AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thought you didn’t do Christmas gifts?” she teased.
“Patricia, like you, is a firm believer in presents. Though her pleasure seems to be derived more from receiving than giving, which is unlike you.”
She picked up the small square box, as if testing out the weight. “Well, I hope you can get a refund on whatever it is.”
“Open it,” he said.
Liza shook her head. “No.” She put it back down quickly.
“You’re curious. You want to know what it is. So open the gift.”
For a moment, he thought she might continue to refuse, but Liza’s inquisitive nature was strong. “Fine.” She untied the ribbon, then lifted the lid, gasping. “Holy shit. That must have cost a fortune.”
He shrugged. He didn’t have a clue what it cost because he hadn’t picked it out. He’d sent his personal assistant, Henri, to shop for Patricia.
She placed the box in his hand. “You’re definitely going to want to get your money back on that.”
Matt lifted the diamond tennis bracelet out of the satin-lined box and unfastened the clip, laying the thing over his palm to look at it. Henri had wrapped it as well, so it wasn’t just Liza who’d been curious about the box’s contents. He recalled Henri saying he’d bought a bracelet, but Matt hadn’t cared enough to ask for details about the gift. Instead, he had viewed it as one less thing on his to-do list.
His personal assistant had a great deal of experience when it came to shopping for Matt’s lovers, always finding the perfect token, be it something for the holidays, birthdays, the morning after one-night stands, or parting gifts. Knowing his very capable assistant, Henri probably had a chart for every category, complete with price range, what certain flowers or jewels represented, as well as the female’s preferences.
Matt reached for and grasped Liza’s hand, pulling it toward him, his intent clear.
“Don’t put that on me,” she said immediately, trying to tug her hand from his grip.
Matt was amused. God knew she was the only woman who had ever rejected diamonds from him. “Humor me.” He tightened his grip so that she couldn’t pull away. He fastened the bracelet around her wrist, maintaining his hold so he could look at it.
“Whoa,” she breathed. “It’s beautiful.” She admired it for a moment or two longer. “Take it off.”
He shook his head, drawing his fingers over the diamonds, noticing the way she shivered lightly when he brushed the pulse point of her wrist.
“It’s very pretty,” he acknowledged, not bothering to remove it. “But this isn’t what I would have bought if I’d been shopping for you.”
He didn’t bother to point out he hadn’t shopped for this. Something told him that if he ever decided to give Liza a gift, he wouldn’t send Henri to buy it.
He’d do it himself.
“No diamonds for me?” she asked, attempting a playful tone but falling a bit short.
“No. Diamonds pale next to your skin.”
“Nice line,” she murmured, trying to play off his comment by cheapening it. It annoyed him, even though he knew where her opinions of him came from. She’d formed them based on his past actions, things he’d done to hurt her family, which he couldn’t defend. So he didn’t try to.
“It’s not a line,” he insisted as he shifted closer to her, running the backs of his fingers over her soft cheek. Liza’s skin was tan, despite the fact it was the middle of winter. It betrayed her Italian ancestry, as did the deep brown eyes a man could get lost in, framed by long black lashes.
She wasn’t a classic beauty, unlike Patricia, who fit the more traditional standard for female attractiveness. As such, Patricia was a cookie cutter of every other woman he’d ever dated—blonde hair, blue eyes, a shapely figure, courtesy of time spent with her personal trainer.
Liza’s beauty was unique, exotic. Breathtaking.
His gaze fell to her lips when her tongue darted out to wet them. It was an invitation to kiss her, but he held back, still wanting the next move to be hers.
“If I’d been shopping for you, I would have bought you rubies. I can imagine how the rich, vibrant red hue would shimmer against your skin.” Leaning closer, he placed his lips against her ear. “I’d cover you in rubies. They’d dangle from your ears.” He pulled away. “From your throat.” He placed his open hand at her neck, the touch possessive, perhaps even slightly threatening, though it didn’t provoke that response from her.
Liza’s breathing stuttered, her eyes drifting closed.
“From your wrists,” he continued, listing all the places he’d wrap up in rubies. He took both of her wrists in his hands, lifting them over her head, giving the illusion of holding her captive.
Liza responded with a quiet whimper, though he could tell she was embarrassed by the sound. He hadn’t meant to draw them down this path, but now that he had…he couldn’t stop. Her lowered eyelids, her flushed cheeks, her panting breaths were telling him things about Liza he was going to wish he didn’t know.
