Just as she stretched an arm over the side of the bath to reach for the towel, the door opened. Gasping, she ducked under the water, making sure it covered her up to her chin.
“I brought you dry clothes,” Joss said, dropping a pile of folded garments on the closed lid of the toilet.
She gave him an icy look. “What happened to knocking?”
To her irritation, he only chuckled. When he scooped up her wet clothes from the floor, her heart jerked to a standstill. The necklace was still in her pocket.
“Leave those,” she said louder than necessary.
His eyebrows pulled together.
“That’s mine,” she added in a breathless voice.
His gaze sharpened with disturbing attention. “I’m aware of that.”
Water sloshed over the floor as she reached out with an open palm. “Give them to me.”
“Calm down.” His frown deepened. “I’m not going to steal your clothes. I’m going to clean them.”
“You’re going to wash them?” she cried out.
“I’m not going to throw them away, so yeah.”
“I can do it,” she said quickly. “I’ll do my own laundry.”
“Cle.” He gave a chastising click of his tongue. “I’ve seen a woman’s underwear before.”
“I don’t want you to—”
Before she could finish her sentence, he was gone.
Her body turned cold in the warm water. Shit. How was she going to explain the necklace in her pocket?
She jumped out of the bath, making more water splash over the side, and barely dried herself before yanking the oversized T-shirt he’d left over her head. There was no underwear. She got her feet tangled in the legs of the large sweatpants in her hurry to fit them. A vague corner of her mind registered the clean smell of washing detergent that didn’t mask the muskier and manlier scent of Joss that clung to the clothes.
She rushed for the door and stopped dead when Joss entered with a hairdryer in his hand and a look so dark on his face it made her want to shrivel up and hide. In his other hand, he carried the necklace.
Chapter 8
Holding the necklace up to her face, Joss said through clenched teeth, “Care to explain this?”
Clelia stared at the chain dangling from his fingers as water dripped from her hair and soaked the back of the T-shirt.
He dumped the hairdryer on the bench, gripped her nape, and yanked her so close that when he lowered his head, only a hairbreadth of air separated their lips. “You better start talking.”
She didn’t say anything. What was there to say? The evidence that dangled from the fisted knot of his fingers said it all.
“I thought I’d lost this,” he gritted out, clutching the chain so hard his knuckles turned white. “Meanwhile you’d stolen it?”
Resentment burned in her chest. “I didn’t steal it. It broke when we struggled.”
“Struggled?” His fingers tightened on her nape. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I don’t know, Joss. Why don’t you tell me?” Bitterness laced her words. “Maybe it had something to do with trying to kidnap me.” The incredulous anger building like gray storm clouds in his eyes made her add, “The chain broke off in my hand. You frightened me and I ran.”
“Back up a step,” he said, dropping the chain on the counter like the argument had nothing to do with the necklace any longer. “Before we struggled, what had happened?”
She strained in his hold, but he didn’t allow her to escape. He didn’t allow her an inch of space. The heat of his body burned through the layers of their clothes as he regarded her with a wildness that reflected disbelief, shock, and anger.
“It was you, wasn’t it?” he asked in a low voice.
“I—” She swallowed, searching for words.
His jaw set into a hard line. “Finish your sentence, and don’t even think about fucking lying.” His gaze skimmed to the hickey on her neck. “I put that mark on you. Admit it.”
She reeled at the challenge. “Let’s just forget about it. It was an impulsive mistake. You have your necklace back, so we can just—”
“A mistake?” He dropped his hand from her neck so suddenly she stumbled. “Just how big, you can’t even begin to fathom.” He advanced on her, backing her up against the basin. “What we can’t do, is fucking forget about it. You, little witch, have no idea what you’ve done.”
“What I’ve done?” She braced her hands on the counter behind her and lifted her chin. “The last time I checked, it took two to tango.”
“I was out of my mind drunk. You shouldn’t have let me lay a finger on you.” His voice dropped another octave. “But we both know why you’d do something so irresponsible. That was what you’ve always wanted.” His gaze pierced hers. “Isn’t that the truth?”
Anger surged through her and erupted like flames over her cheeks. He was referring to her stupid crush on him. “I got lost in the moment.” She added with a condescending smile, “You’re good. Convincing. I’ll give you that much.”
In turn, his smile was mocking. “I aim to please.” Dragging that dissecting gaze over her, he asked, “Did you come?”
Her cheeks burned hotter.
His smile grew wider. “Good.”
“Get out of my space,” she said, shoving him with her palms on his chest. “I never make the same mistake twice.”
He caught her wrists. “You forced me into a dire situation. When you fucked me, you forced me to take responsibility for you.”
“You owe me nothing,” she said, yanking free from his hold.
Gripping the basin on either side of her body, he caged her in. “Listen to me, little girl, and listen well. Nobody in my team can find out about this. If anyone gets as much as a sniff in the nose, I’ll be kicked off the case for conflict of interest with no way of protecting you.”
“Did I ask for your protection?”
“You forced my hand when you—”
“Fucked you,” she finished in a
