“How? By starving me into submission?”
Alex motioned for her to sit down. “Oh, sorry, I owe you dinner. Unfortunately, I was planning on being home later, so my housekeeper has the night off. What would you like? I’ll send Martin out to pick something up.”
Angel was curled up in the corner of one of the big brown couches, her head resting on her hand, looking up at him. “Or, you could just take me home.” His green eyes roamed her face in the low light. He liked the intimacy of the moment and didn’t turn on more lights.
The dog jumped up on the couch and settled next to her, and soon she was stroking the thick golden coat.
“I’m not taking you home.”
Alex grabbed a remote and soon soft music was filtering in from some hidden speakers around the room. Angel flushed, not liking where her thoughts were headed.
“Nice. Will there be a huge round bed dropping from above and a spring-loaded champagne bucket popping up from some hidden hole in the floor?”
Alex laughed. “No, Angel. I like music. I have it piped all over the house. I’m not one of those.”
“Hmmph!” She let out her breath, her expression clearly doubting his words. “Yeah, sure. If I explore the house, will I find ten other sex slaves, bound in chains, locked up in the basement?”
Alex huffed, sinking down in the chair facing her and downing the rest of his drink before placing it on the end table nearest him. “Hardly. I only have one sex slave at a time,” he joked; his beautiful mouth quirked up at one side and Angel had to laugh. He was gorgeous; her breath hitched even though she should be pissed at being held prisoner.
“So, why are we here?” she asked softly, wanting to know his intentions.
His green eyes bored into hers and his finger and thumb tugged on his lower lip as he considered his answer. “Well, because we made plans to be together tonight, and you pissed me off going to that meat market alone. You should know better than that.”
“I wasn’t alone.” Max put his head in her lap and whimpered for Angel to continue stroking his coat. “Kenneth was there.”
“He was late. If you can’t count on him then get more responsible, uh, friends.” A new wave of anger rushed up in his chest, heating his skin. He rose and walked slowly to refill his glass. His movements were relaxed, but his tone spoke of agitation.
Angel smirked, unable to hold back the glimmer of hope that this amazing man cared enough to be jealous. “What is all this? We agreed we’d be monogamous when it comes to sex, but otherwise, we’d live our lives. Besides, we had plans later, and you knew it. I don’t get why your panties are all in a bunch. I wasn’t fucking him under the table, so I wasn’t violating our understanding,” Angel goaded softly. She bit her lip to hide a smile when he turned back to her from the bar.
Jealousy burned him alive, but it was more worry over her safety and he needed her to understand that. “I feel sure he’d like to be doing some violating.”
“So what? He knows where things stand,” she said, nonplussed.
Alex tried to read her expression, wondering if she was telling the truth. “All I’m saying is that if the guy can’t keep his word, then make concessions to compensate.”
“Like what?”
“Like use your goddamned head, Angel! It’s not just him! You know what I’m talking about!” he blurted loudly, startling Max, who jumped down to go to him.
Alex moved to sit on the floor in front of Angel when she didn’t answer, feeling her eyes burn into him and her perfume wafting around him. After a minute, he turned to her.
“Look, I’m not ignorant or immune to what’s going on with you. Last night at the station, there were hoods messing with your car while I waited; I chased them away.” Angel’s heart thumped in her chest and he reached out for her hand, kissing the tender flesh on the inside of her wrist, his eyes holding hers. “What if I wasn’t there?” he asked against her skin.
Angel sighed softly, unable to help softening toward him, and her hand moved to the side of his face. “Nothing, Alex.” She shrugged slightly. “If you weren’t there, I would have been fine; like I’m always fine. They were probably just some neighborhood kids messing around in the parking lot.”
“I won’t take chances with you.” Alex struggled. Should he tell her about his car and the note? He didn’t want to scare her, but he wanted to protect her. The undeniable emotion that moved him to take care of her both enthralled and terrified him. He worried; he wanted to protect, to touch, to taste, and to own like never before.
His fingers closed around the wrist near his chin, and he pulled her toward him until his mouth found hers and his arms encircled, pulling her down onto his lap. He was gentle, the kiss coaxing; not like the passionate assault in the limousine.
“Just give me some peace of mind and be more careful,” he pleaded as his lips left hers and she curled into him, his fingers sliding into the silky strands on the side of her head as his thumb brushed her jaw. “What should we order for dinner? You’ll need energy later.”
Angel chuckled and nodded, her forehead coming into contact with his jaw. She felt safe here in the arms of a man she barely knew. It was nuts but undeniable. Their intense physical connection and his tenderness were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. That told her that there was more about him she wanted to know—and know well—despite the fact that her heart would bleed when it ended. Her emotions ruled her mind for the first time and it felt too good to fight. She smiled into him. “So will you.”
His chest rumbled underneath her cheek as he laughed. “I like the sound of that. Okay, something with a lot of carbs, then.” He pulled out his phone. “Martin, please run down to Giovanni’s for some pizza and spaghetti. Hold on.” He moved the phone away. “Angel, what kind of pizza do you want?”
“Pepperoni and cream cheese.”
Alex grimaced. He’d never heard of that combination. “Pepperoni and, uh, cream cheese. Yes, me either. Yeah, I know, it sounds gross to me, too!” Angel punched him playfully in the stomach and he grunted. “Get a large supreme and whatever you’d like, also. Don’t forget the hot peppers and parmesan.”
Angel was nibbling on his lower jaw when he threw the phone aside. “It’s delicious, asshole. You’ll be eating your words.”
“Mmmm…” Soon, Angel found herself pinned beneath him, his hot mouth on her neck, hands pushing her blouse open, teasing the sensitive flesh under her lace bra. “I’ll be eating something, that’s for sure. If I’m lucky.” He smiled against her skin and she let out a breathy moan that went straight to his cock. “You’re delicious.”
Alex and Angel sat in the middle of his huge, over-sized bed, in the middle of the disheveled sheets, finally eating the pizza, now cold, that Martin had left on the counter in the large marble and mahogany kitchen.
Alex’s eyes widened. “Holy shit! This is… fucking… amazing!” he mumbled with his mouth full. It was three AM and they were both starving and exhausted. Angel giggled as she picked up a slice and tried to situate herself back into the pile of bedding. She tried desperately not to spill it in the dark, the only light coming from the moon shining in through the cracked blinds. Alex’s bedroom was like the rest of the house: stone, massive furniture, dark wood, and all man.
“Told ya,” she said, shoving the pizza into her mouth, laughing.
He watched her with amusement as he enjoyed the satiated glow of her expression and her waves of dark curls falling softly across her cheek as she concentrated on her pizza. He delighted in having her with him; their evening spent teasing and exploring each other’s bodies to the height of heights. She was the most exciting creature he’d ever known, but yet, so easy to be with.