Page 12 of Blazing Desires
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”
His mischievous smile contradicts his words, making him seem not sorry at all. He stands and stretches his tall frame after having been sitting for so long. I watch his muscles stretch and ripple as his arms rise above his head. His top comes free from his pants, a sliver of tan skin giving a teasing peek at what is hiding underneath. I lick my lips before catching myself and pretending that I’m not ogling him.
“How do you even know it’s here?”
I raise a quizzical brow at him even though his attention isn’t on me. He’s already marching away from the chair as another knock lands on the woodwork.
Thank fuck he didn’t catch me, that would have been mortifying.
His answer doesn’t come straight away. Moving swiftly to the door, he opens it slightly while using his body to block any opening into the room. It should worry me how seriously he’s taking his role, but most of my bodyguards had been similarly serious, at least at first. His right hand hovers over the gun at his side, prepared to aim it at any potential threat on the other side of the door.
I groan quietly at how fucking sexy he is doing it, like he crawled straight out the pages of one of the dark mafia romance novels currently decorating my bookshelves and ended up in my room. Blaze must deem there to be no threat, because he opens the door wider and pulls the trolley in. It looks like my dear old dad wasn’t lying when he said I wouldn’t eat or leave my room without his say.
Controlling bastard.
The door is closed and locked before he wheels the trolley over to where I sit. Once he’s close to the coffee table in front of me he efficiently unloads the dishes, placing a sad-looking salad, a banana, and what appears to be a protein bar on the white marble tabletop. Lastly, Blaze places a suspiciously bright green smoothie next to the food.
I’m not drinking that shit.
I can’t help but imagine the neat row of food as a police line-up. The only difference here is that they’re all offenders. My father is the worst, giving me the most basic lunch to ensure I get what I need from it but removing all the enjoyment I could get from food.
Luckily, I at least have access to fresh water via the filter that had been installed when my room was redecorated a few years ago, but now I wish I had bought myself a mini fridge. I’d do anything for an ice-cold soda right now.
“Should I be worried that you were so absorbed in your book that you didn’t hear the knock on the door? How will you ever know if there is immediate danger if your eyes are glued to the ink on the pages?” His tone is light and teasing but holds an undercurrent of admonishment.
His admonishment pisses me off. I’m too hungry for something delicious to eat, like a glazed doughnut, to stop a snarky reply from slipping out. “I heardyou, didn’t I? I think I’ll be just fine, Blaze.”
As I fire back my retort, I’m still looking at the miserable collection of food before me like I could set it on fire with my eyes, mentally trying to make the food burn to ashes.
“Look at me, Davina.”
Now he’s being serious. I do as he asks, taking my time not only to enjoy the view on the way up but because I know he’s about to tell me off. My palms turn clammy as the regret of my retort creeps in.
“My eyes are up here, love.”
I snap my eyes to him—the fucker is toying with me. That stupid fucking dimple reappears with the grin gracing his lips. I ignore the sense of relief that I’m not in serious trouble with him.
“I understand human anatomy,love.” It’s a lame comeback, but the hunger is taking over now and stopping me from being clever.
He arches a sharp brow at me, and I nearly stop breathing at the way it affects me.
How can he be turning me on right now?
“I sure wouldloveto test you on your anatomy knowledge, but for now, let me make this crystal clear.”
He leans forward, placing his palms on the marble tabletop. Over the food and as close to me as he can get while still being at eye level. “I need you to have some awareness of your surroundings. I’m glad you are comfortable and safe enough around me that you can switch off, but that might be a problem.” He tenses. “I could have been taken out, unable to protect you. If that were the case, you could’ve gotten hurt—or worse, killed.”
Before I can stop the words from leaving my mouth, I sarcastically throw out, “what a shame that would be.”
The next thing I know, Blaze steps over the table with his long, muscular legs, bending as he falls to his knees in front of me. His hands come up to the sides of my face, gently cupping my jaw while avoiding the bruise and cut on my right cheek, cutting off my self-deprecating laugh.
I forget why he’s kneeling before me as his warm scent hits me full-on while I breathe it into my lungs. I want to bottle it and spray it on everything.
“Don’t.”
He clenches his jaw so hard I hear his teeth grinding. His eyes close briefly before searching mine, only inches away from my face.
“Don’teverfucking say that again, Mea Divina. Not even as a joke. Do you hear me?”
