Page 17 of Ruthless Touch
If he wants to live in silence, then so be it. I can do silence too. It doesn’t come as naturally to me as it does to him, but I can do it.
Just before I reach the bathroom, I hear him say, “Aria, you’ll be spending time outside the penthouse today.”
I close my eyes and stop walking as I decide whether I want to engage with him. He makes it next to impossible not to since he says so little and every statement that comes out of his mouth practically begs for me to respond.
As much as I should remain silent and give him the same treatment he gave me last night, I can’t. Spinning on my heel, I face him and see his eyes widen for just a moment. I don’t know why. I sleep nude right beside him every night. He can’t possibly be shocked by seeing me standing naked in front of him now.
“Why? Where are you consigning me to today? Do I get to watch the gardener as he waters flowers on the terrace while your other guests enjoy a nice breakfast? Are you training me for a job at your hotel, Gideon? That would at least make some sense, as opposed to what we’re doing here each night.”
He merely stares at me, his dark eyes laser-focused on my face. “Wear the blue dress with the little yellow flowers along the hem. One of my security guards will be here to get you at ten.”
“You’re picking out the clothes I have to wear now? What’s that about?”
But, of course, he has no answer for me and simply turns to walk out of the room. Fed up with whatever game he’s playing, I rush over to block his path and reach him just before he gets to the door. The look of shock on his face is real, although I don’t know why he should be surprised.
A person can only take so much before they can’t control themselves anymore.
“Stop and explain to me what the hell is going on. You get jealous when I dance with another man last night, so you send me to my gilded cage, only to have that woman come get me so I can be right beside you when Marcello and Franco show up. You pretend like we’re some happy couple for them, although I have no idea why, and when my ex calls me a slut, all you do is threaten to throw him out of your precious hotel. Not that I guess I should expect anything more since you took me and have clearly decided you don’t want me. But then you give me the silent treatment, despite the fact that I did nothing wrong. Why are you like this?”
The words stream out of my mouth like I’ve rehearsed every syllable night after night for nearly a month. Never before have I sounded as strong and confused at the same time.
He listens to every word, never once moving to force me out of his way. His dark eyes stay fixed on mine, like the clue to how he should answer can be found in them. When I finish, I wait for him to say even a few words, unwilling to deal with silence anymore.
If he wants out of this room, he needs to say something. I might not be as big as him, but I can put up a fight like a cat trapped in a bag.
When he finally does speak, I take a step back in shock.
“I’m like this because this is who I am. I told you last night that you did nothing to anger me, and that was the truth. I have a lot of things on my mind, Aria, and it would be nice if for once, just once, you didn’t have to be one of the problems I have to deal with. You don’t want to stay here all day, so I made arrangements so you don’t have to. Please get dressed and be ready for when security comes to get you at ten.”
I don’t think Gideon has said that many words at once to me in the three weeks I’ve been here. Maybe I touched a nerve. But he still has one question to answer for me before I move out of his way.
“Why the blue dress with the yellow flowers? Why that particular dress today?”
For the first time this morning, he smiles, and it’s like someone turned a light on inside him. Even his dark eyes brighten. Best of all, he looks like my question made him happy.
“Because I think it will look beautiful on you. That’s why.”
“Will you be wherever your security guy is taking me? Where am I going anyway?” I ask, pushing my luck but eager to keep him talking.
“It’s a surprise,” he answers, his smile still as big as it was a moment ago.
“Will you be there for this surprise?”
I don’t know why I keep hoping at some point he’s going to finally look at me and realize he wants me. If it hasn’t happened by now, it’s not going to happen.
But when he’s sweet and he smiles like he’s happy to be with me, I can’t help but wish it would.
Gideon leans down to position his mouth next to my ear and whispers, “I’m always there when you’re in my hotel.”
His warm breath brushes against the shell of my ear, exciting me. Pressing my thighs together, I feel an ache begin to form. If only he would touch me, we could have fun. I’m already naked, and it wouldn’t take much for him to be.
My hopes for any kind of morning rendezvous are dashed when he gently moves me out of his way and walks out into the living room. Disappointed, I don’t ask him anything else and slowly mope back to the bathroom. On my way, I glance over at the clock on the wall and see it’s nearly ten already. I guess there won’t be time to me to masturbate in the shower.
I swear to God this entire place is just one tease after another, with Gideon being the biggest tease at all. As I wash my hair, I close my eyes and let the water run down over my head as I wonder if he does it intentionally or is he really just like this and none of how he behaves is deliberate.
Whichever it is, this whole cat and mouse game he’s playing with me is driving me nuts. It’s also making me so sexually frustrated that he shouldn’t be surprised if I start coming on to Raphael, my favorite guard and statue.
After taking one last look in the mirror at myself in the dress Gideon ordered me to wear, I walk out into the living room reconsidering these shoes with their three-inch heels. Glancing down my body, I study them for a moment and wonder if lower shoes might work better.