Page 23 of Tempt Me
Chapter13
Rue
My eyes flutter open briefly as a cool breeze drifts over my face in the early morning. Sleeping was hard to come by, but I must’ve eventually dropped off. Turning over, I will myself back to sleep when there is a soft rap on the door.
Groaning, I ignore it and snuggle further under the covers when the interconnecting door bursts open.
Sitting up instantly, I run my hands through my hair, seeing Isaac march over to the bedroom door and yank it open. Struggling to see around his enormous frame, I kneel on the bed, but don’t see anything except his broad back covered, as usual, in a tight black tee.
“What is it?” I ask, forgoing pleasantries as things didn’t end well between us last night. Fully understanding, I get his attitude with regard to my arranged marriage, but it still stings. I just wish I could tell him what is really in my heart about this. He doesn’t seem to get it, and I’m not good with emotions, so it all comes out wrong.
Isaac slams the door shut and turns to face me with a cubed wooden box that looks heavy and solid.
“You expecting a package?” he asks, also forgoing pleasantries and getting down to business.
“Not that I know of.”
“Humph.”
His grunt is muffled by the sound of him slamming the box on the small round table in the corner of the room where I usually eat breakfast.
“What is it?” I ask again, even though he hasn’t opened it yet. I’m curious, and I want to know.
Without a word, he gingerly unclasps the latch and lifts the lid a fraction, pausing when nothing happens and then lifting it slightly higher.
A vicious hiss rings out in the silent room, making Isaac rear back suddenly.
“Fucking hell,” he mutters and, lightning fast, slams the lid shut.
“What?” I ask, climbing off the bed. “What the hell is going on?”
He finally looks at me, glancing up with a fierce scowl, more fierce than usual. His gaze drops to my naked body, lingering in all the right places before it shoots back up, and he fixes me with an expression filled with longing and desire, which he quickly shuts down to my disappointment.
“Get dressed and follow me.” He scoops up the box, carrying it under his arm as he heads for the door.
Scrambling into action, seeing as he obviously has no intention of waiting for me, I grab a sundress from the closet, slip it over my head and catch up to him at the top of the stairs. He thumps down in his heavy biker boots compared to my light-footed bare feet.
“Where are we going? What is in the box?”
He doesn’t answer me, not that I really expected him to. He is obtuse, stubborn, and as taciturn as a lamp, but for my sins, he is so hot, I wanna climb him like a tree right here, and everything else be damned.
Fuck, Rue.Get him out of your head.
Not having too long to wait to see where we are going, at least, he shoves open the door to my dad’s office on the ground floor of the villa, catching him by surprise.
“Where is Francesca?” Isaac asks, all business.
Dad must understand because he immediately stands up from his chair and shouts for her. She comes in a few moments later, stopping short when she sees us all piled into the office.
“What is this?” she asks, folding her arms.
“Good question,” I mutter, earning a severe glare from Isaac. Well, nothing new there, then.
All eyes are on Isaac when he, this time, carefully places the box on my dad’s desk. Dad crosses over to him with a querying frown.
“What is it?”
“Don’t expect him to answer that? I’ve asked about a million times,” I jibe.
