Three Rich Men: House of Midnight Fantasies / Forced to the Altar / The Millionaire's Pregnant Mistress. Michelle Celmer

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      She couldn’t help but return his smile. “Why does this not surprise me?”

      He rimmed a slow finger along the edge of his glass, drawing her attention. “Unlike you, I wasn’t a great student. You could label me the classic underachiever, at least during high school. I did manage to obtain an MBA from Notre Dame.”

      Selene didn’t consider that an underachievement at all. “I went to the University of Georgia for my undergraduate studies. No master’s although I did consider going back at one time. But then I made that fatal mistake of getting married instead.”

      “To Richard the fool.”

      Selene wrapped both her hands around her glass and stared into the burgundy liquid. “Yes, to Richard the fool.”

      She heard the scrape of his chair but failed to look up, her pulse accelerating with the sound of his approaching footsteps. She finally did give him her attention when he pulled her chair from the table, turned it to one side, then positioned another chair to face her and dropped down into it.

      He rested his hands on her thighs. “I like what you’re wearing tonight,” he said in his chill-inducing voice.

      “Thank you.” She’d actually chosen the sleeveless red silk blouse and black mid-thigh skirt for him, as absurd as that seemed.

      He inched his hands higher, just beneath the hem. “Have you thought about what I proposed earlier?”

      She sighed. “That’s all I’ve been thinking about.”

      “And?”

      “I need to think a little more.” As if she could really think at all with his hands on her. “I’ll do that while I’m washing the dishes.”

      “The dishes can wait.”

      “I need something to do while I think.”

      He hinted at a smile, as if he might have a suggestion on what she could do. “Leave your veranda doors open in your bedroom. I’ll come to you.” He leaned over and brushed a soft kiss on her lips, then stood.

      “I guess I’ll see you in a while, then.” She’d agreed without hesitation, but then she’d known all along she would. Known that buying more time would only delay the inevitable, and he knew it, too.

      He turned away briefly before facing her again. “Don’t get undressed. Wear what you’re wearing now.”

      “Anything else?” she asked.

      “That’s it. For now.”

      Then he was gone, leaving behind his sandalwood scent and leaving Selene with a heightened sense of excitement and impatience.

      Whatever he had in store for her, Selene doubted she would easily forget it—and she hoped she didn’t regret it.

      Twenty minutes later, Selene walked into the darkened bedroom, fumbled for the lamp on the dresser and switched it on. After slipping off her sandals, she crossed the room, the floorboards creaking beneath her bare feet, her knees practically knocking from nervousness. She knew what she was about to do would be deemed risky, the reason why she hesitated when she clasped the brass handles. As soon as she opened the doors, she would be opening herself up to several possibilities that could be very good, or very bad, at least in the long term. The long term didn’t matter. Being with Adrien tonight did. A risk she planned to take.

      Selene opened the doors wide, letting in a draft of warm, humid air. The moon had returned, fuller this time, washing the veranda in a blue glow. She backed away, uncertain what to do next or where to go. Should she lie back on the bed? Or would that make her seem too eager? After deliberating a few moments, she turned off the light, took the wing-back chair across the room and waited. And waited …

      Just when she decided Adrien had changed his mind, he appeared at the open doors, causing Selene to startle even though she’d been staring at the spot for several minutes. He moved into the room like some ethereal being. A dark, imposing presence.

      Surprisingly, he strode to the dresser and clicked on the same lamp Selene had turned off. Obviously he didn’t prefer darkness in every instance. He still had on his slacks, but he’d removed his shirt, and his wavy hair looked as untamed as his eyes. He touched the gold medallion hanging against his bronzed chest then ran a slow palm down from his sternum to his belly. For a minute she thought he might remove his pants but instead, he stalked toward her.

      With great effort, Selene maintained a relaxed posture despite the rapid beat of her heart. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

      Adrien braced both hands on the arms of the chair and leaned toward her. “I had every intention of coming, and soon you will, too.”

      He topped off the suggestive comment with the hint of a smile that did little to ease Selene’s urge to twitch in the chair. She clasped his offered hands and allowed him to pull her up into his arms, against his solid body that radiated heat. When she pressed her palms against his chest, intending to explore, he caught her wrists and held her arms at her sides.

      “I’ll do all the touching,” he told her, his voice impossibly deep.

      “Does this mean you expect me to be submissive?”

      “Yes.”

      Nothing new there. She’d played the submissive to Richard, but then she hadn’t really cared enough to actively participate. Their married life had involved little more than occasional, perfunctory sex. Although she’d avoided too much analysis during their time together, she realized now that any true passion had been lacking from the beginning. During lovemaking—if she could really call it that—she’d always been detached. At times, even uncomfortable. Yet she sensed that with Adrien, detachment or discomfort wouldn’t be an issue.

      He glanced behind him toward the bed before bringing his gaze back to hers. “Normally I prefer the unconventional, but I might have to make a few concessions tonight.”

      She was more than curious and a tiny bit nervous over the possibilities. “What do you consider unconventional?”

      He brushed her hair away from her shoulders. “Anywhere other than a bed. But after I get started, you might be too weak to stand.”

      Weak? She was already feeling weak only imagining the potential in his promise. And in order to see this through, Selene would have to give him her trust. She honestly believed he didn’t intend to hold her down and torture her, or at least not any way that would put her in serious jeopardy.

      Adrien kept his eyes leveled on Selene while he turned her palms up and kissed each wrist. “You don’t have to worry,” he said, as if he sensed her concerns. “It’s up to you to tell me when to stop or to go.” He lifted one of her hands and rubbed her knuckles along his jaw. “Although you’ll be saying go more than stop. Yes more than no.”

      Selene appreciated his confidence. In fact, she appreciated everything about him at the moment—the length of his dark lashes, the definition of his incredible mouth, the breadth of his shoulders and the clear-cut control he emitted.

       Absolute power.

      “First, you СКАЧАТЬ