Page 35 of King of Deception

“Me?”

“My first time. I want it to be you.”

“Oh, it’s going to be me, luv. Don’t doubt that. It’s going to be me.”

I drift off to sleep.

When I wake the next morning, I’m still warm and snug, not having moved all night. I have no idea what time it is, but the sun is high in the sky.

I stretch my legs and bump into the rougher skin of Gris’s leg, his hair ticking my smooth calf.

A smile curves my lips. He stayed.

“Morning, Bella,” he rumbles behind me.

“Morning,” I answer, my smile only growing. “What time is it?”

“Nine,” he murmurs back before he kisses my neck. “How’d you sleep?”

“So good,” I don’t want to move, I’m so comfortable. “You?”

“Excellent. I like your bed.”

I laugh. “It’s all right. It’s definitely better when there’s two people in it.”

He chuckles in my ear. “If that’s an invitation to sleep here again, I accept.”

I laugh back. I should say no, but I don’t want to. How can Gris be the cause of so many of my problems and my one comfort in all of this.

I stretch again, my behind pushing into the cradle of his hips, his stiff cock settling in the crack.

“Fuck, Bella.” His hand splays out on my stomach, pushing me even tighter against him. “You’d better be careful or?—”

A loud knock sounds on my door. I lift my head, my brows scrunching together. This is becoming a habit…

I close my eyes and ignore the sound. Maybe whoever it is will just go away.

“Bella,” Preston bellows. “I know you’re in there. Open the door.”

“Crap,” I mutter, not moving. I don’t want to get up and I definitely don’t want to answer the door.

“This is usually the moment where you jump up, demand that I hide, and frantically cover the evidence.”

His words sting something deep inside. But it has nothing to do with Preston being at the door. I’m over any guilt I might have felt. “You’ve done this before?”

I’m asking if he’s had an affair with a “taken” woman.

He skates his hand from my belly over my hip, kissing my neck. “Demand that you end your engagement and then place myself in your bed? Nope. First time.”

When he says it like that, it sounds like a crime of passion and not corporate blackmail. But the words still push me out of the bed as I toss the covers over him. “Feel free to stay put.”

“Bella!” Preston bangs again.

“Coming!” I know Gris has seen me naked, but I still heat as I walk over to my closet naked. I feel his gaze follow me.

Not bothering with underwear, I pull on sweatpants and a hoodie. I haven’t brushed my teeth or my hair, but I don’t think Preston is waiting much longer.

Padding across the room, Gris is up on one elbow, his gaze assessing. “So I don’t need to hide in the closet?”

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