Smirking, I taunted, “What’s the problem, Princess? Afraid if you get too close, you won’t be able to stop yourself from jumping my bones? Don’t let my toned body fool you. My lap is quite comfortable.”
Lucy pretended to fake a gag before firing back, “You know what they say about a man with a big ego? That he’s got a tiny dick.”
She shot me a smug look, thinking that insulting my manhood would provoke a hypermasculine reaction. The joke was on her, and she didn’t even know it. Only I knew the truth that I’d already been buried deep inside her molten heat, making her scream, yet she would be unable to pick my dick out of a lineup.
There was only one way to remedy that.
Gripping the edge of my towel, I began to lift where it crossed over my legs. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Lucy’s eyes dropped to my lap, and when the skin of my knee became visible, she jumped up like she’d been burned and ran from the room.
For anyone keeping score at home, the count currently rested at Preston 2 : Lucy 1.
Chapter 12
Lucy
After Preston’s little towelstunt, I decided to keep our relocation to Milan for most of the month to myself for longer than I normally would have.
I’d stewed over that interaction for a week, berating myself for being a coward and running. I should have called his bluff. He would never have exposed himself to me completely—Preston was all talk.
He knew exactly what he was doing. Liam spilling the beans about Preston’s knowledge of my plans changed nothing. It only meant we were now both aware of the rules of the game. There would either be one winner or two losers.
Unlike me, he didn’t have a support team waiting in the wings, constantly devising new plans to get him to throw in the towel.
Ugh, towel. I needed that image to leave my brain!
I mean, could you blame me? I hadn’t had sex since the night my world tilted on its axis, and I’d snuck out to Desire. Tony had been everything I needed in that moment, and for some reason,my night with him still hung around in the back of my mind. We said one night, and I’d meant it, but Preston was driving me insane, and I needed a night to forget—again.
In the end, it didn’t matter. We were headed for Milan tonight.
Sauntering into the breakfast room, I was delighted to find Preston dressed for work in a gray suit, sipping his coffee and checking his emails, blissfully unaware that I was about to throw him for a loop. Maybe today would be the day, and I’d push him too far. Traveling to Milan free as a bird sounded like heaven.
Stepping over to the sideboard, I poured myself a cup of tea. Biting back a grin, I tossed over my shoulder, “Are you packed yet?”
Completely oblivious, Preston fired back, “I told you, Princess, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”
Thanks for the reminder, jackass.
Turning, I took a slow sip of my tea. “I meant for Milan.”
That got his attention. Tearing his gaze away from his phone, he looked up at me with those hazel eyes, which today appeared more green than brown—spending more time with him, I noticed they shifted depending on the light and sometimes his mood.
“Why would I pack for Milan?”
“Well, we leave tonight, darling.”
Folding his arms across his chest, he stared me down. “I’m going to need more information than that. What’s in Milan, when are we going, and how long will we be gone?”
Feeling the urge to play with my food before I ate it, I taunted, “I thought you knew everything . . .”
Unamused, he snapped, “Answer the questions if you expect me to accompany you out of the country.”
Smirking, I retorted, “Not like you have a choice.”
He blew out a breath in surrender, remembering that he was at my beck and call. “Fine.Pleasemay I know how long we aregoing for, so I know how much to pack?” Under his breath, he added, “Maybe if I make it sound like a fashion crisis, she’ll be able to understand.”
Pleased that I had him visibly agitated, it was time to lower the boom. Smiling sweetly, I replied, “Well, since you asked so nicely . . . My fashion studio is headquartered in Milan.” The first piece of news was met with understanding by Preston, but I wasn’t done yet. The next part was what would set him off. “We are leaving tonight after dinner, and we will return on the first of December.”
