Page 84 of The Agreement

Karine’s fingers tightened around his as she said softly, “It’s nothing.”

He didn’t believe that.

Roman wondered if she was thinking the same thing as him. If he took her now, what would happen to her tomorrow? That diamond ring should be on her finger—there it was, bare. Where was it?

She’d taken it off, and didn’t even bother to hide her naked finger from his pointed stare. Clearly, she didn’t want any reminders of Dima tonight.

That should have bothered him. Or at the very least, given him some sense of guilt about the situation they found themselves in together.

Except it didn’t.

At all.

The only thing he thought about the missing engagement ring?

Good.

Roman didn’t care to indulge the jealous side of his nature, nor did he intend to admit he felt it in the first place. He didn’t own this woman—she wasn’t his. There wasn’t room for his possessiveness here regarding someone who wasn’t even his.

Yet, there it was.

Burning in his heart.

All because of a missing fucking ring. Yeah. There was no way he was going to poke that monster and wake it up more than it already was. Hadn’t he played with fire enough without adding feelings to the mix as well?

Roman sure as shit thought so.

Apparently, his silence didn’t settle well with her because the next words out of Karine’s mouth were sharp, and they stung. “I know what I want. Do you think I’m just a silly girl? That I don’t know what I’m doing here?”

“That’s not what I said.”

Karine’s brow dipped as she regarded him quietly before asking, “Then, what are you saying—or, aren’t saying?”

He figured, if she could ask, then she should know. “That you may have changed your mind about this, and if you have, that’s fine. I’ll leave now—if you want me to. Say the word, babe.”

She pulled her hands away from him as if she’d been burned, her nostrils flaring with indignation, and even though it was dimly lit, he saw the color pink her cheeks. The very fact that she was offended because she thought he implied she didn’t know her own mind said all he needed to know.

It still wasn’t enough for Karine.

She wanted to make it clear, it seemed.

Very much so.

Instead of saying anything back to him, she simply slipped the straps of her nightdress over her shoulders. They fell down her arms, dragging the rest of the thin material with them until it fell beyond her pale, full breasts.

She stood with her chest on display, tipping her chin up at him almost defiantly. Still, she said nothing.

Fuck.

He’d probably seen hundreds of tits in his lifetime—fake and real—and somehow, the sight of Karine’s bare torso made it hard to breathe. He struggled to keep his gaze from wandering, or worse, from physically reaching out and allowing himself to pull the nightdress down the rest of the way. It was like he had never seen a naked woman before.

Or maybe it was just because she was so beautiful. And even more so when she stared at him like she was willing him to deny that fact.

He wouldn’t.

God.

He couldn’t.