Page 77 of Peasants and Kings
“That’s emotional blackmail!”
“Aye,” he said, completely unperturbed by my accusation.
His blunt fingers massaged my scalp and I couldn’t help the slight moan of pleasure from escaping my lips.
After a stretch of silence, he said, “You weren’t interested in my cufflinks or my watch.”
I frowned. “What? Were you expecting me to rob you after you’d fallen asleep or something?”
He laughed. “No. I just mean—I’m wealthy, aye. And it didn’t matter to you. My wealth, my diamond cufflinks, my two-hundred-thousand-dollar watch, you didn’t even notice. You didn’t notice when we met in the Bar and Restaurant and you didn’t notice the night we spent together.”
I blinked. “You spent two hundred thousand dollars on awatch?”
“It’s a Roger Smith,” he answered gruffly. “I offered you a million dollars and you acted like—I don’t even know. There was no calculating gleam in your eye. You weren’t going to ask for more. You acted like…well, you weren’t worth a million dollars. The Rex world is glamourous and elite, and it didn’t turn your head. The only time you were really impressed was when you stepped foot on my yacht.”
“A yacht is in-your-face wealth, Hadrian.”
“So is a private jet.”
“I expected the jet. Businessmen have jets. I didn’t expect the yacht. Not on this grand scale. I’m starting to think you have more money than sense.”
“You know why I offered you a six-month contract?”
“Because you can’t be bothered to date?” I quipped.
“Because your reaction to me wasn’t staged or faked.” He paused for a moment and then went on, “You weren’t born to be a Rex girl, Eden. You won’t be able to seduce and flirt and pretend that you feel nothing. You feel far too much, so you try feeling nothing at all, and you don’t seek out emotional contact.”
I moved away from him so I could rinse the shampoo out of my hair, but also to compose myself.
Hadrian might’ve asked questions, but he didn’t need to; not when he clearly saw who I was.
It didn’t matter that I called myself Eden. Eden was a sham, a shell.
“Am I that easy to read?” I asked, finally opening my eyes and meeting his gaze.
“To those who care enough to pay attention, aye.”
“And you paid attention.”
His hands moved to my tense shoulders.
I pushed away from him so I could leave the shower. A towel hung on the rack and I quickly grabbed it and wrapped it around myself, not even bothering to dry off. I just wanted to get away from Hadrian.
“Are you feeling better?” Hadrian asked as he climbed out of the shower, tacitly agreeing to change the subject. Water sluiced down his muscular body, making me want to drag him to bed.
I thought about his question. My skin was flushed and warm from the shower, and dried sweat no longer clung to my body. “Yeah. I feel better.”
“Are you drowsy yet?”
“Not yet.”
He wrapped a towel around his waist. His damp skin glistened, and in spite of pushing him away moments ago, I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out to caress him.
“I love it when you touch me,” he said, his brogue enveloping me in a sensual haze.
“I can’t seem to stop,” I admitted. I slid my hands up and down his chest. My arm suddenly felt heavy.
Hadrian stepped toward me and scooped me up into his arms.
