Page 18 of On Her Terms

“I can’t believe he’s getting married in four days,” he says, bringing the conversation back to Tate.

I don’t answer; instead, I pretend I’m asleep.

“After the bar, we walked to the golf course. We ran into your grandfather there.”

“Granddad was golfing?” I ask. Darn, I’m supposed to be sleeping.

He scoffs. “Strange, right?”

I slowly turn to see if he’s kidding me or not. My eyes meet his and there isn’t an ounce of humor on his face. In fact he’s frowning. “What?” I ask.

He rolls to his back, shoving one arm under his head. “He was with your uncle Bill. Bill congratulated me on our engagement. So much for James keeping our secret.” Damn, no doubt Uncle Bill would tell his sons, my cousins Alec and William. They’re both expected at the end of the week, along with Uncle Don and his new wife.

“Dammit.” I pound the bed. “Now we’ll have to pretend in front of everyone.”

“I know.” A moment of silence and then, “Are you sure we’re going to be able to pull this off? He’s pretty good at reading people and situations.”

“That’s what made him so successful on Wall Street.”

Luca moves his leg and it touches mine. I suck in a fast breath and jerk it back, hoping he doesn’t notice my reaction.

“That right there is what’s going to tip him off,” he says, his voice a bit deeper, huskier than it was a second ago.

I’m so on edge, it’s hard for me to think straight. “What are you talking about? What’s going to tip him off?”

He slowly slides his leg toward mine again, and I flinch when he touches me. Not because I don’t like the connection, but because I like it too damn much. I shouldn’t have sex with this guy again. It goes against my rules. And those rules are in place for a reason.

“The way you react to my touch,” he says. “You’re all jumpy.”

“Then stop touching me.”

“Ah, but if we’re going to pull this off, your granddad will expect us to touch. Tate and Summer are getting married, and they can’t keep their hands or eyes off each other.”

With my stomach tightening, I roll onto my back. He’s not wrong, of course. Granddad will expect to see us gazing at each other, touching lovingly, acting like Tate and Summer.

His hand slides across the bed, his fingers lightly brushing over my arm. I’m about to pull away but stop myself, not just to prove we can pull this off, but because I like what he’s doing. Dammit. I’m off my game, not as in control as I’d like to be. Then again it was fun sleeping with him. Why can’t I do it again? Break my rules just this once. It’s not like my heart is going to be involved. I’m too smart for that.

“If we’re out and I touch you like this, you have to pretend you like it,” he says. “You might even want to touch me in return.”

Touch him, Brianna. Do it already. Take what you want.

Before I can stop myself, I roll toward him. I place my finger on his shoulder and then drag it downward, stopping near the tiny hairs forming a V-shape at his pelvis. His hips jerk, and the sheets tent just a little more. “You mean like this?”

He moans. “Yeah, like that.”

“You think I’ll have to touch you like that in public?”

“I can’t say what kind of situation we’ll find ourselves in, but I think we need to be prepared for anything, don’t you?” He smirks. “Your granddad is a smart man, and we wouldn’t want to do anything to make him suspicious, or upset him.”

“You’re right. We do have that to consider,” I say, going along with this game he’s playing.

He turns on his side to face me and I take in his chiseled face and sculpted jaw. Simply put, the man is gorgeous. “I think we should practice,” he murmurs. Dark eyes full of possession search mine as his hand goes to my side and traces my curves, stopping on my hips. I shiver at the heat of his touch, the way my nightgown is lifting higher on my legs. I can’t believe I’m playing along. Then again I’m drenched with desire.

“I don’t think we have a choice,” I say casually, even though there is a storm going on inside me. The black in his eyes bleeds into the brown. My God, the hungry way this man looks at me is insane. This crazy lust between us is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. It’s volatile, explosive and I pray to God it doesn’t blow up in my face.

It’s just sex, Bri. Nothing more.

He puts his hand on my thigh and then slowly slides it upward, his face searching mine, like he expects me to tell him to stop.