Page 10 of Royally Bad

Blinking, I stared at Kain. He’d snuck up on me, his arms folded over his gray jacket. He looked oddly clean and crisp in such fancy clothes. In one hand, he held two champagne flutes.

We were alone in the kitchen. That fact sat heavy in my belly.

Gripping the counter behind me, I said, “Your sister needed the help.”

“Careful.” He stepped closer, his eyes never straying from my face. “Once you start with her, she’ll never stop asking you to do things.”

Helplessly, I measured the distance between us. I was trapped in my corner; he’d corralled me so easily. “I like helping people.”

“I have something you could help with. Something prettybig.”

Flushing, I bounced my attention down to his zipper. I didn’t mean to, it was as if his gritty voice had taken hold of my neck and guided me down.

And his smile said he’d seen me do it.

I cleared my throat. “You’re a big boy, you can help yourself.”

“Oh, I do. And I will.” His foot came down, the shiny shoe transfixing me the closer he got. “I’ll jerk this cock off to thoughts of you, sweetheart. Especially to the memory of how you felt in my arms earlier.”

My muscles were useless. All I could do was squeeze the counter harder. “Fine. Go do that.”

“Tch.” His chuckle caressed between my legs. “You can pretend all you want, but I know I got to you, too. That’s why you’ve been avoiding me all day.”

“I was busy with your sister,” I argued.

“And after that?”

“I was planning to go home.”

“But you didn’t.”

His lips were only a foot away. How had he gotten into my personal space so smoothly? When I spoke, it was a whisper. “I was just about to, you interrupted me.”

“Let’s get some honesty going.” His arm came forward. I flinched, expecting him to touch me—he put one of the glasses next to me on the counter. “You want me. I cantellhow badly you want me. And you also want nothing to do with me.”

“That last part is definitely true.”

Grinning, he bent against the counter. “You’re not looking for some long-term baby-making plans with me, right?” Fuck, I was so red. “You want to never see me again? Fine.” His low tone flooded my ears, making me dizzy. “Get me out of your system.Fuck me,sweet thing. Fuck me and forget me.”

Could he hear my heart? “That ... that’s not ...”

Cupping my chin, he leaned his weight into me. I bent, I crumbled, and I let my facade crack. Kain was too tempting. I wanted to know how his smirk would feel on me, how his quick tongue would taste.

He was right. I wanted him.

I didn’t know I’d closed my eyes until he breathed out. Blinking, I watched him study my eyes. Thumbing my chin, then my bottom lip, he said, “You’re too curious to walk away.”

Kain stared me down. I kept wondering when he was going to kiss me.

Stepping back, he nudged the champagne into my hand. On impulse, I took it. “Drink. Then come find me in the garden.”

“What?” It came out louder than I wanted it to.

“You’re not from here.” Such a flat accusation. It was almost an insult. Kain watched me over his shoulder, his body angled so I could admire the slimness of his waist, how the black pants hugged his ass. “You were lying earlier, I don’t know why. But it’s clear you don’t know who I am ... or who my family are.” He hesitated. “Drink that, take some time, and if you still want to mess around, come find me in the garden.”

There was nothing else to be said, apparently, because he walked out of sight.

Sliding down to the floor, I hugged the glass. Holy shit, that walking stack of sex and passion ... he’d left me a total mess.

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