Chapter 32
The hot showerafter the workout in my home gym was exactly what I needed to clear my head.
I’d received enough information about Vivian’s past to make me wantto wrap her in my arms and tuck her away someplace safe. No wonder she had built a barrier around herself, keeping one foot in the dark and one in the light.
I’d been drawn to her because of the misery she’d experienced. But I wanted more details about her life that no one else knew. I wanted an invitation to her secrets—into her heart.
I should focus on my wine competition in Monaco, but my thoughts were on Vivian. I threw on a T-shirt and cotton pants and went into the kitchen to see what I wanted for dinner. A few takeout orders had been delivered earlier today because it had been a work-from-home day for me.
My doorbell chimed, surprising me. The clock on the wall showed it was seven in the evening.Who could this be?
I checked my security camera and smiled at the image of Vivian standing at my front door. How did she know where I lived?
I yanked the door open. “Hello, Tulip. How did you know I was thinking about you?”
She didn’t give me a warm look like I’d hoped. But I thought the scowl on her face looked cute. She was so beautiful, and warmth spread all over me just seeing her at my home. She wore long boots that accentuated her thighs and a short, puffy coat. I had the sudden urge to strip everything off her.
“Welcome.” I took her arm, ushering her into my home.
She shook off her long boots, and I grabbed her coat.
“We need to talk,” she said, tossing her purse onto the chair.
“Sure, but can I have dinner first? It’s been a long day. Have you eaten?”
She shook her head. “Not in the mood.”
I gripped her chin and gave her a quickkiss on the lips. She blinked, and the tension on her face diminished about fifty percent.
“I don’t enjoy seeing you angry or stressed. Did I do something wrong again?”
“Yes,” she said, licking her bottom lips.
God, I fucking loved that gesture. My cock hardened every time her pink tongue swept over her bottom lip.
It must have been something obscene if she drove all the way here to see me.
I folded my arms over my chest and studied her. “Maybe it was my idea to lure you here.”
She rolled her eyes. “I thought about that too.”
Joking aside, I was curious about what prompted this visit. She looked tired, angry, and in need of a distraction from it all.
I placed a hand on either side of her shoulders. “Eat first, and we can talk after. Your muscles are tight.” I gave her a gentle massage.
“Harder, please.” Her shoulders relaxed for me. “Didn’t know you were a masseuse.”
“Not a masseuse. I’m just very good with my hands,” I whispered into her ear.
“So this is how you seduce those women.” She stepped away.
“You’re the only one I want to seduce.”
She looked around my home and walked toward the living room.
“The other women had to seduce me.” I reached for her arm.
She shifted and blocked my arm. Then she threw a sharp attack, which I dodged.
Vivian sized me up, and I found that fucking hot. “Ready for another duel?”
Oh, she had no idea. “Been ready for you, Tulip.”
“Get ready to lose, Bullseye.”