After a few hours have passed, I’ve had enough of this. Grumbling to myself, I get up from my seat and go to the bathroom, where I draw a scorching hot bath for myself. If I can’t have my freedom, at least I can enjoy all the luxurious things this house has to offer, like this super creamy and expensive-looking soap that I lather all over myself. Maybe I’ll have an expensive wine tonight, and I’ll order them to give me the entire bottle.
What is Eli going to do? Say no?
He can’t. If he did, I’d only have more reason to hate him, which is the last thing he wants.
No, he wants me to adore him. Like I did when he made me remember what I did and hugged me through it all, when he came to my rescue in my own apartment and kissed all the worries away, and when we talked and talked until we could no more and stood under that warm shower, fucking the pain away.
My thighs clamp together as I think about it, my pussy forgetting that it should no longer clench for him. But I force myself to erase him from my mind.
Until he suddenly steps into my bathroom.
I shriek. “Jesus.”
One look at him, and I’m already completely overcome with lust as he stands there in his navy blue suit like some kind of perfect gentleman. “Apologies. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I force myself to look away. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“I know,” he says with such certainty that it catches me off guard. “If you’re not too busy …”
Busy? Me?
I snort at the thought.
“I’d like to take you somewhere tonight,” he says.
I frown and gaze at him over my shoulder. “Where?”
There’s a slight smile on his face, and I’m not sure if it’s a trap or not. “It’s a surprise.”
Definitely a trap.
“Not interested.” I continue lathering myself with soap.
“I think you are,” he says. “I’m quite sure you’ll like this.”
I sigh and then stand in the bath, putting my naked body on full display. It doesn’t faze me, but the longing gaze in his eyes makes him do a double take, and that … that does make me grin on the inside. But I won’t show that to him.
“Ah … I’ll wait outside,” he says, and his head quickly disappears.
A smirk forms on my face. I get out and dry myself off before wrapping the towel around my body and marching outside. He’s right there, reading one of the many books from the shelves of the old bookcase in this room.
The second he notices me, the book snaps shut. His eyes swath over my body as if he’s taking it all in, and it makes me feel as if his hands are already on my bare skin. Goddammit. Will I ever get rid of this obnoxious feeling? I guess not.
But I would rather die than admit that to him, so I stay quiet and stare at him, arms crossed.
He puts the book down, never breaking eye contact. “Have you read these?”
“All of them,” I respond.
A gentle smile tugs at his lips. “I’ll see to it that you get some new ones.”
“Fantastic,” I reply.
He cocks his head. “Do you have to be so cold?”
“Do you have to be so evil?”
He rolls his eyes and sighs out loud. “Touché.”
I walk to my closet and grab the most ludicrous dress by Chanel I can find. He doesn’t stop looking at me, though, not even as I throw the towel off and start to dress, taking ample time to show him every inch of my skin that I’ll never let him touch again.
“Are you so intent on making me suffer, Amelia?” he asks.
“As much as possible,” I retort, swiftly turning around.
His stance shifts. “I have someone you need to see.” He’s immediately changed the conversation, but I’m not sure I mind.
“Who?” I put on the rest of my clothes and step into my pumps.
He holds out his arm, waiting for me to hook mine through it. “Let me show you.”
I roll my eyes. “This had better be worth it.”
“Trust me when I say, you’ll love this,” he says as he takes me out of the room.
“This had better not be some surprise marriage because I will shove that ring up where no one will ever be able to find it,” I say, which makes him laugh.
“No, contrary to what you may think of me, I don’t enjoy fueling your already seething hatred for me.”
I wouldn’t put it past him to trick me into one, that’s for sure.
“C’mon,” he says as we walk up the stairs. “It’s this way.” I’ve never been to this floor, and gazing down makes me dizzy. The paintings on the ceiling are even more beautiful this up close.
“Who made those?” I ask out of the blue, momentarily forgetting he’s not just some random guy.