Ivyanne snapped. She wrestled free. ‘Yes you’re sexy as hell Tristan! A god! Sometimes I want to sink my teeth into you so much I’m afraid I’d do damage! BUT I won’t be lusted into making a dumb decision!’
Tristan’s mouth fell open. ‘Are you implying that the only reason you’d marry me is because I’m better at turning you on ?’
‘I never said you were better at it-just more persistent !’ Ivyanne said cuttingly, then arched an eyebrow. ‘And why don’t you stop trying to turn me on so we can both find out, huh? Admit it-you know your sexuality is a secret weapon of sorts so you rub it in my face every chance you get!’
Tristan wanted to punch something. If she knew how hurtful her words were, she didn’t show it with the slightest flash of remorse in her gleaming green gaze. To his horror, he realized that a lump was forming at the base of his throat. Never had a string of off-hand compliments made him feel so worthless.
‘So that’s why you’d choose me, huh?’ He demanded, angrier than he’d ever been with her. ‘You told me how much you missed me when I was gone, that it ripped your heart out! Did you sink into a catatonia just because you weren’t going to get to ride me one last time?’ He glared at her, wounded. ‘Because I sincerely hope not!’
Ivyanne blinked. Tears had begun to pool along her thick lower lashes and now one threatened to spill over. ‘Of course not! But at least I can make sense of how I feel for him-I can see the depth to it!’ She shook her head. ‘I can’t get a handle on how I feel for you because every time I look at you...you’ve got your feathers out!’
Tristan’s arm shot out of it’s own accord, his palm cupping her lower back, yanking her up against him. Their lips were inches apart. ‘You want depth? I can bury myself deeper inside you than anybody. Keep pushing me and I’ll do exactly that!’
‘Against my will?’
He traced the tip of his teeth with his tongue. ‘The flesh is willing-it’s the spirit that’s weak.’
‘You are such an ass sometimes!’ She complained.
‘And you’re being a sullen brat! I know why-and we both know how to fix it! So why shouldn’t we? Maybe once your mind is clear, you’ll be able to think straight again and see me. Really see me, like you did last time. And I know you did. We connected dammit!’
Ivyanne cocked her head, seemingly unmoved. ‘Oh no...you’re not trying to manipulate me at all ...’ Sarcasm shattered the sexual tension. ‘Is this how you’d rule, Loveridge? You gonna shag everyone who doesn’t have faith in you because it’s too hard to prove yourself otherwise?’
Tristan released her swiftly, too mad to concede the fact that she had a point. But it was a moot point- her sexuality was what was reducing the kingdom to madness-the rest of them were just reacting, himself included! He turned to her desk and picked up the letter opener he’d spied minutes before, thrusting it into her hand. ‘Here! Use it!’
Ivyanne gaped at him, all traces of smug superiority gone. ‘What?’
He leaned closer to her. ‘If you can’t see past my face, then cut it! Cut it to ribbons! Take the distraction out of the equation and just see if I can’t make you love me still!’
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Ivyanne said, slamming the opener down on the desk.
‘I’m not! If you think I have a preternatural advantage then rob me of it!’ He slid the opener back across the table to her. ‘But while you’re at it-gouge him out of your memory too, okay? Because that’s his hold over you!’
Ivyanne’s hand shot out and swept the letter opener off the desktop and into his legs. It bounced off his black jeans and landed on the floor below with a rattle.
‘I’m not going to dignify that with a comment.’
‘Well we are who we are!’ Tristan snapped. ‘If you can’t see past my body that’s your fault!’ He took her by the hand and gave her a little tug into his space.
Tristan’s mouth fell open. ‘Are you implying that the only reason you’d marry me is because I’m better at turning you on ?’
‘I never said you were better at it-just more persistent !’ Ivyanne said cuttingly, then arched an eyebrow. ‘And why don’t you stop trying to turn me on so we can both find out, huh? Admit it-you know your sexuality is a secret weapon of sorts so you rub it in my face every chance you get!’
Tristan wanted to punch something. If she knew how hurtful her words were, she didn’t show it with the slightest flash of remorse in her gleaming green gaze. To his horror, he realized that a lump was forming at the base of his throat. Never had a string of off-hand compliments made him feel so worthless.
‘So that’s why you’d choose me, huh?’ He demanded, angrier than he’d ever been with her. ‘You told me how much you missed me when I was gone, that it ripped your heart out! Did you sink into a catatonia just because you weren’t going to get to ride me one last time?’ He glared at her, wounded. ‘Because I sincerely hope not!’
Ivyanne blinked. Tears had begun to pool along her thick lower lashes and now one threatened to spill over. ‘Of course not! But at least I can make sense of how I feel for him-I can see the depth to it!’ She shook her head. ‘I can’t get a handle on how I feel for you because every time I look at you...you’ve got your feathers out!’
Tristan’s arm shot out of it’s own accord, his palm cupping her lower back, yanking her up against him. Their lips were inches apart. ‘You want depth? I can bury myself deeper inside you than anybody. Keep pushing me and I’ll do exactly that!’
‘Against my will?’
He traced the tip of his teeth with his tongue. ‘The flesh is willing-it’s the spirit that’s weak.’
‘You are such an ass sometimes!’ She complained.
‘And you’re being a sullen brat! I know why-and we both know how to fix it! So why shouldn’t we? Maybe once your mind is clear, you’ll be able to think straight again and see me. Really see me, like you did last time. And I know you did. We connected dammit!’
Ivyanne cocked her head, seemingly unmoved. ‘Oh no...you’re not trying to manipulate me at all ...’ Sarcasm shattered the sexual tension. ‘Is this how you’d rule, Loveridge? You gonna shag everyone who doesn’t have faith in you because it’s too hard to prove yourself otherwise?’
Tristan released her swiftly, too mad to concede the fact that she had a point. But it was a moot point- her sexuality was what was reducing the kingdom to madness-the rest of them were just reacting, himself included! He turned to her desk and picked up the letter opener he’d spied minutes before, thrusting it into her hand. ‘Here! Use it!’
Ivyanne gaped at him, all traces of smug superiority gone. ‘What?’
He leaned closer to her. ‘If you can’t see past my face, then cut it! Cut it to ribbons! Take the distraction out of the equation and just see if I can’t make you love me still!’
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Ivyanne said, slamming the opener down on the desk.
‘I’m not! If you think I have a preternatural advantage then rob me of it!’ He slid the opener back across the table to her. ‘But while you’re at it-gouge him out of your memory too, okay? Because that’s his hold over you!’
Ivyanne’s hand shot out and swept the letter opener off the desktop and into his legs. It bounced off his black jeans and landed on the floor below with a rattle.
‘I’m not going to dignify that with a comment.’
‘Well we are who we are!’ Tristan snapped. ‘If you can’t see past my body that’s your fault!’ He took her by the hand and gave her a little tug into his space.
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