Wyatt was working damn hard to keep his expression placid. The wave of Mine! that had flooded his system at the sight of Kade kissing Kelsey’s hand was strong enough to make his hands vibrate. Pure adrenaline.
“How’d the meeting go?” Kelsey asked, her tone higher-pitched than normal.
“I’m about ninety-five percent sure she and her husband will go with A&A.”
Kelsey’s smile lit her face. “That’s fantastic.”
“Enjoyed your afternoon?”
She wet her lips. “Kade and I are friends, Wyatt. That’s it.”
He leaned back in the chair. “Did I suggest anything different?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, and he almost smiled at the petulant child expression on her face. “No, but you might as well have drawn a circle around me in the sand and mounted a Keep Out sign with the way you looked at Kade.”
He reached out and unfurled her arms, then brought both her hands to his mouth for a kiss. “Seeing any man touch you makes me jealous and protective. I can’t help that. It doesn’t mean I don’t trust you or that I suspect anything is going on.”
She blinked at him. “So you’re not mad?”
“Of course not. Plus, I think I used up my daily allotment of being an asshole this morning.”
She laughed and lay back down in her lounger, facing him, “I’ll be on the lookout tomorrow then.”
He let his eyes travel over her. Her curves were all glossy with sunscreen, and he could see the barest of bruises peeking out near the bottom of her bathing suit. The sight nearly had him climbing on top of her out here where anyone could see. But he had to get shit off his chest first.
“I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier,” he said, peering over his shoulder to make sure no one else on the beach was in earshot. “You deserved to be left kneeling and wanting. That part I don’t apologize for. I’m your dom and you tried to control the situation again. But what you said about work was right, and I shouldn’t have gotten mean about it.”r: Roni Loren
She stayed there on her knees, fuming, and losing track of how much time was passing. The sunlight moved a few inches across the floorboards as Wyatt made a handful of phone calls, never once addressing her in between conversations. She should get up, should walk out, and tell him to go to hell. But something in her refused to let her move. She remained in place, arguing with herself. But in the end, determined pride won out. She would prove she could beat him at his game. This would not break her.
After another terse phone call, Wyatt rose and left the room. She followed his footsteps with her ears, listening as they receded into the back part of the cabana and then grew loud again. His bare feet appeared in the spot on the floor she was staring a hole into. He squatted down in front of her and put a knuckle beneath her chin. She hoped her gaze conveyed her contempt.
His smile was amused. “Watch that feistiness, love. You’ll get me hard again, and I may demand a repeat performance before letting you have what you want.”
She narrowed her eyes, and he chuckled.
He reached forward and fingered the strap of her camisole before bringing it down her shoulder. Goose bumps prickled her skin at the gentle touch. He repeated the process on the other side, drawing her top downward until her breasts were fully exposed. He pinched a nipple between his thumb and forefinger, earning a gasp from her, and affixed a metal clip. Sensation shot straight downward, more wetness gathering despite her utter annoyance with him. He gave the other breast the same wicked treatment, then gave each clip a flick with his finger.
“Oh!” Her face tilted toward the ceiling, the surprising bite of pain making her dizzy.
“Maybe this will help you learn that you are not in control here. It’s Monday and I need to get some work done. I hoped to fit it in before you even woke up so that I wouldn’t have to use up any of our time, but no. Instead, you insisted on parading in here, looking like a fucking wet dream, and teasing me away from what I needed to do.
She gritted her teeth. “I’m sorry, sir. God forbid, I get on my fucking knees and suck you off first thing in the morning. Your plight is truly awful.”
“Smart mouth. Sexy but disrespectful.” He flicked her nipple again.
“Fuck!” she cried out. How could one little flick of a finger hurt so damn much? She tried to ignore the moisture beginning to leak down her thighs. “Bastard.”
He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment before meeting her gaze again. “You know, love? Your insults would probably be more effective if your scent wasn’t giving you away and telling me exactly how turned on you are right now.”
Taunting? He was taunting her? She couldn’t keep her mouth shut. “I was trying to help you this morning. You’re on vacation, Wyatt. You’re not supposed to be working. Jace told me to do whatever I could to make you relax and leave work behind. I was only trying—”
He grabbed her jaw, his tone going fierce. “So you’re taking orders from Jace now?”
“No.” She tried to shake her head, but his fingers held her firm. “I was trying to help.”
“I don’t need that kind of help, Kelsey,” he said harshly, her point apparently hitting some spot he didn’t want poked. He released her chin. “My job is—”
“Everything,” she said, looking away. “I know. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just thought you could use a distraction, a break.”