He nuzzled her throat and she whimpered, melting into him, and another wave of pleasure overtook her at his honest words.
“I do trust you.”
“I know, but I want it all from you, Fyre. I will not lie about this. Nor will I rush what we have just because my cock wants to be inside that tight, hot pussy of yours.”
She flushed, grateful he couldn’t see her face. His words should embarrass her, make her shocked and possibly offended, but it wasn’t even close. They aroused her.
“What now then?”
He chuckled, pulling back to look her in the eyes.
“Round two?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Or, I could tell you what my plan is and you can see if you are still willing to help.”
There was a thread of vulnerability in that statement. Fyre held Phillip’s assessing gaze without blinking.
The Earl of Edais was a lot more than what he allowed most people to see. And she had fallen for both sides. The cold, seemingly uncaring man who snapped orders and the one who was with her now. The one who put her wants and desires above his own. The man who would forgo his own release because he didn’t want to rush her into anything.
Lifting up, she brushed her lips to his. “I already told you, my lord. I will help you. Tell me what you need.”
The heat in his eyes nearly scared her. Possessive, proprietary, and all-consuming.
“A few things.”
On a deeper level than she’d known possible, joy lit her from the inside. How could this man, an earl, be so hesitant to ask for help from her? What did she have?
“You have them.”
His chuckle warmed her throughout as he tucked her close. “What if I wanted you to be naked in town?”
“Then I would say I had misunderstood the looks you give me and how possessive you are when you think of someone like Mr. Caulfield looking at me, and that as I was wrong, you are okay with him seeing me completely naked.”
A low growl rolled from him and he nipped her neck. “Never.”
“That is how I know.”
“You sound smug.”
“And you should tell me what it is you need.”
“When did you get so bossy?”
“A few minutes ago.”
He kissed her again, until she lost track of time. When he pulled back, his face was a mask of smugness.
“Much better.” He brushed the back of his hand along her cheek. “It has to do with you making a duplicate copy of my books.”
She blinked and waited, expression blank.
“I need them soon. I know it is a lot of work and I will pay you extra for the additional hours you will be spending, but I would need them before the end of the week.”
Running it over in her mind, she knew it would mean a lot of late nights. But she could and would get it done. For him.
“What else?”
He looked as if he’d expected her to ask about the first thing and was a bit shocked she didn’t have more questions about it.
“I will be having a house party in two weeks and I want you there.”
“That is not a question.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Will you please attend the party?”
“Why me?”
“Besides the fact I want you in my house?”
“Yes. Will I be there to work?”
“No, you will be there as a guest.”
Her shock took a bit to fade and she lay there in his arms as he explained his plan.
Chapter Fifteen
Phillip stood at the window of his study and stared out over the grounds he could see. The day was wet. The storm raging through had been over the island for the past two days, almost like it had been moving and decided to stop for a spell.
He had sent out the invitations and had given the books to Fyre to take home. She had been a bit unsure about that, but he trusted that with Damon and his brothers watching out for her, she and the books would be safe. Not necessarily true, but it was the only thing he was able to tell himself to keep from hovering over her like he wanted to.
The downside to all of this was her telling him she would not be able to come to Hawk’s Cove and get the books done. So he was not seeing her all week. And that pissed him off. He wanted her where he could watch her. And do other things to and with her. Even though the week was nearly up, he was close to going out of his mind.
Sure, Damon and his brothers were great, but what could he say, he was possessive of the woman who was his but didn’t know it yet.
His nights and days were spent dreaming of how she’d come apart in his arms, and that hadn’t even been with his fingers inside her. God, she would kill him when they were actually allowed to touch intimately. Without clothing.