He winks, and dammit, it makes him look even sexier. “That’s why I didn’t tell you earlier.”
“I guess proposals are supposed to be a surprise.”
“Exactly. You played your part beautifully, by the way.”
My cheeks heat, and I don’t miss the smirk that elicits from him. “So did you, Mr. James.”
Taking my hand in his, he examines my new jewelry. “Now that we’re officially engaged, I think all this Mr. James business will need to stop.”
“Aw.” I jut out my bottom lip. “Maybe I’ll just call you Iceman instead.”
His dark eyes twinkle with devilish intent, and my insides churn. I have no idea how this man gets through the day without being constantly propositioned, with his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, and smoldering eyes. “Nathan will do fine, Melanie.”
I tilt my head and purse my lips. “How about I just call you Ice?”
His tongue darts out and he licks his top lip, those incredible chocolate-brown orbs never leaving mine. “Whatever you say, Spitfire.”
Damn! What I wouldn’t give for that tongue to … I mentally shake my head. How is this even real? I’m actually going to marry Nathan freaking James, and right now, I’m not even a little mad about it.
Nathan walks me to the door of my building like he did on our past two dates, but this time he doesn’t say goodnight. He simply opens the door and follows me into the lobby.
“Um. Where exactly do you think you’re going, Ice?”
“Tonight, I’ll be walking you to your door, Spitfire.”
“But why?”
“You’re my fiancée now.” He shrugs. “Seems like we should take this relationship to the next level, don’t you think?”
My breath hitches, and my entire body feels like it’s engulfed by flames. While the thought of him doing all manner of unspeakable things to my body is all kinds of hot, having sex right now will only complicate matters. I need to keep a clear head at all times, at least until we’re married, because he already makes me feel like a giddy teenager. This thing isn’t set in stone yet, and anything could happen between now and the wedding. I figure a man like him could have almost any woman he wants, and there’s every chance he could stumble on a better alternative to me on any given day. The last thing I need is to be stuck dealing with a broken heart. So there can be absolutely no sex and no falling for him. Nil. Nada.
He slides his hand to the small of my back, and electric heat sears my skin there, sending a shockwave of pleasure through me. His lips graze my ear. “Relax, Mel. I mean walking you to your door. I don’t expect to be invited in.”
“Oh.” I nod. “Good. Just so we’re on the same page. Because that would only make things awkward and complicated right now, and who wants that, right?” I clamp my jaw shut, determined to cut off my nonsensical babbling.
His lips twitch. “I’m sure neither of us wants to complicate anything, Spitfire.”
Oh, but yes, I do. I want you to complicate me six ways to Sunday. I bite my tongue to stop myself from saying that aloud.
When we get to my apartment, I awkwardly shift from one foot to the other. Not inviting him in feels weird after he walked me all the way up here, but if he steps foot inside that apartment … well, I’m pretty sure all of my defenses are going to end up shot to hell because I’m already hanging by a thread.
“This is me.” I jerk my head toward the door, then fish my key ring from my purse and twist it in my hands.
He edges closer, crowding me toward the door until my back is pressed against it. My pulse races. “I’m not going to ask to come in, Mel,” he says, his voice low and husky. He plants his hands on either side of my head. “But I am going to kiss you again.”
Biting my lip, I stare into his dark eyes. I feel like a kitten caught in the paws of a panther. When I don’t offer any resistance, Nathan bends his head and seals his lips over mine. They’re soft yet demanding, and my mouth yields to his in an instant. When he flicks his tongue against the seam of my lips, I part them on a throaty moan, allowing him entrance. He takes full advantage, deepening the kiss as he presses his body into mine and pins me to the door.
I fist my hands in his shirt, pulling him deeper, my tongue dancing against his while he takes what he wants, all passion and dominance. A groan rumbles through his chest and into my mouth, mingling with the desperate, needy whimpers he’s pulling from my core. He rocks his hips into me, and his hard length digs into my abdomen. I rake my hands through his hair, but he keeps his firmly planted on the door beside my head. Needing some relief for the ache between my thighs, I grind against him and he grunts.
All too soon, he pulls back, leaving us both panting for air as we stare into each other’s eyes. I’m seconds away from inviting him inside when he presses a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Night, Spitfire.” With that, he turns on his heel and walks down the hallway.
I tip my head back against the door, sure of one thing. Nathan James is going to break my heart wide open. And I’m going to let him.
Chapter
Fifteen
MELANIE
“Have you seen these?” Bryce tosses a stack of glossy magazines onto the table in front of me.
I give them a cursory glance but don’t need to look to see what’s been printed. Tyler sent me pictures from various websites yesterday morning, along with three dozen scream-face emojis. It seems like everyone in the world is aware of Nathan and me getting engaged the night before last. All my work friends have called or texted, and I even got messages from a few old high school friends I haven’t spoken to in years. At least the photographs are flattering, and objectively, we do make a cute couple.
Bryce’s expression is full of unbridled glee. “This is perfect, little sister. The more publicity your relationship gets, the more the James PR machine will want to keep reports under wraps when your marriage ends because Nathan James is a cheating snake.”
I roll my eyes. All he needs to do is rub his sweaty palms together and he’d be a caricature of himself. “But he’s not a cheating snake, Bryce.”
He snorts. “Not yet.”
“Maybe not ever.” I shake my head and pour a cup of tea from my mother’s favorite china teapot. She took to her bed fifteen minutes after my arrival for our usual Sunday tea, overcome with joyful delirium over the news of my engagement to a billionaire being splashed all over social media and the gossip columns.
Bryce shoots me a look of pure disdain. “You have so much to learn about men like Nathan James, little sister.”
“Or maybe you’re just too quick to judge everybody by your own low standards.”
He lifts his hand, and I flinch, causing a dark laugh to tumble out of him. He drops his hand, and I wonder if he realized how bad it would look for me to be photographed with a black eye. Not to mention how my future husband would want to know where I got such an injury, and then this whole arrangement could come to a grinding halt.
“All I’m saying is that you’re convinced Nathan will cheat on me and you’ll be able to cash in on this morality clause, but he’s not an idiot. If he agrees to such a clause, he isn’t stupid enough to break it. And besides any of that, what if he’s just not a cheater? Because if I’m honest, he doesn’t strike me as the cheating type.”
