“I should get to bed too.” She got off the couch with the towel still wrapped around her chest, her dark hair falling down her back. She walked to the front door, her small feet tapping against the hardwood floor as she moved.
I pulled on my clothes then followed behind her, moving slowly on purpose because I didn’t want to leave. If I were at home right now, I’d already be in bed. But being with her gave me a new jolt of energy. She was like a shot of caffeine.
I stopped in front of the door and resisted the urge to yank her towel off. I wanted to swoop her into my arms, take her to her bedroom, fuck her into the mattress, and then sleep with my dick still inside her. “Can I ask you something before I go?” My hands rested on her hips, and I stepped closer to her, watching her eyes soften in reaction.
“Sure.”
“Connor Suede.”
She stared at my lips before her eyes flicked up to mine. “Interesting question.”
“You never wanted him? You seem attracted to him.”
“He’d just offered me something incredible. Of course, I was happy around him.”
“What did he offer you?”
“The same thing he offered to Titan, a spotlight. But a spotlight that concentrates on the beauty and success of a powerful woman. It’s the kind of image I want. It’s the kind of publicity I crave. He’s going to design the perfect clothes for me to convey that image. It’s a pretty big deal, and I’m incredibly flattered.”
Her explanation made sense. “That makes me feel better.”
She smiled at me. “For not wanting a relationship, you get really jealous.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“You don’t want me to be attracted to other men. You don’t think that’s a little ridiculous?” She pulled her towel higher up her body, her smile accompanied by a look of amusement.
“I told you I’m just possessive.”
“Same thing, Thorn.”
“I don’t agree.”
“Well, I know I get jealous. But at least I have the balls to admit it.”
My gut instinct was to smile at her confession because the idea of her being jealous inflated my ego even more. “Jealous of what?” I hadn’t even looked at another woman since the first time I met Autumn. She’d been the only woman in my mind—and in my bed.
She opened the front door to let me out. “Good night, Thorn.” She hid behind the door so the cold wouldn’t hit her bare skin.
Before I crossed the threshold, I circled my arm around her waist, and I leaned down to kiss her.
She kissed me back, greedy as usual.
I ended the embrace but kept my face close to hers. Her eyelashes were the same color as her dark hair, and that darkness made her eyes stand out even more. My fingers squeezed the towel at the small of her back, and I pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Yes, I get jealous…really fucking jealous.”
Chapter Three
Vincent
It was seven in the morning, and I was standing outside the MET in my suit and tie. The sun was out and it was a clear day.
But it was cold as hell.
People passed on the sidewalk, going to work with a cup of coffee in their hand. Puddles were on the sidewalk, leftover from the thawed snow. I pulled back my sleeve and looked at the time.
I hoped she was still coming.
A cab pulled up to the sidewalk, and Scarlet emerged in red heels and a long-sleeved black sweater dress. An olive green scarf hung around her throat, and her brown hair was in large curls. Big sunglasses covered her eyes, but her smile couldn’t be diminished by anything.
She walked toward me, looking like another model in the city. She pulled off her glasses before she reached me and placed them in her purse. “Good morning, Vincent.”
“Good morning, Scarlet.”
She stopped in front of me, her hand resting on the strap of her bag. She didn’t try to shake my hand, and she didn’t try to hug me.
I didn’t touch her either. A part of me wanted to, but another part wanted to put a thousand miles in between us. I stared at the perfect complexion of her face, the redness of her lips, and the brightness of her green eyes. My eyes lingered on the freckle on her cheek before I finally turned away. “This way.”
“What are we doing here, Vincent?”
The guard opened the front door and ushered us inside.
I let Scarlet go first before I joined her. My driver appeared with two paper cups of coffee and handed them over.
“Coffee?” I extended the cup to her.
“Sure…thank you.” She held it in her hand and took a drink. “How did you know I like soy lattes?”
“I called your assistant.” I walked forward into the grand entryway, seeing the enormous room filled with ancient art pieces and sculptures. Everything from the Byzantine Empire to Mesopotamia was included in this historic museum.
She walked beside me, staring at me with a dumbfounded expression. “That was very nice of you, Vincent.”
“Think nothing of it.” I approached the first painting, a huge fresco that depicted one of the earlier wars in human civilization.
Instead of looking at the painting, she glanced around the room. “Are they open yet?”
“No. We’re the only ones here.” I didn’t take my eyes off the image, seeing the exquisite piece of work right in front of me. It was thousands of years old. Generations had come and gone, and now everything they’d ever known had disappeared into the earth. Now I got to appreciate it with a hot cup of coffee in my hand, wearing a suit that was worth as much as a down payment on a car. These people had struggled in a way I
