That knowledge appeased Damien, if only slightly.
“As for your brother,” she went on. “He is a kind soul. He is a bit playful, true, but it is apparent it is all a jest for him! Are you jealous of your own brother now?”
“Do not put words in my mouth. I am not taking issue with your growing relationship with my brother,” he countered. “I would never be jealous of Jeremy. I trust him.”
“Then what is it you take issue with, Damien?” she asked, sounding exasperated. “Is it me you do not trust?”
“No, I take issue with the fact that you are denying me!”
He had not meant to say the truth out loud. Their back and forth had just grown so quick that he had not bothered to think before he spoke. He took in her shocked, hurt expression, and willed himself to calm down.
“That is not what I meant,” he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Caroline let out a bitter laugh that made him grimace.
“Oh, then do please explain,” she countered with obvious disdain.
“You are not just denying me,” he said, willing his voice to sound calm as he placed a hand on his chest. “You are denying yourself. I canfeelit, Caroline. The way you melted into my embrace when I kissed you. The way you sighedsosoftly when I massaged your feet.”
Lust tunneled through his veins as he came to his next point, and he had to pull in another breath just to keep himself in check.
“The way you looked at me,” he rasped, daring to take a step closer as a blush rose in Caroline’s cheeks. “At the pond. And again in my study when you found me touching myself.”
He swallowed, willing himself to be brave enough to say the next part.
“Touching myself to the thought of you,” he barely breathed, taking another step closer. “We want each other, Caroline,” he stated, holding her gaze. “You just refuse to accept it.”
He was barely a foot away from her now; far too close for her to try to hide her reaction. Her breath grew shaky, her pupils dilated, and that pink blush of hers turned crimson.
“Tell me I am wrong,” he commanded huskily.
Caroline’s tongue darted between her lips, skimming over the bottom one before she drew it between her teeth and nibbled on it. How he craved to do that for her.
“Well?” he asked, taking that final step toward her. “Am I wrong?”
Caroline exhaled another shaky breath as she tipped her chin up, the black of her pupils nearly consuming all of those rich earth tones that normally swam in her irises.
“It does not matter,” she rasped. “You still are not allowed to touch me.”
“I do not need to touch you to prove that you want me,” he murmured, a slow smile forming on his lips.
Taking his time, he lowered his eyes, taking in every detail of her body and relishing the look of her before he met her eyes again.
“W-what?” Confusion filtered into Caroline’s eyes as she forcibly swallowed.
“Take a seat,” he commanded, stepping out of her way. “And I will show you.”
Chapter 20
“Sit down, Caroline,” he commanded, and stepped to the side, waving a hand toward the velvet couch that she was once hiding behind.
Defiance swirled and intertwined with exhilaration as Caroline began to tremble.
“No,”she replied. She was not going to take orders from him. Not after he had just accused her of holding hands with another man. She truly had not felt his touch, if that had even happened, and she was still deeply offended that he implied that intimacy with other men was something she craved. It had hurt her more than she wanted to admit, even to herself, and she would not reward him with her obedience.
Yet as she defied him, that sinful smile on his lips grew as his amber eyes darkened. He did not snarl or yell as he had just moments ago, and she pondered the complexity of the man before her.
“You are trembling,” he said, his deep voice surprisingly soft. “You should sit before you fall down. Those beautiful legs ofyours seem to be having trouble holding you up.”
