Page 19 of Marrying the Billionaire Single Dad

"Handsome, charismatic, larger-than-life personality?" I offer.

"More like an obnoxious, over-the-top, sleazy douche."

I allow another smirk to curl my lips. "I think the lady doth protest too much."

"Do you always speak in such archaic prose?"

"Only when I am in your presence." I chuckle.

"Hmm." She peers up at me from her position in my lap, and yeah, we are both on the floor of Weston’s kitchen, considering I’d gone down like a light when Arpad, that bastard, had KO’d me—a favor which, by the way, I am going to return with compounded interest. You can count on it.

"Well?" I tilt my head. "You have until I count to five."

"Five?" She wrinkles up her forehead. "What do you mean?"

"Stay and be kissed, or run away, and we’ll forget that you chickened-out on your so-called proposition."

She pouts, her lips twisting into a sexy 'O' that has my groin tightening further.

"Five." I start the countdown.

She scans my features, her gaze landing on my lips. "I think…" she swallows, "I think that—"

"Four."

She licks her lips, glances left, then right.

"Three."

She wriggles her bottom against the thickness that tents my groin.

A growl rips up my chest. "Two."

I lean in; she gulps.

I hold her gaze and her pupils dilate. Her chest heaves. The pulse at the base of her throat increases the intensity of its pace.

I lower my mouth to hers, stop when there’s less than a millimeter that separates us. "One." I press my lips to hers. That’s when my phone pings.

7

Julia

"Your phone." I gasp and sidle back.

"Fuck that." He swoops down, clamps his fingers on my neck. "You had your chance to leave, Flower. You lost it; now, you’re mine."

"And you are what, a cave man?" I huff

"Only when it comes to you." His eyebrows knit; he scrutinizes my features. "What is it about you, that makes me want to tear through your tightly controlled veneer and expose the passion that seethes under the surface?"

"Who uses verbs like seethe?" I scoff.

"I’m a song writer, and a rock star, remember?"

"You forgot the 'has-been’ part," I retort.

His jaw tics and a vein throbs at his temple. His blue eyes blaze with silver sparks that flare and coil, then fade away, leaving a mirrored coldness in their wake.