I flinch, dropping the peeler I was holding on the floor.
“Ohm...you’re like an animal,” I blurt and anger flashes his eyes. I look closer, realizing it’s not anger. Its rage. I hold my breath, waiting for him to blow up but he turns and shakes his head to get himself under control.
Pretending as if nothing happened, Nate raises his brows and wipes his mouth with a napkin. He’s so incredibly elegant and so not an animal. I feel like I should apologize.
I shouldn’t have called him a name. It didn’t hurt, I was just surprised. And he didn’t do it on purpose. At least I hope he didn’t.
Dragging a breath, I murmur, “I’ll just go and grab another peeler. Think we have a spare in the storage room.”
“I’ll do it,” Nate says and I frown.
I hurry after him, prepared to explain that to get to the storage room you have to open up a hatch down in the basement but I slow my pace when Nate seems to be going in the right direction. He doesn’t even hesitate, walking as if he knows this house in his sleep.
He finds the storage room without a problem and hands me the peeler and I breathe, “How did you know where to look?”
Smirking, he flicks my nose, rasping, “Curiosity killed the kitty.”
I flinch when he gives me a light slap between my legs and I feel myself blush red. Turning around, I watch him continue down the hallway and the doubts are back.
He’s not what he seems.
Weak in the knees, I lean against the wall and bury my face in my hands. “Oh Nate,” I whisper, even though he can’t hear me, “why couldn’t you just have been my dream?”
****
Nathanos
Something’s different. Amabella isn’t as greedy for me as I need her to be. When we sat down for dinner, she didn’t try squeezing right next to me but chose to sit next to her dad. I can’t even look straight into her eyes.
And I need some kind of contact with her, even if it’s just eye contact.
Her sapphires seem morose tonight, dimmer somehow and there’s a sheen covering her face like she’s running a mild fever. Her face is lowered and she seems more interested in her food, than begging for my attention. Before, she would try leaning over the table with her whole body, her face full of yearning like she’d do anything to be close to me. Now she feels miles away and I feel my hunger burn in me.
Interjecting, Dean’s relentless lecturing, I rasp, “Forgive me for interrupting, Dean. But could you pass me the salt, Amabella?”
Before, she would have jumped at the chance, eager to serve me and she would’ve fought anyone trying to take her place.
Now, she blinks up at me and leisurely hands me the salt. I purposefully stroke her fingers, but she lets out a low whimper, squeezing her eyes and quickly retracts her hand. I’m rampant with fury. It doesn’t show, I’m as controlled as always on the surface but on the inside...
On the inside I’m frenzied.
“Amabella, what music have you been listening to lately?” I ask and I feel out of control. I’m grasping for straws but I’ll do anything to get her responsiveness. There’s no fire in this room and there’s no warmth from Amabella and I’m already feeling the chill in my bones.
When she shrugs, Dean blurts, “Amabella, you’re being rude. There’s a guest at the table and you’re acting like a brat.” He nods in my direction. “Ask Nate if he wants some dessert.”
Opening her lush mouth, she whispers, “He can get it himself if he wants to.”
Bryce and Dean scowl while I flood with wrath and I pull at my collar. I want to grab her and yank her on top of this table and eat her out until she orgasms in front of her father and brother. Clenching my fists, I stretch my neck side to side but turn eager when Amabella finally looks at me and leans over the table.
“Dad was right. I am being rude but I’m just not good company tonight.”
She will be. When I crawl into her room, she’ll be the most perfect company a man could dream of.
Her eyes flare to mine and she yaps, “Think I’ll withdraw early.” She throws her napkin on her plate, gets up and swans out of the dining room.
“Good to get rid of her,” Bryce mutters but I want to scream. I finish my dinner quickly and once the rest of the house has gone to bed, I stalk over to Amabella’s bedroom. I’m brimming with need, my muscles feeling like steel and hunger scorches in my gut. Putting my hand on the doorknob, I turn.
But nothing happens.