Twelve

Claudia

 

 

 

He gaped at me.

I’d done it. I’d completely thrown myself at his mercy and at his feet. Heck, I’d practically thrown myself at his cock, and all he could do was gape at me. I already knew the outcome of this.

There was no way he’d be willing to risk going public with me. Not after he spent several minutes reading what my life and my family had become. It was easier to show him than tell him. There was no way I could speak the words without breaking down and that wouldn’t happen.

“You…What? I’m sorry…can you repeat that?”

His shock was almost humorous. I didn’t smile. “In my life, my sole purpose of being raised was to become a wife and a mother. I wasn’t allowed to have a career after college but was forced into volunteering for a variety of organizations. Some of them were actually important to me,” I said. Some had been. Some like domestic abuse and rape crisis centers would still receive my money if I could no longer give them my time. I had enjoyed those nights when I knew the dirty money of the rich was going to help others who envied us but would despise us if they knew the truth.

And now they did…and no one envied me.

I was okay with that loss.

His tongue was pressed against his teeth and he continued to shake his head. Like rattling his brain could make any of that make sense if he tried. The harder he worked the more confusing it all became. I waved a hand in the air to try to dismiss the importance of everything.

“It doesn’t really matter, though. You’re in this position based on a scandal. And I should have told you, ensured Karen told you before you ever demanded I be your employee.” He all but snarled at the world, but I was getting used to thinking of myself like that. He’d bought me. I’d give him me. In a year…whatever…it didn’t matter anymore. “Had I known it was you that wanted to hire me so quickly, I wouldn’t have agreed. But Karen assured me I wouldn’t be unsafe—”

“You won’t be.” He hit the button on the iPad and blanked the screen, shoving it out of his way with more force than necessary. “And I don’t give a shit about your family. Marker Entertainment has the best PR team in the country, even if they haven’t proven it lately with me. And I know of Infidelity’s team. We’ll figure it out because there’s no way in hell you’re leaving. Not after that bombshell you just dropped in my lap, sweetheart.”

He was thinking with his dick. Not entirely unexpected, just disappointing.

“It does matter. If you let me stay here, someone finds us and it gets leaked, you’re not on the verge of being ruined, you’ll be destroyed. Your purpose with Infidelity was supposed to save your reputation. Not set it off like a bomb. Think about this, Liam.”

“Oh. I’m thinking about everything you’ve said to me.”

I all but rolled my eyes and filled my wine glass. Taking a sip larger than proper, I then pushed off my chair and paced to the grill.

He’d taught me to cook. It was simple. Not even a full lesson, but it’d been fun. I grew up with chauffeurs and housekeepers and chefs and nannies. I hadn’t had to fold my own laundry or wash my own clothes or dishes until I went to college, and even then, I usually took it home and let someone else handle it. I was useless, really.

No one had really taught me much in life other than how to be perfect and mannerly and poised.

My hand brushed over the front of the grill. “You don’t mean that.”

The heat of his front hit me swift and hard, like I’d thrown the flames on the grill on high. “I do mean that.” He was behind me. Chest brushing my back. Hands on the outside of mine on the grill. He’d caged me in before I knew he was coming and I didn’t even want to push him away. “I don’t say anything I don’t mean, so learn that lesson first, Claudia. Second, everything you’ve told me tonight explains why Anne phoned me last night having a shit fit about my plans to bring you here.”

“What?” I spun so quickly, wine sloshed over the rim of the glass. Then I realized my mistake. I was now facing Liam. Chest to chest. My eyes jumped to his. “You knew?”

“No.” He brushed a hand through his hair and his grin was disarming as he shrugged. “Ignored her call. I didn’t feel like listening to her bitch, but I can guarantee you that right now, she’s working her ass off to uncover anything related to you or your family, and she’ll have a plan of action the next time I speak to her.”

“Impossible. There’s not a good way.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

My mouth snapped shut. Opened. Closed again. I had nothing left to say. And he wasn’t asking me to leave. Not yet.

Lifting a hand, his finger settled at my ear and he took a chunk of my hair in his fingertips. “See the thing is, I’m pretty used to getting what I want, and before you even told me that delicious morsel of information about you, I’ve already decided I was going to have you. But now I know, my plan was right.” His gaze shifted to me. I was stunned. Silent. Molten lava was bubbling all over my lower stomach, making me hot and shivery at the same time.

“What plan?”

“My plan to seduce you. To move slowly. Trust me, everything you give me in return will be reward enough for your company.”

“What?” I cleared my throat. God, it was dry and he was so close I couldn’t bring my wineglass between us. “What are you going to do?”

He drifted closer. His chest brushed against mine. Something else of his brushed against my stomach. My breath caught and I couldn’t move away from him. He smelled like coconut and aloe, the sweet hint of wine on his breath as he dipped his mouth toward me. He skated his lips over my cheek, to the corner of my mouth, back to my ear. “Whatever I want. Whenever I want. I’m going to tease the hell out of you, drive you crazy with need until you decide I’ve earned the right to be the first man to sink inside of what I already know will be the hottest, tightest, and sweetest pussy on the whole damn planet. I won’t take that until you offer it, but make no mistake, at some point before we leave this island, you’ll give yourself to me.”

My knees wobbled. My breath stalled. My heart pounded like the opening race at the Kentucky Derby. Everything shook inside me. He’d created a volcano with words alone and I already knew he was right.

Someday, everything he made me feel was going to erupt.

I just hoped like hell he didn’t throw it into the trash once the flames were ash.