But he was more disciplined than her and he broke their kiss, pressing his forehead against hers and rolling it back and forth as he let out a heavy breath. “Soon I’m going to get you in bed and keep you there for days. We’ll order food in and I’ll explore every inch and crevice of you. That’s a goddamned promise.”
She blinked, shivers of anticipation hitting her in waves even as another part of her shouted, wait, wait, no. This was just a one-time thing. It was just the adrenaline and a momentary madness—
But then he was kissing her again and she knew that voice was out of its damn mind, because his kisses were drugging and she was intoxicated by him… She’d only known him a few weeks, and she’d never known the most important things about him or what he did… and still she’d become addicted to his presence. Like he’d said, not all of it had been a lie. Unless that was a lie too.
But the terrible truth was—he was right, she had been lonely. Achingly lonely, starved for meaningful human contact. And here he was, ready to fill up her empty places, caress her body to the heights of pleasure, and offering to take care of and protect her.
It was enough to make a girl lose her head. And she was. She was quickly losing all of her good sense and she was terrified she’d come to regret all this rash behavior.
But in this moment, with his arms strong around her and his lips on hers, God help her, but she didn’t regret a single goddamned thing. She kissed him back just as fervently and started to climb into his lap when he pulled back again, laughing into her mouth as he lifted her by her waist and set her to the side of him on the bed.
He groaned. “You don’t know how badly I wish for round two right now, but we’ve got to get on the road.”
Well if there was one way to dash all her lusty feelings, that was it. She pulled away from him and stood up, arms across her chest. She walked a couple of steps away from him.
“Sloane. I’m sorry. Don’t be like that. You know if there were any other option, I’d take it.”
He came up behind her and caressed down her shoulders to her arms and squeezed them. “I promise I’ll take care of you. I won’t give you more than you can handle and I’ll drive fast but safe. I won’t let anything happen to you, I swear.”
Sloane let out a shaky breath, turning to him. “How can you ask me to trust you? I barely know you. Your motives are…” she shook her head. “Suspect at best.”
He nodded. “I know. But you trusted me enough to give me your body. All I’m asking is for a little more.” He grabbed her hand and pressed it to his heart. “You know me. The real me. Trust me.”
He was looking at her so earnestly… The same man she’d seen coldly tie Olly up and dump him in the trunk without so much as a second glance. Was such a man trustworthy? Could he really just flip a switch like that so easily and turn his emotions on and off?
The real question was… did she have any choice?
And the foolish part of her that wanted Nicholas wanted to believe him. So, praying she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life, she leapt in faith.
“I trust you,” she whispered, feeling that three more terrifying words had never been uttered in the English language. “Please don’t break me.”
He reacted solemnly to her words, nodding. “Never,” he said, and it sounded like he was swearing an oath.
“Okay,” she said, but she couldn’t help her voice being a little wobbly. Especially when he nodded and walked over to the bathroom area where he unzipped a small black nylon bag and produced yet another syringe. It must have been where Olly had gotten them earlier.
Nicholas examined the syringe carefully in the light, then did the thing nurses did, spurting a tiny bit out the end before coming her direction again.
She gulped for breath as she tugged her clothes back on.
“Here, lie down,” he said, urging her back. She complied, feeling her heartbeat start to race, though it was nothing compared to earlier. Briefly she wondered if that was the trick of life or God or the universe or whatever one believed in—allowing truly terrible things to happen on occasion to put things in perspective.
Sure the man she’d just slept with might be injecting her with a sedative so she’d sleep for however long he wanted to drive today, but it was for her good. He was doing it to help her.
…Or he was gaslighting the hell out of her and she was now willingly handing herself over to him and whoever this boss of his was. Walking straight into the lion’s den.