Page 11 of Corrupt Desires

At this point, if looks could kill, I’d be dead ten times over. I tentatively put a hand on her knee, fully turning and giving her my whole attention. “Mrs. Stonewell, I will kiss you many times tonight, courtesy of the cocktail party, so I suggest you get used to it now. You know your family is going to ring the bells hoping for a kiss between the newly weds.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it,” she says while pushing my hand off her. Emilia frazzled is a look I could get used to.

“No, but you need to pretend to. Remember, we don’t know if any of the Romanis are watching.”

“Fine, James. I will go along with it in public, but I sure as hell will make it hard on you in private.”

“I look forward to it, Mrs. Stonewell.”

The rest of the drive is spent in uncomfortable silence. She sits staring out her window, and I would give a penny for her thoughts. I know I saw her eyes softening during the ceremony, that much I know wasn’t an act.

It’s promising for what I have planned.

Nine

Emilia

Iam left utterly confused by James. I found myself actually enjoying the kiss at the altar, not that I would ever admit it to him. I felt a shock run through me when he touched my knee in the car. What in the world was happening to me? It seemed as though James actually wanted me, which goes against everything I’ve come to believe. He declined my parents’ first proposition of marriage, so I assumed hedidn’twant me. I thought his date requests were pity favors for my parents, but everything so far is pointing to the exact opposite.

I huff with irritability. I have a feeling that tonight will be interesting. I know he plans on having sex with me, but I’m not sure I want that. No one knows I’m still a virgin. Sure I’ve dated around but never went as far as sex with anyone. I always imagined my first time would be with someone I truly love and planned to marry. I guess Iammarried now, but I wouldn’t say I love James. I find him attractive and surprisingly a damn good kisser, but that’s as far as it goes.

Finally arriving at the reception, James exits the limo and holds the door open for me to get out as well. He definitely has chivalry, that much is for certain.

Taking his offered hand, I paste a smile on my face, one not quite reaching my eyes. This whole thing is a facade, but I have a feeling that James truly wants this now. It both sends a thrill and a shock through my system. And that is dangerous territory.

* * *

At the party,we must have kissed a dozen times, thanks to my exuberant family. It felt like every few minutes someone was ringing the damn bell. I hate that I enjoyed his kisses so much. It only put me in an even more sour mood. Every time we danced, his hand brushed the exposed skin of my lower back, sending chills racing down my spine. By the end of the night, I felt myself craving his touch. This was not good for me.

After a long night of dancing and socializing, we head back to James’s place, which I guess is my new home. Kayden and Brooke assured us they would take care of taking down the decorations and packing up food, so we didn’t have to worry about any of that.

I grow anxious with every passing minute in the car. So far, James is silent as a monk, looking out his window, seemingly ignoring me. I feel a pang of loss at his lack of attention, but quickly tell myself to get over it. Pulling up to his home, I am mesmerized by how simply he lives. While his home seems large, it is on a much smaller scale compared to a mansion.

Grabbing my bags, courtesy of my mother for packing them for me, I climb out of the car. James quickly takes the bags from me, ever the gentleman. Walking up to his front door, my legs suddenly feel like jelly. James sets my bags down, opens the door, and surprises me by picking me up and crossing the threshold. As he sets me down, I straighten my dress and right myself, standing tall.

“Can you show me to my room please?” I say, expecting him to oblige.

“I don’t think so, Mrs. Stonewell. The only room you’ll be staying in is mine and inmybed.”

Looking at him sharply, I furrow my brows in frustration. “I refuse.”

“There is no refusing, Emilia. I will carry you kicking and screaming into my room, but at the end of the night, it’ll be my bed you’ll be gracing, even if I have to tie you down.”

The audacity of this man never ceases to amaze me. I am slightly taken back by his forwardness, though. This is a side of him I’ve never seen, and it bothers me. Against my will, I feel a wetness soaking my panties. Why do I find his possessiveness so hot?

“Fine, show me toourroom then,” I reply, feeling unsettled. I’m growing more nervous by the minute. On one hand, I am completely craving his touch, but on the other, I remind myself I despise him. I am at war with myself over my conflicting feelings.

Taking my hand and leading me down the hall and up a flight of stairs, I quickly see the sheer size of his home. Although on the outside it doesn’t look big, the inside is quite large. We pass a few spare bedrooms, and I immediately feel frustrated all over again. He clearly has plenty of rooms that I could stay in, but he insists I stay in his bed. It both sends a thrill through meanda sense of trepidation.

Putting my foot down and my hands on my hips, I stop in the hallway and wait for James to notice I’m no longer following him. It doesn’t take him long, however, before he turns to me, quirking up an eyebrow. “So you want to do this the hard way, Mrs. Stonewell?”

Flustered at his use of my married name I reply, “You have plenty of rooms I can stay in, James. This is ridiculous!”

“You’re the one being ridiculous, Em,” he says as he slowly stalks back toward me. “You are going to be in my bed, one way or another.”

He snakes a hand out to grab onto my wrist, but I’m faster. I dodge his grasp, kicking out a leg and catching him on his thigh. Before I can pull my leg back, he grasps my ankle, holding my leg in the air, and I put a hand out to the hallway wall to keep from losing my balance.

“Like I said, Emilia. We can do this the hard way or the easy way. The choice is yours.”

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