Page 68 of The Empress

“I’m sorry,” I apologize again before I ask, “Do you get cabin fever if you stay at home too long?”

She nods. “It feels like the walls close in on me.”

“Okay.” I brush her hair away from her face and pin the strands at the back of her neck with my hand, feeling how cold she is. “I’ll keep that in mind.” My thumb brushes over her skin. “Are you always cold?”

She nods, then lifts her eyes to mine. “I’ve always gotten cold easily.”

“I tend to run hot, so I can be your heater.”

Her lips curve up on the left, making her dimple appear again.

Unable to resist, I grip hold of her jaw with my other hand and keep her in place while I press a kiss to her dimple.

Haven’s hand shoots up, and she grabs hold of my forearm, a gasp bursting from her.

Her sweet scent fills the air I breathe, and being so close to her has my self-control slipping dangerously fast.

Our eyes meet for a moment, and whatever she sees on my face, has her breaths coming even faster.

I press another kiss to her cheek, and she tightens her grip on my forearm. Again, she doesn’t push me away, and I let my fingers brush down from her jaw to her collarbone.

I take a deep breath of her sweet scent and groan, “You’re driving me fucking wild.”

My words break the spell I was able to weave around Haven, and she pulls away from me. She darts to her feet and walks toward the kitchen.

Getting up, I go after my wife because now that I’ve been able to touch her, I want to keep touching her.

It’s just become my life’s mission to break down every single wall she has up.

I don’t care what it takes. I will become the most important person in her life.

I will claim every inch of her sexy body.

I will own her fucking heart and soul.

If it’s the last thing I do.

Chapter 17

HAVEN

Holllleeeee shit.

That was freaking intense.

My heart is pounding wildly against my ribs, and it feels as if every nerve ending in my body has been set alight with desire.

The attraction I feel for Leo is swimming in my head, but I’m far from ready.

Yesterday, I was still cursing his name and condemning him to hell. It’s going to take more than him giving Mom a safe place to stay and treating me like a decent human being for me to forgive him for kidnapping me and forcing me to marry him.

I look in the fridge and grab a soda from the compartment on the inside of the door. Before I can open the can, Leo takes it and pulls the tab for me.

When he hands it back to me, there’s a hot smirk on his face. “I don’t want you using your left hand until it’s better.”

“Thanks.” I dart around him and head for the doorway. As I walk across the foyer, Leo wraps an arm around my shoulders and steers me toward the sliding doors that lead to the veranda.

“Let’s sit on the beach for a while.”