His Terms

“No, you’re correct. I keep going when I scratch the surface, but the reason I kept gathering information on you wasn’t because you were working for me.” He started tapping his fingers on the table, and Sorcha realized it was a habit he had. She had a feeling it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that he was nervous—because a man like him surely didn’t feel that type of emotion—but because he was getting angry.

“So, what did you find out? I assume shit I wouldn’t want anyone knowing unless I felt like telling them?” She clasped her hands together and stared him down as hard as he was doing to her.

“You have quite a mouth on you, don’t you.” He didn’t phrase it like a question.

“And you have quite the nerve digging into people’s lives when you have no business doing so.” She could understand him doing that to an extent, but she assumed he’d found out some information on her that she would have liked to keep to herself. “Besides, isn’t that why you wanted me, because of my mouth?” She hadn’t meant the literal sense, but she noticed how he dropped his gaze to her lips.

“Yes, your mouth was one of the reasons I wanted you, Sorcha.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. On one hand, she wanted to be furious that he had the gall to pry into her life. But on the other hand, she was so aroused just being in his presence that it was hard to think straight.

She had decided against a bra with her dress, and right now she was regretting the hell out of that decision, especially when she knew her nipples were hard. Rian confirmed that when he lowered his gaze to her chest, stared at her for a second, and then looked at her face again.

“Are you cold or aroused, Sorcha?” He leaned forward, and his warm breath that smelled faintly of the wine they were drinking bathed her face.

A small shiver worked through her, and she opened her mouth, not knowing what she would say.

“I’d say you’re aroused, Sorcha. I bet your pussy is all nice and wet for me, isn’t it.” Again, he didn’t state it like a question, and in fact sounded like he was speaking to himself. When she didn’t respond he leaned back slowly, and the chair creaked under his weight. He was a big man, but not bulky like a body builder. He was tall and lean, with hard muscle packed on. He was like a swimmer, a sexy, apathetic, swimming god. This man knew exactly what he did to the female population. He knew exactly what he was doing to her by the way the corner of his mouth lifted in a cocky fucking smile.

Clearing her throat, she took another drink.

“You have anything you want to ask me before we take things into the bedroom?”

Her heart started to beat so hard and fast that she actually reached out and held onto the edge of the table. She needed her hard veneer back in place, needed to show him that she would not put up with his arrogant bullshit. And she needed to set her own rules so he knew where she stood. “What exactly are your plans tonight?”

“Does it really matter what I want or plan on doing as long as no harm comes to you? You signed the contract, so the specifics do not need to be spelled out.” He leaned forward again and covered her hand with his. “I can guarantee that your wet little cunt will be soaking by the time I’m done with you, and that you’ll be so sore between your thighs you won’t be able to walk comfortably tomorrow.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “You’re a sadistic bastard.” She hadn’t meant to say that out loud, and hadn’t even said it with malice or disgust. Sorcha heard the desire in her voice and felt her face heat.

“I never claimed to be anything else, and I know you didn’t expect a bed full of fucking roses.” He said it with such a straight face, with a voice as hard and cold as the granite lining his apartment, that she gritted her teeth. She loved to hate him, that was for damn sure.

“Now, what I can do for you is have a bath drawn so you can clean off, and then after that…” He flashed this straight, white toothed grin at her, but it reminded her of a wolf about to attack an innocent lamb. “After that, Sorcha, you’re all mine.” He stood and put his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “Enjoy the fruit and whipped cream. I know I will enjoy licking it off your body before our time is up.” He turned and left her alone, and all she could do was sit there and stare at the whipped cream that was a few inches from her.