Chapter 12

Adriana stared at Nicholas, as he straightened up, the earlier desire she saw in his eyes gone, replaced with a mask of cool indifference.

She blinked, trying to clear the haze of desire that had clouded her mind, questioning herself, wondering if she had seen what she had thought she had seen or if it was just a flicker of her wild imagination.

Her gaze flicked down to his trousers, licking her lips when she saw the evidence of his arousal, betraying the emotions reflected within his irises. What was his game? Was he trying to punish her for the altercation with Xavier? If so, she was willing to indulge him, particularly if the punishment had to do with the both of them naked, in his bed or hers–she wasn’t picky–engaging in bedroom acrobatics.

“Xavier told me that you’re the new designer,” he stated casually, leaning against a work table, and crossing his arms against his chest. “And you were supposed to get my measurements the day before, but I wasn’t around.”

Adriana nodded, not trusting her voice to work properly.

“Get on with it then, I’m on a time crunch, I have other places to be.”

Asshole, she thought as she whirled around to pick up the items she needed from the equipment table. Harsh! Arrogant! But I at least deserved it, for sleeping with his brother.

Grabbing what she needed, she returned to his side, feeling his gaze on her, as she moved around him to set up for work.

It was awkward, to say the least as she tried as much as possible not to let her fingertips graze his hard body, while taking his measurements. Her skin was beyond heated, and each accidental brush of skin against skin brought forth a rush of sensation within her body, making her shift restlessly.

Nicholas the jerk acted as if he hadn’t noticed her plight, making her work even more difficult, as he not-so-accidentally shifted his body towards hers, gradually closing the distance between them, until she was pressed against him, her sketchbook acting as a deterrent between them.

“Why did you leave, blue?” he questioned, twirling a strand of her hair between his finger, tugging at her hair with his other hand, to bring her mouth close to his.

“I thought it was a one time thing,” she whispered, her breaths coming out in short gasps.

“Clearly it wasn’t, if you slept with Xavier,” he stated harshly, his words ghosting over her lips, as he bent down to brush his lips against hers.

“I thought he was you,” she panted, writhing against his body, as he released her hair, his hand trailing between the valley of her breasts.

“Yes, you said that already. But tell me something,” he whispered, his mouth following the motions of his hand, pressing his other hand flush against her back, to keep her steady. “Did you enjoy being with him? Did he make you scream like I did?”

“Nicholas…”

“Did he make you cum like I did? Did he fill you up like I did?” he continued, pushing her dress down, satisfied to find her without a bra. Her breasts were heavy, her areola still pink and swollen, from Xavier’s administrations.

He grabbed one in his hand, pinching the stiff peak between his thumb and forefinger, while he encircled the other with his mouth.

Her fingers splayed in his hair, bringing him closer, instead of pushing him away, like she had intended to do.

What the hell was wrong with her? She shouldn’t be doing this, specifically not here, where anyone could walk in and catch them within the act. She shouldn’t be enjoying this, especially since she had been in his brother’s arms, just hours ago. But oh, he was good.

“Nicholas we…” she began to protest, as his hand began to trail between her legs.

“Shh,” he whispered, pressing a kiss against her neck. “You don’t have to say a word, I’ve got you.”

“But I… Xavi…”

“We’ll talk about that later,” he dismissed her, nibbling at her neck. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to do this?”

She shook her head.

“Since I woke up without you in my bed. I promised myself that I would find you, and chain you to my bed, until I’ve had my fill of you.”

“Nicholas,” she snapped, pushing away from him, and rearranging her dress. “We have to stop.”

Her eyes were blown out, her brown irises, darkening into an onyx shade. Her hair was mussed up, as if she had ran her hand into it a thousand times, her breasts heaving with exertion.

“I can’t do this right now,” she shook her head. “I’m here to work,” she mumbled.

“I’m here to work,” she reiterated loudly, as if to remind herself of her purpose.

