'm good," I assure him. "I'm just not a morning person." I'm not. I'm really, really not. My roommates in college always gave me a wide berth until I had my fill of coffee. That short thought brings a wave of sadness. I miss my friends. I wish I could talk to them. Elli has to be going out of her mind with worry for me. But calling her or any of them is out of the question. I would rather endure their wrath later than put them in danger now.

"Well, you look like a goddess, if that's any consolation."

He moves over quickly, ready to give me a kiss. Automatically, my hand shoots up. "Morning breath," I explain, shielding him from it with my hand.

He laughs, pushes my hand aside, and kisses me. "I knew you had to have a flaw."

The kiss turns hotter as he ravishes my mouth for a few minutes before shaking his head, "You're a tempting, hot mess."

He backs up and moves his hands as if warding me off. I can't stop the giggle that escapes me, and just like that, the new daring Scarlet comes back out as I remove the sheet to give him a glimpse of my naked body.

He takes me in. "Scarlet." His voice is a growl.

"Hmm," I entice, lying down and moving my right foot up and down my left leg, feeling sexy as all get out despite all those earlier thoughts about body odors. There is just something about the way he looks at me that makes me feel hot and desired.

"Shit, Scarlet," he moves forward and pulls me to him by my ankle, and yes, that move is so fucking hot, I'm already getting wet.

His hands find my hips as he turns me as if I weigh nothing. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

I look down and find handprint bruises on my hips. With that, the image of him grabbing my hips and moving me up and down his cock returns, and a moan escapes me. That was the best sex of my life.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

I meet his eyes. "You did. You marked me."

His green eyes turn darker and burn. The small growl which escapes him is so fucking hot, I can feel my pussy dripping.

"Fuck, Scarlet." He grabs my hair and kisses me again, deep and possessive.

I curl myself around him like a snake and enjoy how his nostrils flare and his breathing intensifies. Same with his heart rate. I like having this kind of power over him. He is the most dangerous man I've ever met, a man who kills without blinking an eye, and yes, there is something wrong with me that it turns me on. I'll freely admit it and own it.

His phone rings. With a curse, he breaks our kiss. His eyes are on me while he talks to whoever is on the other end in rapid-fire Italian. He speaks too fast and with an accent I haven't fully deciphered yet, so I can only make out a few words, but it's enough to realize that playtime is over.

A frisky voice inside me tries to entice me to undo his buttons, but the expression on his face is serious enough that I shut the voice down. Maybe once I get to know him better…

"You've got to go," I state when he finally hangs up, looking dark.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I'll be fine. I'll do some shopping."

He seems distracted as he fiddles with his tie, and I crook my finger to make him come over. I sit up and knot his tie until it's perfect.

"You're good at this."

"I used to always do it for my dad."

He kisses the top of my nose before rushing off to get his jacket. "The laptop is over there. It's safe and untraceable. Still, don't do anything stupid like check your emails or anything,capiche?"

I grin. "Capiche."

He's standing by the door, his hand on the knob, when my grin deepens. "Yes, sir."