He drags his chair closer to me and lifts his brows. “So, Lianne made you do chores, huh?”
The housekeeper asks Samuel if dessert is required tonight, and he tells her of course before returning his attention to me.
I smile at his excitement for something sweet. “Something like that.” I giggle.
“And she isn’t trying any funny business?” He eyes me.
“What does that even mean, Samuel?”
The housekeepers appear in the room again, placing bowls of sorbet in front of each of us, then exits just as fast as they entered.
“You know exactly what I mean.” He picks up his spoon, flinging it around, and digs it into the pink frozen treat. “Lianne business. She likes to get into trouble. I just pray she doesn’t drag you along with her.” He takes the biggest bite.
“She doesn’tliketo get into trouble. She just happens to be a free spirit that takes things a little too far someti—”
“Fuck.” Samuel places a hand on his forehead.
I burst out laughing as agony washes over his face, his eyes squinting as the brain freeze seeps in deeper for him.
Through narrow eyes, he peers at me. “Are you laughing at my pain, little Eden?”
I take a small bite of my own sorbet. “Yes, I am, actually. It’s funny how a small amount of raspberry sorbet can bring down a big guy like you.”
My words come out more taunting and sarcastic than intended, but I can’t help but continue to laugh.
Samuel is out of his seat before I can even see it happen. I’m in his arms so fast, his hands tickling me. “You little...”
“Samuel . . . stop . . . I can’t . . . breathe.”
My forced laughter fuses with my real one.
He hauls me onto the dining room floor, his body caging me in. “Good. Maybe you’ll learn to not laugh at my misery.” His fingers are at my waist, still punishing me.
“Samuel . . . come . . . on . . . stop!” I shriek as one of his arms wraps around my inner thigh.
My cheeks flame up with nerves.
“Maybe you’d like that too much.” He stops, keeping one hand on my waist and another on my thigh. Panting, he looks down on me.
I clear my throat, turning my head to look away.
“Let’s go to bed.” He lifts me off the floor and carries me to, what I know, will be his room.
17
Kameron
She is fucking stunning. The way her buttery blonde hair cascaded around her face as she ran her fingers through it anxiously.
This beautiful woman was on her bar stool, fiddling with her empty drink, trying to ignore the drunk embarrassment yearning for her attention. I hoped the guy would’ve taken no for an answer, but I was wrong.
The minute he put his hand on her, I wanted to run over there and split him in half. But I forced myself to be the cool, calm, and collected Kameron Grant. The guy in front of her was a terrible example of a man. Not taking no with his head held high, he had to go and touch her. So, I made him leave with his tail between his legs.
He should considerhimself lucky.
I told myself I would scare him off and then walk away, since I’m not here in town for pleasure but for business. I know better than to let this woman distract me, but I went over anyway—yes, I wanted to get him the fuck away, but I also needed to be closer. To hear what her voice sounded like, what she smelled like. Fuck, I wanted to know how soft her skin feels on mine. I didn’t expect her to be so confident when I made my way over. The way she was bouncing her leg on the bar stool made her seem full of unease, and I wanted to take away that discomfort.
In a way, I guess I did, since the minute I was in front of her, something changed in her. I saw it in her eyes first, the rest of her body following suit. Her mouth was no different. She spoke to me like I was the lucky one out of the two, which was the fucking truth.
