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“Dude, you really want to tread carefully. Not just because of who he is but because of why you’re doing this. What happens when the story breaks?”
“I know. It’s silly. I’m ridiculous. Fuck, I’m a mess,” I mumble. I need to do everything I can to stop myself from becoming too involved. I’m treading on thin ice. I can feel myself being drawn to him—way more than I should be.
“Look, don’t do anything silly,” she instructs. “Take a few days to really think about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Then, if you need to, decide where you want this…whatever it is…to go. And for God’s sake, if you’re in danger of, well, anything, call me!”
“Okay,” I agree, not sure what else I can do. “I’ll call you in a few days. Love you.”
I hang up the phone but don’t move from my position on the bed. My head is a jumble of thoughts that I’m too tired to try to unravel. A slight rap sounds on my door.
I jump up and straighten my shirt before I walk over and open it. I’m expecting to see Marina, here to tell me Jaxon would like to see me. I’m still not sure what her deal is, but she seems to always be around. Nothing is ever too much for her when it comes to Jaxon. My eyes widen as I open the door and see him standing there. How long has he been there?
“I thought it was easier for me just to come and get you,” he says, his voice low an
d gravelly. Easier? Since when does easy matter to Jaxon Murphy? I narrow my eyes and stare at him, looking for any indication that he’s not telling the whole truth.
“Is Marina not here?” I ask, studying his face for signs that he might’ve overheard my conversation with Jess. He chuckles and runs a hand through his thick, dark hair. I relax, my breathing slowing to a normal rhythm.
“Marina is always here. Are you ready, or are you going to make me wait? Because I don’t like waiting, Charlotte.” He clicks his tongue, his dark eyes penetrating me. God, how can I feel so exposed by just a look?
“I’m ready,” I say, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind me. I run a hand over my clammy skin. Why am I suddenly so damn hot?
I would have liked to take a shower, but I have no idea when the guy is serious and when he is joking. Just in case, I don’t want to make him wait, because God knows what punishment that would mean.
“Where are we going?” I ask, aware that he is leading me in the opposite direction from that of his office. I blush, pushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. Why would he take me to his office? The guy probably has ten different rooms dedicated to fucking his women.
“You’ll see.”
“Why haven’t I met any of the others?” As soon as the words escape my mouth, I regret them. He glances at me, clearly amused by my question. “I mean, I’ve been here awhile now. It just seems odd that I haven’t run into any of them.” God, I’m babbling. Someone put me out of my misery.
“How many do you think there are?” he asks, his tone curious. “And what do you want to do with them, compare notes?” He laughs as heat rushes to my cheeks. He’s enjoying this. This is the most relaxed and happy I’ve seen him.
“I’m just curious,” I mumble, wishing I’d just kept my mouth shut.
We reach an elevator and I struggle to contain my surprise. Who has a fucking elevator in the middle of their house? The doors open, and he motions for me to enter first. I do, leaning against the back of the small car. He stands next to me, and the doors close. My body tenses. Being alone with him makes me nervous. Knowing how I feel around him makes me want to hurl. How can I be so attracted to such a bad person? What kind of a woman does that make me? I’ve never felt as turned on as I do when I’m around Jaxon Murphy. I know there’s more to him, and that’s what intrigues me.
We exit on the top floor, an area of the house I’ve never been in. We enter a huge ballroom with stunning high ceilings and windows that overlook the grounds and the sprawling hills beyond.
“It’s beautiful,” I mumble, unable to draw myself away from the breathtaking view.
“It’s okay.” He leads me across the room and into another, smaller room that is nearly all windows. The sun is beginning to set outside, creating the most serene backdrop. If it weren’t for the nature of our arrangement, it would almost be romantic.
“Through here.”
I follow him to another room. Darkness greets me as he closes the door behind us. My body tenses as I hear the lock click. Is he going to turn the lights on? The thought of being in here alone with him scares me. I have no way of knowing where I am or what’s about to happen—well, I can guess what’s about to happen, but that doesn’t make this any easier.
His hands graze my shoulders and I jump, not expecting his warm touch. He chuckles and gently turns me around, his fingers trailing down the bare skin of my upper back. I curse my body for reacting the way it does. I don’t want to enjoy this as much as I am.
“Do I make you nervous?” he asks, tilting my head back.
“Being in the dark makes me nervous,” I shoot back, not wanting to give away just how much he gets under my skin.
“Afraid of the dark,” he murmurs, his lips touching my neck. “Interesting.”
I breathe in, my heart racing as his fingers move over the soft cotton of my top and over my hard nipples. I exhale, shivers rippling through my body. He takes my hand and leads me farther into the room.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, his voice soft.
Do I trust him? I don’t know him well enough to trust him. Every part of me screams at me not to trust him, but I can’t help it. A small part of me believes he wouldn’t hurt me, that I’m safe with him. Especially if I agree.
