His body went cold, his breathing steadied, and everything became clear again. Looking down at her, Rodrigo said, his voice like ice, “Who are you talking to on your phone?”
Lola suddenly seemed to forget she was naked. She straightened, dropping her arms. Clutching her phone behind her back, she lifted her chin. “None of your business.”
It was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
“None of my business?” His voice was dangerously quiet now. “You’re my wife.”
“Your wife.” Her eyes glittered. “Not your prisoner.”
“Give me your phone.”
“No!”
Reaching around her with his powerful arms, he felt her soft, half-naked body brush his own. As her plump breasts were crushed against his chest, his gaze fell to her full, raspberry-red lips.
He heard her intake of breath. Watched as the tip of her pink tongue nervously licked the corners of her mouth, before her white teeth tugged into the tender flesh of her lower lip. For a moment, he felt lost, dizzy with need.
Grimly, he shook off the blinding haze of desire and reached around her to snatch her phone from her hand.
“You are such a jerk!” she cried.
He expected the phone to be locked, and for him to have to demand her password. But to his surprise, it wasn’t protected. He touched the screen, and instantly saw whom she’d been talking to.
Rodrigo’s eyes widened. She hadn’t been exchanging messages with Sergei Morozov, or any other man.
She’d been chatting with two women. One called Tess, the other Hallie.
He looked swiftly through the messages, then looked up, dumbfounded. “These are just your friends.”
“Of course,” Lola said angrily, snatching the phone back. “Who else would I be talking to?”
“Why did you try to hide the messages from me?”
“Because they’re private. They’re my friends, not yours!”
“No.” Did she think he was that stupid? He glared down at her. “There’s a reason.”
She narrowed her eyes, then said resentfully, “Fine. I wanted to ask you later tonight. After I had the chance to butter you up. Fat chance of that now!”
“You can’t butter me up,” he said arrogantly. She snorted, then shook her head.
“My friends were worried, since they hadn’t seen me around for a while. They went to my apartment and Mildred told them I went away with some man.”
“Not just a man. Your husband.”
She sighed. “I didn’t share that part yet. They were shocked enough as it was. I just said you were an ex who’d come back into my life.” She bit her lip. “They’re dying to know more. Tess invited us to Thanksgiving dinner next Thursday. I want to go. And tell them everything in person.”
Rodrigo looked at her blankly.
“You know Thanksgiving, right?” she said, with exaggerated patience.
“Of course,” he said. “It’s one of the most profitable film weekends of the year in the US.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s also a time to be with friends. Family. Turkey and mashed potatoes. Football on TV? Does that ring any bells?”
“I know Thanksgiving,” he said, annoyed. “My mother was American.”
Her eyes lit up. “So you know how important it is to spend the day with the people you love.”