My body moved as I tried to avoid his gaze. After a while, I had to tear myself away from his cold gaze.
“I don’t know,” I hemmed and hawed. Being absent from class is challenging. And that much was correct. I was worried about getting behind in my schoolwork and, while I like spending time with Nicola, I felt a bit stifled by the confines of the large, empty estate.
“When do you suppose Mathew plans on filling the pool? “With optimism, I asked. What I need is some time in the water to get my thoughts straight.
“I can’t say for certain. I plan on approaching him once again with my question. ”
Nicola would be asking for the third time. It was unclear to me why Mathew was being so slow. For someone with his financial resources, cleaning and refilling the pool should take no more than a few days.
“Thanks, ” I managed to say through suppressed anger. The fact that Mathew wasn’t as invested in my happiness as he was wasn’t Nicola’s fault. Nicola loved me so much that he would constantly shower me with attention. I had no grounds for supposing that Mathew would treat me the same way.
Since I saw his drawings, he has seldom paid me any attention. Though I could have assumed embarrassment on his part, he didn’t seem like the shy sort. When he ordered me to flip the page and show me the picture of Nicola tying me up in the book, he didn’t appear embarrassed in the least.
My cheeks flushed at the thought.
Nicola’s eyes blinked from my eyes to my rosy cheeks and back again. While Stundying me, he wrinkled his brows thoughtfully, as if I were a riddle he couldn’t solve.
“I’m taking you out to supper.” You had to be getting a little bored here on the estate. I’m sure Mathew makes delicious meals, but I believe you should get out for a bit.
“Yes,” I agreed quickly. I really did want to get out of this house. It was huge and lonely, but on the rare occasions when Mathew was in the room with us, it somehow seemed stiflingly small.
Nicola beamed at me, and I found myself grinning back. He was beautiful when he smiled, his sensual features lighting up with joy. I could hardly believe that this gorgeous, kind man was mine.
I closed the distance between us, initiating our kiss. His lips were still curved with pleasure when they met mine. I melted against him, losing myself in his arms for the rest of the afternoon.
“Why is he here?” I whispered in Nicola’s ear once Mathew got out of the car. He’d driven us here in his shiny black Audi, and Nicola and I sat in the backseat. I caught his hand, lingering in the privacy of the car for a few seconds.
“He’s here to protect you, just like I am.” Nicola squeezed my hand. “And this will be good. We can all have dinner together, and you’ll get to know him better. He’s not as scary as you think he is. At least, not where you’re concerned.”
Before I could say that I’d wanted to have a romantic date alone with Nicola, Mathew opened the car door for me.
He held out a hand to help me out of the car. Since Nicola was getting out on the other side, I didn’t have the option of clinging to him. It would be rude not to take Mathew’s gentlemanly assistance.
Even if I didn’t want it. I didn’t like being near him. It was…uncomfortable.
I sucked in a breath when his thick fingers closed around my hand, engulfing my palm. It was the first time he’d touched me since the night he’d abducted me-when he’d trapped me against the wall and pressed his hand over my mouth to smother my screams.
A shiver raced through me at the memory, but he wasn’t acting aggressive right now. He held my hand as carefully as Nicola always did, as though he might accidentally break my fingers if he squeezed too hard.
I got to my feet, and Mathew closed the car door behind me. He didn’t release my hand.
I glanced up at him, and I found his black eyes burning down into me. His nostrils flared, like a predator scenting his prey.
I didn’t try to pull away. I couldn’t. All I could do was stand there, trapped in his dark stare. I felt small and helpless in his shadow, his huge hand on mine a reminder of his massive size in comparison to my much smaller body.
Nicola’s hand touched my lower back, and heat flooded my body at the familiar, intimate contact. The electric attraction that always danced around us surged, making the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. My hand tingled in Mathew’s, and I became very aware of the heat of their bodies surrounding me, shielding me from the chilly night air.
Despite the warmth, I shivered. The corners of Mathew’s mouth curved, and streetlights caught in his dark eyes, flashing across his onyx stare. His thumb brushed my knuckles, and I drew in a sharp, shocked breath at the light caress.
Nicola was standing right beside me, but he must not have noticed. He couldn’t have, or he would say something. He wouldn’t allow Mathew to touch me like that.
He’s just holding my hand, a more rational voice in my mind reminded me. There was no reason for Nicola to get territorial over something so trivial.
I tugged my hand free from Mathew’s grip, as though he’d scalded me. His expression went carefully blank, and he stepped away. Nicola’s touch on my lower back firmed, steering me toward the restaurant.
It was a small, quaint place set on the main street of a little town near Mathew’s estate. I still wasn’t sure exactly where it was located, but it had only taken us ten minutes to drive here. We weren’t as isolated as I’d thought we might be. I hadn’t seen a soul except Nicola and Mathew since they’d taken me from school, and I’d assumed we were in the middle of nowhere.
Mathew’s family must be even wealthier than I’d imagined if they owned that much land so close to a heavily populated area. The real estate must be worth a fortune.
When we entered the restaurant, a pretty brunette showed us to our table-for three.
It was strange being seated in an intimate corner with both Nicola and Mathew. I glanced around, wondering what people must think of us. Surely, the other patrons thought it was odd, too.
But no one in the packed restaurant seemed to be sparing us a second glance.
Well, that wasn’t exactly accurate. A balding, middle-aged man caught my eye as I looked around. After a second of eye contact, his genial expression melted, and he paled. He quickly looked away.
I glanced up to find Mathew scowling at the man. His face was harder than I’d ever seen it, the harsh line of his square jaw set and his cold eyes narrowed.