She had no idea what it was about the princes that made her crazy with lust, and forget about herself. Maybe it was their looks, or their sensuality, or maybe it was their gazes, the way they seemed to draw her in, like a moth to a flame. Or maybe it was the fact that they were princes, and she was a random nobody from Manhattan, trying to keep herself afloat, and do her job.

And these guys, they were jeopardizing that. And all for what? A few hours of pleasure? To be their lover? She knew that that was all they were going to be–lovers. And she didn’t want that for herself. She wanted love, stability, comfort and security. All of which neither of the princes would be able to provide for her, because there was no way they would want to consider being with her in a general sense, and share her also.

“So? Work.”

“I’ve been trying to, but you won’t let me.”

She turned around and began to walk deeper into the workshop, leaving him behind.

“Where are you going?”

“Grabbing the things I need and leaving.”

“Why?” he asked, falling in step with her.

“Why not?” she sassed, adding a pace to her steps, until she reached a cupboard she stored fabrics in it.

She began to sift through it, ignoring Nicholas’ presence behind her. Until he pressed his body to hers, pulling her hair away from her neck and pressing a chaste kiss on the exposed skin.

“Why do you want to leave, when we were just having fun?”

“I’m not here to play games,” she whispered, hating herself for the attraction towards him and his brother. It was an attraction that was bothering on obsession, hinting at something more, something she could never have with either of them. She had to cut it off at the bud–whatever it was–before it had a chance of blossoming into something she could never come back from.

“Who said I was playing,” he uttered, brushing his lips across the softness of her cheek. He gripped her bottom and ground her to him, letting her feel his desire for her. “I’m dead serious Blue, I just want to talk.”

“What about?” she rasped, the tiniest of moans escaping her lips when he ground his hardness against her again.

“Well, for starters I want to know why you’re avoiding me.”

She rubbed her lips together unsure of what to say. She wasn’t avoiding him per se, she was merely avoiding the situation with him and Xavier. How could she tell him that the both of them made her feel something she shouldn’t? Something that shouldn’t have existed in the first place, because it could never happen.

“I’m not,” she lied smoothly.

“Yes, you are,” he countered, placing kisses on her delicate ear. “Or are you afraid?” His tongue made a swirling motion in her ear, making her gasp.

“Me? Afraid?” She denied, breathlessly. “Afraid of what?”

“Afraid of me,” he answered, splaying his hand over her stomach possessively.

“Why would I be afraid of you?” she snorted, but it came out as a moan. Her voice could not sound more faker than that, even if she tried. Because yes, Nicholas was right, she was afraid. Afraid of catching more feelings for him and his brother by letting this go on. Afraid of the situation blowing up in her face, and losing her job and herself in the process.

“Because of what I could do to you…” he trailed off, his voice sultry. Almost addictive to listen to. Especially when he leaned in to whisper, “And your body.”

She held her breath, as he dipped a hand into her underwear, finding her soaked for him.

“I know you want me,” he whispered, touching her throbbing clit with the pad of his thumb and beginning to massage it in slow, expertly soft circles.

“I’m not a toy to play with.”

“I never said you were,” he replied, still massaging her clit.

She tilted her head back, resting it on his shoulders, her breaths quickening with each swipe of his thumb. He watched as the pupils of her eyes darkened and pulsed, as the brown turned to black, with a passionate fury there that set his veins alight.

He brought his face down to meet her lips, which had parted, but she pulled back so only the faintest of touches passed between them.

“Let me go, Nicholas. Nothing good will come out of this,” she uttered, moaning as he shoved two fingers into her channel, drawing slow maddening circles on her clit, spurning her into an orgasm.

“What would it take for you to believe that this isn’t a game for me? Or Xavier?” he asked, curling a finger into her, stroking as he added another to join the mix.

“Why bring him into this?”

“Because he’s already in it.”

“I don’t know,” she shook her head, sighing miserably when he withdrew his fingers, denying her the orgasm she was on the verge of having.

He swiped his fingers into his mouth and licked them clean, smiling toothily at her, when her breathing deepened.

“Have a good day, Miss Malloy.”

And with that, he was gone without another word, leaving her a soaking and panting mess in her workshop.