Ally Blake - Untamed Billionaires - Marriage - For Business or Pleasure? / Getting Red-Hot with the Rogue / One Night with the Rebel Billionaire

‘Right.’

‘Okay, then, glad we got that settled.’

He didn’t move and when she raised her eyes to his she knew nothing was settled, far from it, for while Nick might be spouting the business tune his eyes were gobbling her up and coming back for seconds.

‘Britt?’

She gulped, knowing her voice would come out squeaky if she didn’t, for the longer he looked at her like that, the harder it was to breathe.

‘Yeah?’

‘You made a breathtaking bride.’

It wasn’t his compliment that made her blush as much as the memory of how she’d envisioned him taking her wedding dress off.

‘The dress was pretty special—’

‘I wasn’t talking about the dress.’

His hand snaked across the bed and rested on hers, the simple touch setting her body alight as her gaze flew to his, connected, locked, unable to look away even if she wanted to.

Tension crackled between them as she wavered between yanking her hand out from under his to re-establish equilibrium and closing the short distance between them and straddling his lap.

‘You’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.’

A soft, wistful sigh escaped her lips, a sigh filled with hope and fear and wishes that things could be different for them, that this could be a real wedding night in every sense of the word.

Mustering a smile, she said, ‘And you’re still the charmer.’

He winked. ‘Is it working?’

‘Depends why you’re trying to charm me.’

‘Ah…the million-dollar question…’

Rather than releasing her hand, his thumb traced slow circles on the back of it, grazing her knuckles, dipping into the grooves, sending heat spiralling through her body.

Her eyes drifted shut, as if she could block out his touch and what it was doing to her body, but if anything the sensations increased tenfold.

Every nerve ending snapped to attention with every minute caress, every muscle liquefied with the barest brush of his thumb, and when he stroked her fingers from knuckle to tip the tension strumming her body coalesced into a fiery yearning that had her leaping off the bed like he’d prodded her.

‘I’m really tired.’

His knowing gaze told her he knew exactly why she’d retreated, yet thankfully he didn’t push it.

‘Okay then. Do you want to have supper? I can get Room Service to bring us up something, or would you prefer bed?’

To her endless embarrassment, she blushed and scooted around to the other side of the bed, the very mention of which made her feel like a schoolgirl jilted by the high-school jock.

‘I’m not hungry.’

She slid under the six-hundred-thread-count sheets. The sooner she feigned sleep, the sooner she could avoid looking at his delicious body and wishing he were supper.

‘You sure?’

His deep, husky tone had her imagining warmed honey drizzled across his torso and strawberries dipped in chocolate nestled in his navel and she swallowed, at serious risk of drooling.

‘I’m sure. Now, if you don’t mind, I need some rest. So scoot.’

‘Huh?’

‘The couch?You know, that thing next to the table over there?’

He shook his head and sent her his best puppy-dog look, the one he’d perfected back in high school, the same one that melted her heart.

‘I can’t sleep on that. It doesn’t convert into a sofa bed, it’s two feet too short and has rocks under the cushions.’

‘Well, you can’t expect me to sleep there!’

And she’d be a fool to consider letting him share the bed. By the longing look he cast at the bed, she wouldn’t have much choice.

‘Red, as attractive as you look in the contraception-on-legs robe, this bed is big enough to fit four people. I’m sure we can share without getting into too much trouble.’

She almost would have believed him, if the last few tension-filled minutes hadn’t happened. They might’ve agreed to a sex-free wedding night but, with her belly tumbling with nerves, her skin prickling with heat and the rest of her buzzing from repressed need, she knew trouble was only a tumble in the sack away.

But what choice did she have? She couldn’t subject him to a sleepless night, it just wouldn’t be fair. Or mature.

She could do this. Sharing a bed with Nick would be like having a friend over for a slumber party. And guaranteed she’d be the one spending a sleepless night!

‘We can put pillows down the middle if you think that’ll help.’

He grinned, a fully-fledged teasing grin that mocked her, and she briefly wondered what had happened to her bath pep talk. Lying in the giant bed with the sheets almost pulled up to her neck like a blushing virgin screamed prude and not the sassy city girl she liked to think herself.

Why couldn’t she share a bed with Nick and consider it in a non-sexual way?

Because she wanted him! Bad.

That was when it hit her.

If she couldn’t tell him what she wanted, what if she showed him by giving him a little bit of that teasing he was so good at?

She sat up straighter, allowing the sheet to dip, revealing the robe’s gaping neckline, and sent him a smile that could’ve tempted a eunuch.

‘No pillows needed. I’ll keep my hands to myself, promise.’

To her surprise, his cocky grin slipped, as if he hadn’t expected her to agree with him, let alone flirt right back.

Oh, yeah, this could be fun!

‘You better not grope me in my sleep,’ he muttered, sending her an almost hopeful look she’d do exactly that.

‘Hands off, remember?’

‘In that case, move over.’

Okay, so they’d settled the sleeping arrangements fairly painlessly. Good. This wouldn’t be too difficult.

Think slumber party. Think friends. Think harmless fun. Easy .

However, the instant she dropped her guard, Nick did something to shock her all over again.

‘What are you doing?’she shrieked as he undid the zip on his jeans and shucked out of them, standing next to the bed wearing the sexiest, briefest pair of black silk boxers she’d ever seen.

‘I’m getting ready for bed. You don’t expect me to sleep in jeans, do you?’

‘N-no, but don’t you own PJs?’

He shook his head, looking proud of the fact as she struggled to keep her gaze averted from those boxers and the lean, muscled legs beneath them. Sheesh, he looked good enough to eat—and she definitely wouldn’t go there!

‘Too hot. Besides, you should be grateful. I usually sleep nude.’

That shut her up as she closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle.

Her slumber-party theory wasn’t working, not with Nick standing there in his underwear. His very sexy underwear.

‘Trying to imagine what I’d look like, huh? Well, if you open your eyes, I can give you a demo—’

‘No!’ she yelled, her eyes flying open against her will in the faint hope he’d go through with his threat. ‘Just get under the damn sheets and keep your underwear on.’

‘Your loss.’

He had the audacity to shrug out of his T, toss it on a chair and slide in next to her, sending a dazzling smile in the process. Cocky, brash and totally shameless.

The next ten hours were going to be hell. Or heaven, depending how she looked at it, and right now, with an amazing expanse of broad, tanned chest on display, heaven seemed uncomfortably closer to the mark. ‘’Night, Red. Pleasant dreams.’

As if .

Pleasant would be the last word she’d use to describe what she knew would be an erotic kaleidoscope of images that would plague her all night long.

She turned off the lamp, grateful she couldn’t see him any more. Not that she needed to. The image of Nick standing next to the bed wearing nothing but those black boxers and a smile would be a memory to treasure for years to come.