His body urged hers up to the top of the stairs. She went but stopped again on the landing that was more of a long, wide room, running the length of the great room downstairs. It overlooked almost the entire floor. Ice wrapped his arms around her from behind and cupped her breasts.
“We’re walking into our bedroom and I expect you to tell me what you’re so fuckin’ afraid of. I’ve been patient with you, Soleil. I hoped you’d tell me on your own, but so far, I don’t see you’re inclined to do that, so now I’m telling you let’s put it on the table. Now.”
His hands on her felt good. He had big hands and strong fingers. He kneaded gently, his mouth kissing and then nipping her neck and shoulder repeatedly. Desire in the form of shivers crept down her spine. She didn’t want to tell him. Not now, when she had this beautiful house to spend her time in pretending the fairy tale was real. She glanced over her shoulder to see his expression. She wasn’t certain she could seduce him into forgetting he’d issued his command.
“I can see that you think I’m going to forget all about this if we fuck, but that isn’t going to happen. Just tell me.”
Soleil took a breath and looked around the room that was supposed to be the master bedroom. The series of rooms, one opening to the next, were all connected. The bedroom seemed to go on forever. There was a sunken area right in front of a second fireplace. Both fireplaces were gas rather than wood, which she was happy about, because she could wield a remote, no problem, but it was difficult to build a fire. She had no clue where to start.
The front of the room faced the ocean, and like the room directly below them, the entire front of the master bedroom was glass. There were privacy screens, but she couldn’t imagine using them—the view of the ocean was too amazing. The bed faced the view, and on either side of it were end tables. The end tables were carved from some type of wood she didn’t recognize but thought was beautiful.
The bedroom, like the great room, was carpeted, a thick, luxurious weave. The bed dominated the room. It was king-sized. The headboard had very thick spindles, looking like a fan. When she got closer, she could see the headboard resembled a sea fan. It was quite beautiful and intricate.
Ice left her to open the door on the right. She followed him into the bathroom. She was used to luxurious hotels, but hands down, this bathroom had been crafted so someone could live in it. The bathroom was made up of a makeup room, a long wide area housing double sinks with golden taps, an immense shower, all glass, with benches and so many jets she wasn’t certain she’d be able to remember which golden knob went to what. It was definitely a two-person shower.
The bathtub was enormous as well. A claw foot with the same golden taps. Ice was already filling the tub with steamy water and some kind of salts Lana had provided for them. At least she was certain it had to have been Lana. Whatever it was smelled like heaven, and she was done exploring. She wanted to sink into the hot water and get all the kinks and cramps out of her muscles.
She stripped right there. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her entirely naked. He had explored every inch of her body with his lips, tongue and teeth. He’d claimed every inch. She refused to blush when his icy eyes drifted over her, yet she did. It was that possessive way he looked at her. As if she belonged to him. She’d never belonged to anyone so she didn’t know how it was supposed to feel, but to her, it felt wonderful. Perfect. Exactly what she needed and wanted from a man. Her man.
She stepped into the tub and gasped at the heat. He grinned at her, already removing his clothes and stepping into the tub. Right away, her attention was caught and held by his cock. She really had fallen a little in love with that portion of him. She licked her lips, remembering the weight of him in her mouth, tasting him on her tongue.
Ice groaned and tightened his fist around his hardening cock. “Baby, you can’t be doing that. You’re going to soak in the tub so you’re not sore from the ride. You aren’t used to it, and we were riding for hours.”
She stared at him, mesmerized by the growing length.
“Turn around and behave.” Ice wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. Tight.
She felt every inch of that impressive cock against her back. His palms cupped the weight of her breasts.
“Put your head back and relax. You’re going to tell me why Winston scares you so much. I want to know the entire story. Don’t give me trouble about this, because we both know you’re going to tell me.”
“Why would you think I’d tell you?” she demanded, belligerence creeping into her voice.
He kissed her right between her shoulder and neck. “Because I asked you to and you don’t lie to me and you give me whatever I ask.”
He said it as if it were true. She wanted to give him whatever he asked. She wanted to be the one he looked at the way he was looking at her right now. After she told him, he might reject her. That was her greatest fear. Rejection. She couldn’t look at him while she weighed the consequences of revealing the truth. She detested the label of “poor little rich girl.” She would have given up every bit of her wealth if she’d had a family, parents who loved her, aunts and uncles, cousins. She would have gone hungry in order to have someone care. Just one person.
On the other hand, she’d confessed she’d tried to get him drunk to seduce him into marriage in Vegas and he had glossed over it as if she were being silly. He didn’t seem in the least inclined to give her up for any reason. She had to try to start believing him. That was only fair. If they really were going to have any kind of a life, they needed truth between them.
“Soleil. Just start. It will get easier,” he prompted.
She took a deep breath and made her confession. “By being with you, I’m endangering the entire club. Every single member. Your twin and Alena. I got on the back of the bike with you when Winston showed up with the cops looking for me. Fortunately, a woman must have checked into the motel by herself. He must have been checking for that sort of thing.”
She waited, head bowed, for his condemnation. Ice put his hand on her forehead and tipped her head back until she was leaning the back of her skull against his chest. His palm stroked caresses over her forehead.
“I was there. I think I got that. That isn’t telling me why he was coming after you, Soleil.”
She looked around the bathroom. The room was so luxurious, it seemed ludicrous to think Ice was after her money. He didn’t seem to know she was loaded—or he knew and just didn’t care.
“My parents started a company when they were very young, in their early twenties. The company took off, and in the end, when they sold, they made millions of dollars. That money was set aside in a trust for me at a very early age and continued to make money for me. I was their only child.”
She couldn’t feel any difference in Ice’s body at her revelation. He seemed as relaxed as ever, now lazily playing with her earlobe, making her hyperaware of him.