Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sasha
The question pops out before I can hold it back.
I already know the answer.
My brother is making him. But I want to hear him articulate his reasons, watch his face.
Or maybe I just want to hear him call me wife again. Tell me that I’m his to protect.
He starts sliding the cuff over my hand, lightly tugging the dress from my grasp.
I’m wearing a lacy strapless bra and matching thong, bought to go under my bridesmaid gown.
They looked great under the dress, but they cover up almost nothing. Even my nipples can be seen through the transparent fabric.
I hold the top of the dress tighter. “I’ve got it from here.”
“Are you sure?” he cocks his head, looking a bit devilish. But this look doesn’t scare me. In fact…
The area between my legs heats again. Shit.
I can’t be having this reaction. I need to keep my head. If I let my feelings get involved, I won’t be able to keep my guard up. Once I’m in, I’m all in. It’s just the way I am.
“Turn around,” I order, pulling my hand from his grasp.
He lets out a slow breath, before he does as I command.
Yanking the T-shirt from his hand, I quickly pull off the other sleeve and then shove the dress down my torso and over my hips.
When it lands in a puddle on the floor, I take my heels and stomp on the fabric, hearing a bit of it catch and tear under my heels.
“Ready?” he asks, and I swear he glances over his shoulder.
I quickly pull his shirt to my chest. “Not yet. Stay forward.” Then I open the shirt, threading my arms through, and tug the shirt over my head.
It falls to mid-thigh and completely envelops my body. Reaching back, I unsnap my bra and it falls to the floor too.
“I’m done,” I call even as I sit on the edge of the bed to start removing the heels and thigh-high stockings.
Ryker turns to me, his arms crossing over his chest as I kick one shoe off and then start for the other. “Better?”
“So much,” I sigh as the second shoe comes off. I start rolling the stockings down my legs. I feel the intensity of his gaze, but I don’t meet his eye. “Is that the bathroom?”
“Yes,” he answers, as I get up again and head for the door. The pins in my hair have been digging into my scalp for hours.
I don’t bother to close the door as I make my way to the mirror and start pulling out those annoying little buggers.
I barely notice as Ryker comes in behind me while I pull out hairpin after hairpin, sighing in relief with each one.
My hair is generally pretty straight but it falls in waves now as I release sections of hair.
“Better?”
“Yes,” I answer, pulling out what I hope is the last one.
He comes up behind me and that’s when I realize that I’m up on tiptoe, my ass sticking out, as I lean into the mirror.
He stops just short of touching me, and then his hand comes to my hair before he buries his fingers into the long strands.
His fingers moving over my scalp feels like magic and I lean my head into the palm of his hand, closing my eyes.
He finds another pin and digs his other hand into my hair to pull it out.
Touch has never been this pleasant. Never.
My skin tingles, the most satisfying hum moving through me. I tip back further until the top of my head hits his chest.
I jerk away, my eyes flying open. “I’m sorry.”
His eyes meet mine in the mirror. “You never have to apologize for touching me.”
I stare at him, trying to take that one in. “I stole from you. You said you were going to punish me.”
He keeps one hand in my hair, the other one coming to my hip. Rather than speak, he nuzzles into my neck.
I jump, and then goosebumps break out all over my skin as he lightly brushes the tip of his nose over my sensitive skin. “I need you, Sasha. And you need me. And there is no reason we can’t help each other.”
“I get money at the end of this?” I ask, wanting to make sure I’ve got the details all clear.
“That’s right. And freedom. Which is what you want. Yes?”
I nod. “And you get?”
“To keep a casino of my very own.”
My fingertips dig into the countertop. This all makes sense. “So…why…touch me? Why not just…” I trail off as he lifts his face again, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror once again.
“I think you know why, Sasha.”
My mouth goes dry. It’s the words I hoped to hear, but he doesn’t press further as he instead backs up. “There’s an extra toothbrush in the drawer. I’ll meet you in bed in five minutes.”
And then he softly closes the door.
But I can’t get my fingers to work. He said I could take as much time as I needed. Which may or may not be true.
Because in five minutes, apparently, we’re going to be in bed together.