Page 89 of The Rejected Wife

The narrowing of his gaze, the way he stalked toward me, everything indicating he's the hunter. And I'm the prey. My stomach bottoms out. Fear pinches my nerve endings. Excitement pumps through my veins My hind brain insists I put distance between me and that large, lethal predator who’s eyeing me like I’m his next meal. The woman inside me who wants to hold her own insists I not show any hint of fear.

I deliberately slow my pace, moving forward, very conscious of him watching my every move. I reach the entrance to the villa and dry my feet on the rug. It’s meant to be functional, but under his gaze, it turns into a seductive slither of skin against bamboo fibers. A shiver runs up my spine. I purposely raise my arms above my head, stretching and making sure to push my butt out. I’m conscious of his gaze burning into my back. Conscious of the increase in tension radiating from his big body. Suddenly, I’m so hot that when I step over the threshold and under the fan oscillating on the ceiling, I shiver.

I hear his footsteps—measured, deliberate—drawing closer. When they stop, so do I. Something in the silence presses against my spine. I turn.

He’s watching me, satisfaction radiating from every inch of him. There’s a dangerous gleam in his eyes, and my heart stutters like it’s lost its rhythm.

I’ve done exactly what he wanted. Walked straight into a trap—one set by him.

“Run,” he growls in a low voice.

I tremble. I don’t understand what he’s saying, but my instincts, stretching back to when men and women lived in nature, leaves me in no doubt what he intends. Still, I shake the hair back from my face and scoff, “What do you mean?”

"Run.” His lips twist in a smirk. “For when I catch you, baby, I can’t promise that I’ll be able to stop until I’ve had you over and over again. Until I’ve stamped my name in every cell of your body. Until I’ve kissed very inch of your delectable curves. Until I’ve tasted every dip and sampled every fold. Until I’ve violated your every hole."

"That’s…very explicit," I say primly.Is that why I’m so turned on?My cheeks feel like they’re on fire. Every inch of my body is on edge. Ready, primed, and waiting for him. But damn, if I’m going to make this easy for him. That primitive, instinctive part of me urges me to, at least, attempt to escape.

"Nothing compared to how explicit it’s going to be when I get my hands on you." He takes another step forward. I notice absently that he’s holding a bottle of sunscreen in his hand. He takes another step in my direction. Adrenaline spikes my blood. My pulse rate shoots up. I yelp and skitter back.

He cracks his knuckles, then rolls his neck as he advances on me.

I frown. "You’re trying to intimidate me."

He smirks again. "Am I succeeding?"

I glance around, grab one of the folded towels on the table near the door and hurl it at him. With a speed that makes me blink, he snatches it out the air, then tosses it aside.

Of course, he’s a former Marine who keeps in shape. His reflexes are far sharper than mine. I spin around, then race deeper into the room. I sense him behind me. My heart leaps into my throat. A giggle rises, but I stifle it. My stomach twists. The thrill of being chased, combined with excitement of trying to evade him, and then the anticipation of what he’s going to do when he catches me, laces my blood. I sprint to the far end of the living room. Breath coming in short pants, I turn to find him stalking toward me.

"You can’t escape me.” When he lunges for me, I bend low and evade him. A triumphant laugh bursts out of me as I put on a burst of speed and run past him. The adrenaline in my blood ramps up as I scoot forward.Made it!Then I yell as he grabs me around the waist.

He spins me around, swinging me up and over his shoulder.

"Let me go!" I writhe in his grasp, kicking out with my legs while bringing my fists down on his back.

Then a flash of pain bursts across my senses. "What the hell!" He slapped me across my butt! He follows up with another one across my other butt cheek. Then the first. He alternates between both sides, and I’m so stunned, I forget to react. He’s spanking me.Jey-sus! He’s. Spanking. Me.He reaches the handwoven, rattan reading chair I admired earlier and swings me down, so I’m bent over it.

I’m on my feet with my hair flowing down to block my vision, my arse up in the air.

I try to straighten, but he plants his thick arm at the small of my back, holding me in place.

"What are you doing?" I ask, breathless. I am so turned on. Something about this position that makes me feel helpless and at his mercy—not to mention the fact that I can’t see what he’s up to next—is strangely arousing. I’m also a little scared of what he’s going to do next, and that ramps up my desire further.

In reply, he plants the bottle of sunscreen on the nearby table. The audible thump sounds ominous. Goosebumps pepper my skin. And it’s not from the air conditioning. With a single flick of his fingers, he unties my bikini bottoms which fall to the floor. Cool air assails my pussy.

My thighs tremble. Then he plucks at the knots which hold my halter top in place, and suddenly, that’s off too. I’m completely naked. And when he kicks my legs apart, I shudder. My desire builds to fever pitch. Moisture trickles down my inner thigh.

Heat covers my back as he leans over me. He pushes my hair aside and peers into my eyes. "Are you okay?" The concern in his expression is combined with naked lust. The vein at his temple stands out in relief. He’s holding himself back. Waiting to make sure I’m okay. My heart stutters. My already soaked pussy threatens to turn into a river of need.

I look into his eyes and nod.

"You sure?" His forehead furrows. "If not?—"

"I’m good, I promise. Now, can you shut up and do to me whatever you had planned?"

His mismatched eyes flash. Then he laughs. He kisses me hard. "Your wish is my command." He licks into my mouth. "Remember, you asked for it."

Before I can ask him what he means by that, he spits on his fingers. My heart somersaults in my rib cage, and when he fingers the forbidden knot in the cleft between my arse cheeks, my entire body turns to fire. It's a mixture of lust packed with a healthy dose of fear. "Wh-what are you doing?"

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