Page 43 of Exposed

“Oh, hi darling. I didn’t hear you come in.” Her voice was gritty, and hopefully, sleepy enough to deter him. She rolled onto her back and rested the palm of her hand on the side of his face.

His deep, onyx irises glimmered at her in the darkness, stark in comparison to the whites of his eyes. The heavy stench of whiskey hung on his breath, invading her nostrils. She pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth to keep from turning her head away.

“I need you,” he whispered, his arm slid under the covers and across her chest, placing him partially on top of her. “Right now.”

His mouth crushed down on hers and his hand shoved up her shirt, grabbing her bare breast and squeezing it in his fist. He climbed on top of her, his other hand tugged at her pants while balancing himself on his knees.

Panic shot through her and she caught his hand, her fingers digging into his wrist with sharp determination. It took every ounce of self-control not to hurl him over the side of the bed. He broke away from her and a deep crease etched his brow.

Her chest rose and fell between them and her throat clamped shut. “What’s wrong?” His voice dropped to a low growl, demanding more than he was asking. She’d witnessed Carlosdrunk before, but never to this extent, and never when she’d been alone with him.

She lifted her shoulders sheepishly. “I have my period, honey. I thought I told you.”

His body stiffened against hers and his fingers flexed on the soft tissue of her breast, but they didn’t release their hold. A beam of moonlight peeked through a slit in the blinds and caught his face. His jaw worked in a side-to-side motion, his sharp, black eyes never left her face.

“No. You didn’t tell me.” He released his ironclad grip and pushed off her. The movement was abrupt and harsh. He adjusted the blanket over him. Heat radiated off his body and the air crackled between them. “Don’t you think it’s fucking strange that we haven’t had sex yet? Because I sure as hell do.”

She stared at the ceiling and clenched her hands into fists on her stomach. How she reacted was the key to him suspecting her or not. She spun onto her hip, pushed herself up to her elbow and snapped her eyebrows together.

“You know, it’s not my fault you got sick on the yacht, nor is it my fault you decided to stay out gambling all night. I don’t care, do what you want, but don’t complain that we haven’t had sex when you’re hardly around. And guess what else? I’m a woman, and I get my damn period. I didn’t time it, and I sure as hell can’t do anything about it.” The words flung out of her mouth rapid-fire.

The planes of Carlos’s face hardened as she flopped back down, fisted the covers in her hand and yanked them as she turned her back to him.

Her insides quivered but she kept her muscles tense, fighting the shake that wanted to overtake her. Silence fell around them like a heavy cloak. Carlos didn’t move and the urge to turn to face him tugged at her.

He let out a deep, rumbling groan and the bed swayed beneath her as he moved. His hand curled around her shoulder and his hot breath blew over her ear.

“It’d better be gone in a few days.” He spoke carefully, his words carried the weight of a man who’d always gotten what he wanted—she would be no exception. His thumb bit into her shoulder and she dug her nails into her palm to prevent grabbing his hand and snapping his wrist.

“Have a good sleep,” he mumbled. His words drawled into a long, drowsy slur and a snore split through the air before he finished.

Maddie exhaled a long, low breath. There was no way to tell if he’d even absorbed a single word she’d said. She probably could have agreed to have sex and stalled and he would have passed out.

She closed her eyes and pretended she was in bed with Nate. His warmth surrounding her and the soft timber of his breath on her neck. She drifted off with the memory of his mouth on hers.

***

Maddie tucked herhair behind her ear and bounced on her toes as she rapped her knuckles against Nate’s stateroom door. Once Carlos had passed out last night, he hadn’t woken up until his alarm this morning. She, however, had jumped every time he moved, fearful he would come on to her again. Thank god he hadn’t. Footsteps sounded inside, paused, and the lock snapped open.

“What the hell are you doing?” he breathed. His fingers snaked around her elbow and he towed her into his suite.

She planted her palms on the smooth cotton of his T-shirt, his muscle bunched beneath her skin as he closed and locked the door. “I didn’t know you were coming,” he chastised. But hishands landed on her hips, almost as if they had a mind of their own.

“Carlos is gone, he and Hector left for the excursion. I didn’t want to waste time texting.” Not when she could be in his arms instead.

His lips curved into a grin and he pulled her closer. He sucked her bottom lip into his, his teeth bit gently and she moaned.

He pulled away and took her hand. “As much as I want to continue with that thought, we need to take this opportunity to go through Carlos’s computer.”

She curled her fingers into the heat of his palm, and he slipped his shoes on and grabbed the key card from the entryway table. He stopped, his gaze landed on her bare legs and the short hem of her fitted blue summer dress. His fingers grazed the top of her thigh and slid in between them.

“Mmm. I like this.” He bent and pressed a kiss to her shoulder, his hot, wet tongue flicked over her bare skin and goosebumps erupted over her body.

She fisted her hands into the front of his shirt and lifted to her toes. Her nipples tingled and tightened, aching for his attention.

Nate straightened and slapped his palm to her ass. “Let’s go.”

Disappointment coursed through her, but she followed Nate into the hall. He took the key card from her and swung the door open, propelling her in after him. He shut the door, and secured the chain and lock.

---