Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Oh, God. My knees buckled, and I slapped my hands against the wall to stay upright.
I couldn’t go back to prison. I’d rather die right now than every night for God-knew how long. In trying to save my work, I’d damned myself. A sob developed in my chest, but I refused to unleash it, and it hung heavy in my body, weighing me down like an anchor.
“Luke,” I whispered, hoping to appeal to him as a broken woman. It wasn’t a hard role to play.
His voice was low, matching mine. “You can make this all go away.”
He lingered so close, hovering as if he were waiting for something. The sliver of his tongue dragged slowly across his lips, moistening them. It was provocative and sexual. I pressed my hands harder into the wall, needing further support. What was he insinuating he wanted?
A kiss?
Sex?
I pressed my lips together as I considered it. There’d been plenty of passionless nights with Sidor. I could handle this task easily. I’d put my body through worse things to get what I wanted. A quick evaluation of Luke reminded me this wasn’t a big hardship. He was attractive and seemed reasonably smart, even if he was the enemy. Plus, there was that odd spark still humming in my skin from where he’d touched me.
I hadn’t been intimate with anyone in years, but I doubted sex had changed much since my last time. Could I become a whore for my art again? Yes, I told myself. Maybe this time I’d even enjoy it a little.
The best years of my life were behind me, but I was still an attractive woman. Sex and lust remained weapons in my arsenal, and I felt powerful wielding them.
I stared up at Luke through half-lidded eyes, tacitly agreeing to whatever he wanted. His gaze washed over me, traveling across my forehead, sliding down the line of my nose, and coming to rest on my lips. I shivered in anticipation and perhaps excitement. When he drew in a tight breath, I moved forward, closing the gap between us.
There was no contact between our mouths. The heat from his body was gone as he dropped his hands and straightened. He looked utterly shocked. “Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?”
It was humiliating, but I was no stranger to that and wasn’t blinded by mortification. I saw his intent in the shadow of his victorious smile. I hadn’t read the situation wrong—this was him preying on weakness. It seemed he enjoyed doing that, not just in art, but in real life. This was him fucking with my head.
I nearly laughed at him. Oh, Mr. Rafferty. I’ve been playing this game far longer than you have.
I kept my chin up and my tone matter-of-fact. “You told me I could make it all go away.”
“I meant once you’ve fixed my sculpture.”
“Oh.” Did he expect me to be flustered? I smiled widely. “You don’t want to sleep with me?”
Surprise went through him like a bolt of lightning and was gone as quickly as it had appeared. It was replaced with distrust. “You’re in a world of trouble. And your plan is to, what? Seduce me?” He shifted closer and his deep voice went to a provocative whisper. “And then I’ll just forgive and forget what you’ve done?”
Once again he was over me, invading my space, and this time the air was charged. Heat and unexpected desire wrapped around me, cinching me tight as a straitjacket.
“I paid a lot of money for your artwork, Nikita. You must be quite confident in your skills in the bedroom.”
His tone was mocking, made my blood boil, and I wanted to shut him up. My fury clouded my judgement. This man toyed with me, but deep down, he also wanted me. Strangely, I wanted him too, if for nothing else but to take back my power. So, I latched a hand on the back of his neck and yanked his face down to mine, slamming my lips against his.
-6-
A noise of surprise came from Luke’s throat, and then his hands were on my face, his fingers sliding through my long blonde hair. I’d persuaded him in a single breath. His grip made it impossible to run, and easy to follow his lead.
I allowed him to tilt my head back so the angle was more comfortable and he could better kiss me. When he pressed his soft tongue against the seam of my lips, I welcomed him to thrust his tongue deep into my mouth.
I even allowed his possession of my mind.
He was supposed to push me away and call my bluff, not pull me closer. It felt like the world was spinning out of control, and for both of us, not only me.
He was strong. His hands were roughened, but gentle against my cheeks. I moved my lips in time with his, responding as I should when a man kissed me. However, I wasn’t prepared for the feeling of his tongue sliding against mine, or the noticeable throb that pulsed between my legs. I wasn’t prepared for the tidal wave of lust and want, which was burning me alive.