Rule's Seduction (The House of Rule 4)

She sighed audibly in relief and continued to watch him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, love. Sixty-three is the number you’re looking for.” His eyes snapped back to the dial as he released her chin. “Now you spin it to the right—it will stop and unlock.”

As if the inanimate object were obeying his directions, the safe popped open.

With one hand, he pushed the door all the way open; the other hand wrapped around her waist again. Erin glanced inside and gasped. Inside the safe, there were documents as she’d suspected—but they only took up a small area of one shelf.

The other shelves were filled to the brim with valuables. Tons and tons of valuables—jewelry, rings spilling from an opened box, gemstones that were cut but not mounted. A row of gold bullion, sacks of what undoubtedly contained coins, stacks of American bills and other currencies that were foreign to her. She recognized stock certificates, US savings bonds in large denominations, as well as, what appeared to be, bearer bonds. Her heart thumped in stunned disbelief, but she tried to school her features.

He reached past her and retrieved her passport. “You see, darling? All safe.” After showing it to her briefly, he put it back exactly where he’d picked it up and then he spun her around to face him.

Her hands landed on his shoulders looking for stability. Her thoughts were scrambled, relief riding the coattails of fear and now this—his masculine, provocative scent making everything feminine within her stand up and take notice.

His hand sank into her hair as his eyes glittered down with ill-concealed restraint. “I left you alone last night at your request,” he announced, apropos of nothing to her way of thinking.

“Yes, you did.”

He moved his hips against hers as his features hardened. “How much more time?”

She knew what he was asking and a flurry of butterflies exploded in her system. “I—”

“There’s no reason to wait any longer,” he announced as if that was that.

She inhaled a ragged breath as her eyes slipped closed. His thumb began swiping back and forth across her jawline, delivering a vicious hit to her equilibrium. She kept her eyes closed as she tried to get her senses in order. How could she continue to stall when stalling was the last thing her hormones were screaming at her to do?

As he continued to hold her with one hand, she heard a dull jingle behind her. His hands came up behind her neck as she felt something cold and heavy settle low on her throat. She sucked in a breath and refused to open her eyes as his mouth dropped to her ear. One arm wrapped around her waist again; the other settled at the base of her throat directly over her pulse. His words were hot and fierce and produced an answering response within her. “You can have the piece—blue’s your favorite color. You’ll wear it in my bed tonight.”

Her eyes flew open and first focused on the hot lust apparent on his features. She swallowed hard and looked down—and began fingering a necklace of sapphires and diamonds that hung around her neck, brilliant and blue against her pale skin. How had he known that blue was her favorite color? Why had he cared to know? Whatever the reason, the necklace was indeed beautiful—but she couldn’t be bought. She dropped her hand and shook her head, breaking away and taking a step back from him.

He allowed her the space and dropped his hands away. “I don’t know why you think waiting will change anything. It won’t—”

“I’m not ready,” she broke in, lifting her hands, attempting to remove the chain from her neck.

He stopped her by grasping both her hands in his. She stilled as he watched her with a penetrating look. Reaching down, he kissed her hands. “Keep it, love.”

“I can’t. I’m not ready—”

“It makes no difference. The necklace was purchased for you.”

“But—”

His features hardened. “There are no ‘buts.’ You’re my wife and the piece is yours.”

Erin barely managed to answer past the lump in her throat. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

He inclined his head and waited.

She cleared her throat and lifted the cell phone she’d been clutching. “I’d like to call my mother now. There’s really no need to put it off.”

“Of course, it will be as you wish.”

Would it really be as she wished? She wished for romance, love, heat . . . with no hidden agenda from him. “Then is it okay if I don’t tell her quite yet that we . . . that we’re married?”

His scrutiny became more intense. “How will putting it off help the situation?”

Erin held his eyes as she answered. “I don’t want her to worry about me. She gets very anxious about all of us. She worries, even at the best of times. Please tell me that your revenge doesn’t extend to her.”