His Terms

Better she block out any and all emotion that had to do with wanting Rian for more than sex, because those emotions would end up getting her hurt in the long run.

Sorcha had been surprised she had fallen asleep anyway, especially with how much adrenaline had been pumping through her veins. She turned and stared blurry-eyed at the clock. It was early, and although she knew Rian hadn’t followed her, for whatever reason, she knew he’d be coming soon.

The moonlight shone through the window, almost iridescent as it illuminated the room.

The feeling of still being watched drew her away from her thoughts, and she pushed herself up into a sitting position and glanced around. At first she didn’t see anything, but then she glanced at the doorway and her heart stopped.

The large body standing there motionless was shrouded by shadows. Sorcha held the sheet to her body, as if covering herself from Rian’s penetrating gaze. She didn’t know how to feel, especially when he took a step into the room, and shut the door behind him.

“I should have gone after you, but I stayed to speak with Beatrice and clear everything up.” He turned his back to her and started taking off his tux.

“You don’t owe me an explanation,” she said softly. In all honesty she didn’t want to talk about it.

He glanced over his shoulder at her as he removed his bowtie, but he didn’t respond. When his jacket was off he started removing his cufflinks, wristwatch, and then took his shirt off. The power in his back, of the way his muscles contracted and relaxed with his movements, of course had heat filling her. She turned away, because she didn’t need this right now.

After a few minutes, and the sound of clothing ruffling, she felt the heat of Rian’s body. With a hand on her shoulder, he turned her so she was forced to watch him. There he stood, in nothing but a pair of low hanging lounge pants.

Sorcha was at least thankful he hadn’t just jumped into bed naked and expected her to fuck him after what had happened.

He sat on the edge of the bed, kept his hand on her arm, but glanced down at the ground, as if he didn’t want to look at her face.

“I want to apologize for the way Beatrice acted tonight. She was drunk, and she let her emotions get the better of her.” He looked at her then, but the way he was positioned and the light through the window, blocked out the front half of him in shadows. “I made sure you got home okay, but I figured you’d want a little time to yourself.” He paused for a moment. “So that’s why I didn’t rush back here and say all of this.”

She licked her lips, not sure what to say, so she just kept her mouth shut.

“But I don’t want to just apologize for the way Beatrice acted, because it was my actions that pushed her to that point.”

“She controls how she acts.” Sorcha appreciated that he was apologizing, but she also was a firm believer in taking responsibility for her own actions. Beatrice might have been drunk, but she decided to confront Sorcha, she had dug up in Sorcha’s personal life, and she was the one that had lifted her hand and hit her. “But I am glad you took some responsibility in your own actions.” She smiled, but she was still on edge about how the night played out.

He nodded and started rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm. “I told her that I was sorry for making her feel less than what she was, because if I had been more considerate of others’ feelings instead of my own, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

“And you realized that now?”

He shrugged. “Pretty fucking crazy, huh?” He turned so his back was to her again, and stared out the balcony windows. “But I realized,” he glanced at her, “and yes, in the short time it took for you to knock some sense into my arrogant ass, that I do live a selfish life.” He exhaled, and before he could turn away from her again she sat up once more.

Sorcha didn’t know if she should be happier that he finally realized what a total ass he was, or that he was actually admitting it to her out loud. “Is she okay?”

He turned toward her again, and she saw the way he knitted his brows. “Why would you care? She hit you, assaulted you, and said some pretty hateful things.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, she did all of that, and was a mega bitch, but what can I do about it?” She swallowed at the intensity of his stare. “Besides, I’m only in this with you for seven days, remember? What is the point of getting all up in arms when I won’t be in your life permanently, like she thinks?”