“I’m not accusing you of doing anything wrong.”Except driving me insane, wanting you.
She exhaled in relief as she signed out of the system. “Oh. Good.” I gave her space to scoot the chair back, but I didn’t leave her. “I would hate for you to ever think I was doing something wrong. Or letting a mistake happen that could damage something.”
I watched her grab her tote bag. It wasn’t really a purse, and it seemed like she only used her phone to play a word-of-the-day game. She did pack a lunch and bring it, like this was a regular nine-to-five gig. It didn’t seem to cross her mind that we had a chef here.
“Elena.” I waited until she faced me. “You do understand that these accounts represent business matters that aren’t exactly above the law, don’t you?”
She winced. “Please don’t say anything else. I don’t want to know.”
I chuckled as she put her empty tote bag strap on her shoulder. Used to the routine of “walking her home,” I was pleased that she didn’t try to treat this like goodbye yet. “Ignorance is bliss?”
“I hope it can be.” She began to leave the room with me. “I’m aware that your organization is a criminal one. But I really,reallydon’t want to know the details. I feel intimidated to have the access to the numbers you provide me with. Millions and millions.” She swallowed and glanced at me. “Sorry if that makes me sound sheepish or stupid about it. But I… don’t want to know. Maybe ignorance can be bliss in that regard.”
When she bumped into the doorframe, likely because she wasn’t looking where she was walking, she gaped in surprise. “Oh, shoot. I forgot my glasses.”
I’d already caught her with the misstep. But I didn’t release her elbow. She’d brushed against me accidentally with this collision at the door. It was an innocent mistake. Unplanned contact.
And it seemed like fate.
Gazing down at her blue eyes that sucked me in every time, I let out a ragged breath. This close, this alone, I forgot all the reasons I was supposed to deny myself.
“What if ignorance isn’t bliss?” I asked, lowering my gaze to her pink lips.
“How so?”
“What if I admitted you’re driving me fucking insane the longer I have you here and don’t know what you taste like?” I cupped her face and stroked my thumb over her lower lip.
She gave me a heavy look with her lids hooded and depriving me of those mesmerizing blue orbs.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Me too. I’m sorry I’ve held out this long.
Because as I closed the distance and pressed my mouth over hers, stealing her gasp of surprise, I felt like the world had stopped moving. Like time stood still. As I brushed my lips over hers and kissed her until she sagged against me, I realized my mistake.
Ignorance was fucking bliss. I reluctantly parted from her at the sound of my cousins and brothers nearby in the house. And now that I knew how sweet she was, I was automatically stuck with the fate of wanting more. Of lusting for more than a kiss.
Maybe I had been better off not knowing.
She’d unleashed a devil of desire in me, one I bet I wouldn’t be able to win against so easily again. Not if I wanted to stay sane.
10
ELENA
Ikept my eyes closed after Adrik pulled away. His warm breath hit my lips, so wet and swollen from his eyes.
My heart thundered so fast in my chest, but it wasn’t fear. It wasn’t a panic attack that something bad was due to happen.
Instead, for the first time in my life, I felt the giddiness of somethinggood. The excitement of something thrilling and delicious.
Shock faded as I felt the intensity of his stare on my face. I didn’t know if he was looking at me since I had my eyes closed. But I felt it. I felt so much of him—that tantalizing body heat that seeped into me, the rough hardness of his muscled chest flush to mine and making me feel so small and dainty, the possessive grip of his hand on my face as he cupped it yet, and the burn of his attention.
As I slowly lifted my lids, embarrassed to be in such a daze from one kiss from him, I witnessed it all.
The hungry yearning in his intense stare.
The need that was etched into the furrow of his brow.
