Page 41

Did he just ask...what she thought he asked?
"I don't like loose ends, and I've realized that even if I were to get rid of your other lover—-"
Summerine's headache was making it hard for her to think.Should she just tell him the truth? And maybe confront him with his own infidelity while at it?
"That won't stop you from cheating again."
"But I reallydidn't—-"
"Ah, yes, I apologize. I stand corrected. You simply fell for another man—-"
Summerine mentally threw her hands up in surrender.
"But we can't have that happen again, can we? And the only way to prevent it is for me to be the love of your life—-"
Summerine just had tochokeat how easily such words rolled off his tongue.
"Permanently, of course."
"C-Can't you see how crazy that sounds?"
Dark eyes narrowed at her. "Is it that hard to imagine yourself in love with me? Or are you saying that because the other man means that much to you?"
"N-No—-"
"No, he doesn't mean that much to you...which means hedoesexist?"
"I—-" Summerine couldn't believe how he had effortlessly twisted her words into an admission. "It's n-not—-"
"You don't need to explain. And even if you don't think I can make you fall in love with me—-"
You really can't,Summerine thought helplessly,since I'm already in love with you!
"It will happen."
She stared at him uneasily. "T-That sounds like a threat—-"
"Because it is."
A shiver rocked her body at the sudden hardness of his tone. Gone was the perfect gentleman she had been living with for the past several weeks, and in its place might be the real Ryu.
A.K.A...themob boss.
"Your body's already mine to command, Summerine."
The silky reminder had her struggling with a conflicting mix of fear, confusion, and foolish excitement.
"It's only a matter of time before your heart follows."
Yes...I mean...absolutely not!
Horrified at how quickly he had been able to turn her head around with his seductive words, Summerine opened her mouth to tell him very clearly that she was her own person—-but ended up swallowing food as Ryu took advantage of her parted lips when he fed her a spoonful of...wow.
His lips curved in a smirk. "Good, right?"
She wished she could say no, but when she saw him scoop another spoonful of the most delicious bowl of porridge she had ever tasted, her lips had already parted open—-aaah, why was this so, so good?
"It's Japanese porridge," Ryu murmured in amusement. "We call itokayo."