Page 97 of His to Possess

His eyes widened slightly, and I pressed on before I lost my nerve. "But I need you to understand something too. I can't live a full life with the stringent rules of that contract. I won't be another piece in your collection, Rex. I need to be your partner."

I watched as his whole body tensed at my words. For a moment, I feared I had pushed too far, said too much. But then he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm not good at compromising," he said, his voice low and rough.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "And I'm not good at obeying orders," I replied, my voice more composed than I felt.

A smile tugged at the corner of Rex's lips, a hint of sarcasm in his tone as he asked, "Is this some sort of compromise?"

I couldn't help but mock-frown, even as a flutter of hope rose in my chest. "It could be considered as such," I said, my voice light. "Maybe."

He moved closer, his body nearly touching mine. The heat radiating from him was intoxicating, and I had to resist the urgeto close the distance between us. His mouth hovered over mine, so close I could feel his breath on my lips.

"I think we're a car crash about to happen," he murmured, his eyes dark with desire and something that looked dangerously like fear.

My heart skipped a beat at his words, but I refused to back down. "Is that your way of saying you'd rather leave?" I challenged, bracing myself for his response.

His eyes flashed, and suddenly his hands were on my waist, pulling me flush against him. "Fuck no," he said, his voice rough and primal.

Before I could respond, his lips crashed into mine, and the world fell away.

Rex's lips crashed into mine with a ferocity that took my breath away. His arms wrapped around me in a fierce embrace, pulling me flush against his body. The solid warmth of him, the familiar scent of his cologne - it was intoxicating. I had missed this, missed him, more than I realized.

I parted my lips, inviting him to deepen the kiss. He didn't hesitate, his tongue sliding against mine in a dance we both knew so well. A soft moan escaped me, swallowed by his hungry mouth.

My fingers dug into his shoulders, gripping the fine fabric of his suit. Even this close, it didn't feel like enough. I wanted to meld into him, to erase any space between us. The weeks apart had left me starved for his touch, and now that I had it, I couldn't get enough.

His hand slid up my back, fingers splaying across my exposed skin where the dress dipped low. His touch sent shivers down my spine, igniting a fire that spread through my entire body. I arched into him, pressing closer still.

He pulled away, his breath coming in short gasps. To my surprise, a smile played on his lips. "Are you trying to make me lose control again?" he asked, his voice husky.

I couldn't help but smile back, a thrill running through me at the memory. "I have to admit, it's quite a turn on when you're wild," I confessed. My gaze locked with his, and I felt emboldened. "Though I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the cold, controlling side of you too." I leaned in closer, my lips nearly brushing his ear. "I wouldn't be against doing that again under the gaze of the Veiled Maiden in your bedroom."

Something shimmered in Rex's gray eyes, a mix of desire and something darker. Suddenly, his gaze turned menacing, and I felt the shift in his demeanor.

"What's going on?" I asked, pulling back slightly to search his face.

His jaw clenched. "I need to find out who bought your painting." His hands tightened on my waist. "The thought of some man jerking off at the sight of you…"

I couldn't help it. A laugh bubbled up from my chest, spilling out before I could stop it. His eyes flashed dangerously, his anger seeming to grow at my reaction.

Realizing I needed to defuse the situation, I reached up and cupped his cheek gently. "Don't worry. I know who owns my painting."

His eyes narrowed, suspicion replacing some of the anger. "You do?"

I nodded, a smile tugging at my lips. "Yes, I do. And I can assure you, there's only one person who could ever have that painting of me."

"Who?"

I leaned in close, my lips nearly brushing his as I whispered, "You, Rex. It's you."

Rex's eyes widened, his jaw going slack as my words sank in. For a moment, he was completely still, stunned into silence. I watched the emotions play across his face - surprise, confusion, and finally, a dawning realization.

I nodded, my pulse racing. "There's no one else who could have that image of me, Rex. No one else I'd want to have it." I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "And if you didn't want it, I would have destroyed it."

In an instant, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tight against his chest. The sudden movement knocked the breath out of me, but I didn't care. I relished the feeling of being in his embrace again.

"I want it. And nobody will ever see it again. No one but me."

I couldn't help but laugh at his possessiveness, a warmth spreading through my chest. Feeling bold, I leaned back just enough to look up at him, a teasing glint in my eye. "Does that mean you'll be the one jerking off to my image in the end?"

To my surprise and delight, a wicked smile spread across Rex's face. It was a rare sight, one that made my pulse skip a beat.

"If you're the one doing it," he said, his voice husky, "I'm more than willing."

A laugh bubbled up from my chest at his unexpected humor. It was a side of him I had rarely seen, and it filled me with joy. But before I could respond, Rex's mouth was on mine again, swallowing my laughter with a passionate kiss.

The End