Filthy Lies (Blackstone Dynasty 2)

"Oh," she said softly as she took in the idea. At least she wasn't screaming for me to let her out of the car so she could get away from me. Overall, she was taking this news well. Is that because she does actually love me?

"Look, I don't want to get married at all, but if I have to"—I let that sink in for a second—"and there's an additional bonus of being able to help you gain access to your trust, then yes, I would marry you."

"But you didn't even ask me to come along to your family's Thanksgiving until this morn"—she paused as she figured out the chain of events— "because you had already decided to defy him."

"You're very astute, but then I've always known that about you."

"You have?" Her shy question made my cock wake up. This marriage talk was sending the blood in my body straight southward. If we were married? I sure as fuck wouldn't be able to keep my hands off her. Not after where my hands were last night. Touching her, bringing her to a shattering orgasm, was something I wanted again, even if I didn't deserve it. Even if I had to do it all vanilla. There. Admitting it to myself wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be.

"But yeah, I'd decided to defy my father. He gave me an ultimatum to bring my choice with me to Thanksgiving so they could meet her." I gripped the steering wheel and squeezed until the leather protested with a squeak. "I know that sounds so fucking archaic and absurd, but it's exactly what he said to me three weeks ago."

"Oh my God, your dad is using you for his own gain." She couldn't mask her revulsion, and honestly, I'd be worried if she wasn't fucking horrified.

"I know." I reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. "I would've gone alone today. I only go there for my mother's benefit anyway."

"And then I showed up bleeding last night, and you decided you could take me along and get your father off your back?" I could see her tilting her head at me in question from my peripheral vision. Evidently, Winter wasn't the only one needing some eye contact while we talked. I couldn't wait to get her home and in my arms close against me. More than anything, I wanted to kiss her. It was weird, but I wanted that—the freedom to kiss her and not have it be this undecided taboo between us.

"Not exactly, but you're in the general vicinity of the truth." This time I turned toward her, and even in the dim light inside the car…she took my breath away. Her pretty eyes glittered at me, so expressive and questioning. But not in a judgmental way. She wanted some answers as anyone would. "I hoped I could avoid a confrontation with my father over the stupid shit he pulls with me constantly, but you need to know that I have absolutely no problem telling my dad to leave me alone, and that I won't be getting married to support his political aspirations. That was my first plan anyway. He doesn't dictate to me."

I had to drag my eyes away from her and back onto the road.

She sighed and then whispered, "I thought we were just friends. That you only thought of me as your best friend's little sister. So what made you decide to lead him into thinking that we are together?"

Haven't thought of you like that for years, beautiful. But now's not the time...

"It was something you did actually…well, something you said to me last night that changed my mind." The gorgeous vision of her coming apart for me while saying she loved me had done things to my heart. Even now, nearly twenty-four hours later, the dull ache hadn't subsided.

"Oh no, James, what did I say?" There was panic in her voice.

"No. I'm not telling you while I'm driving. I need to be able to look at you when we talk about what happened last night."

"You're scaring me."

"Nothing to be scared of, Win. It's just me, remember? What did I tell you before we arrived at my parents' earlier?" I pegged her with a hard look.

"You'll never do anything to hurt me," she answered in a subdued voice along with the unmistakable signs of fighting off the urge to squirm in her seat. Fuck. That simple move of hers was all it took to send a spike of hot lust straight down the length of my cock. Mine. Everything she did—or didn't do—had the same effect on me, apparently. And she has absolutely no idea.

"That's right, beautiful one. Don't you forget it. If I make a decision that involves you, it will always be something meant in the spirit of your protection and with your happiness in mind."

She nodded easily. Or maybe more of an act of submission. "I will remember, James," she answered quietly before resting her hands gracefully in her lap and relaxing into the seat for the remainder of the drive home.

Yep. I could read the signs all right. By the time we'd made it back, I had a better understanding about her behaviors and body language. It led me into crazy fantasies of tying her to my bed and fucking her into the mattress, yes, but that attraction had been present for a while in me. This was something far more than mere attraction.

I'd bet it all on the idea that Winter was naturally submissive with me and would be when it came to sex. I'd seen it. After spending so much time with her in close contact, my mind was running rampant with filthy thoughts. And how in the holy hell was I supposed to subdue the images of us together rolling through my head like an 8mm porno? Pointless to even try, asshole.

Jesus fuck…

We hadn't even gotten out of the car before the plans changed yet again. I was just about to open my mouth and ask her if she'd like to come up to my place when her phone pinged. I watched her expression as she read it, and even predicted what it would be about.

"Lucas wants to pick me up tonight instead of in the morning," she said as she read his text aloud. "He says nine o'clock at BGE. That means I have less than two hours to get changed, pack a bag, and make it to the helipad." She looked at me and smiled one of her half-smiles I found so sexy.

"All right, I'll take you." I hated she was leaving, but the rational part of my brain knew it was wiser. What in the hell was I thinking anyway? That she would stay over at my place? Sleep in my bed? Let me have her any way I wanted? You're a delusional fucking freak for even going there in your head.

"Thank you, James," she answered as she texted him back to let him know she'd be there. Once she was done, she sunk into the heated leather and gave me her full attention. She appeared relaxed, but I knew she hadn't forgotten what I'd promised her earlier—that we would talk about things.

"You're welcome, but you know we don't have anywhere close to enough time for our talk like I promised you. I don't want to rush it, because it's important, and we need some time to process everything." I picked up her hand and held it. Lucas might have changed the plans for our quiet evening of soul-baring conversation, but in a way, I was relieved. Talking about what had happened the previous night would have to wait. The timing was way off for any kind of serious conversation about the future. Deciding if we were getting married any time soon certainly qualified as serious.

"I know that, but I really need to know what's going on here…between us. You kissed me earlier and it—"