Page 17 of Corrupt Desires

“Here you are, Mrs. Stonewell. Breakfast is served,” I say as I lay the tray out in front of her. I grab my own plate and my tea and seat myself at the bar across from her. She looks at me through her lashes, before she picks up her fork and starts to eat.

What I wouldn’t give to know her thoughts right this second.

We eat in comfortable silence, each seemingly lost in our own thoughts. This woman has been my obsession for many years, and finally I have her as my wife. I’ve watched her grow these past seven years, and each time we’ve met she’s been a little more mature, and even more beautiful. Never in a million years would I have thought this would be my life someday.

The sun streams into the kitchen, catching her hair that she tossed up in a messy ponytail, highlighting the different shades of chestnut. It’s absolutely beautiful. What’s even more beautiful are her eyes when the light catches them, showing off the ring of caramel around her pupil. Everything about her is breathtaking.

“What are you looking at?” she asks as she catches me staring, fork halfway to her mouth.Oops.

“Just looking at how beautiful you look in the sunlight, love. The way the sun brings out all the different depths to your hair, and how your eyes absolutely shine.”

“James…” she trails off, looking away from me. What is my spitfire thinking?

“Sorry. I can’t help myself, you’re stunning, you know that?”

“You don’t have to flatter me to distract me, James. Are we going to talk about last night or not?”

“What is there to possibly talk about?”

“Stop distracting me, James. What happened last night can’t happen again!”

“And why is that? Afraid you enjoyed it too much, hmm?”

“James, we only got married to save me from the Romanis. We have to keep up the facade in public, but that doesn’t have to extend into our private lives.”

“I beg to differ. We are married, I’ll be damned if we don’t enjoy it while we have it.”

“And if I don’t want it?”

I stalk toward her around the island, never breaking eye contact. Her eyes narrow as she takes me in, a challenge warring in her caramel eyes.

Stepping alongside her, I pick up one of the large strawberries from her bowl and take a large, juicy bite.

“You know, you taste just as sweet as this berry, love.”

Her pupils dilate, and she crosses her legs. I take the strawberry from my mouth and hold it up to hers. “Here, take a bite and taste just how sweet you are to me.”

She shakes her head in answer, but I’m not having that. I grab the back of her neck, holding her in place, while I bring the strawberry to her mouth again.

“I’m not going to ask again. Take. A. Bite.”

With defiance in her gaze, she leans forward slightly and takes a bite of the strawberry. Her eyes close of their own accord, and when they open again, there is very little color to be seen in them.

“That’s better. See how good you taste. I would give anything to be tasting you right this second, Emilia.”

“James…” She trails off, uncertainty in her words.

“I won’t though, Emilia. The next time I taste you, it’ll be because you begged for it,” I say as I release my grip on her neck and move back around to the other side of the island, gathering up my plate and placing it in the sink.

I feel her gaze upon my back, and when I turn around, she’s glaring daggers at me, breathing heavily.

“In your dreams, James. I won’t be begging you for anything, so help me god.” She sets her fork and napkin down, standing suddenly.

“Thank you for breakfast, but I really would like to leave.”

“And where do you think you’re going, exactly?”

“Anywhere but here…”

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