‘Aren’t you done?’ he asks as I spot yet another store I want to check out.
‘No. And you promised Cisco you’d accompany me everywhere,’ I stick out my tongue at him, dragging him with me towards the store.
After the car ride, he’s been brooding all day while keeping a small distance from me. And as I’d taken him from store to store to try clothes on, he’d tried to stay aloof and not engage in conversation with me.
A smile pulls at my lips as I realize that my plan might be working after all. He obviously feels lust for me, no matter how much he’d like to pretend it’s not true. His body language doesn’t lie. He’s almost constantly trying to adjust his erection in my presence. A blush envelops my cheeks at the thought, because I’ve been watching him—specifically that part of him—a little too closely.
But there’s also his gaze that seems to become captivated by every bit of bare skin I show—fact that only imbues me with more confidence for my next step.
We go inside the store, and after picking a few items I motion him towards the changing rooms, asking him to wait outside.
Every time I change into an albeit sexy outfit, I exit the changing room and I ask for his feedback. Every time, though, he gives me a half-assed ok as he looks sideways, barely glancing at me.
‘Rafaelo!’ I call him out when I see he’s looking behind me instead of at me.
‘Didn’t you get enough clothes? Let’s pay and go home already,’ he rolls his eyes at me, but still avoids my gaze.
‘You’re really boorish, you know,’ I shake my head at him, crossing my arms over my chest.
I’d specifically gone for a latex dress that molds to my body in hopes of getting a reaction. Well…maybe I should cut my losses since this doesn’t seem to work particularly well.
‘And you look like a stripper,’ he snaps, finally glancing at me. ‘Where the hell would you even wear that?’ He asks, incensed.
Getting up, he comes closer to me, his nostrils flared as he peruses my body.
‘Go change and let’s go. You’re not getting that,’ he states resolutely, all but shoving me inside the changing room.
‘I am,’ I counter. ‘I happen to like it.’
‘You like looking like a stripper?’ He raises a brow, his voice low and dangerous.
His deep tone never fails to send a shiver down my back, his timbre making my entire body erupt in goosebumps.
‘What if I do? They get paid for it, you know?’ I retort cheekily, pushing him out before closing the door to the changing room and taking the dress off.
I take a little more time to calm myself before I get out, noting that Raf’s in a sour mood as he taps his foot restlessly, looking at me as if he’d like nothing more than to commit murder.
Pushing my chin up, I pass by him, ignoring his silent tantrum and going to the till to pay.
He doesn’t say anything as he follows closely. But the moment we are out of the store, he snatches the bag from my hand, pivoting on his heel and heading straight for the trash can.
His intention registers a little late.
‘No,’ I run after him, making it just in time to see my bag of clothes hit the bottom of the bin. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ I snap at him, my hands balled into fists.
Bending, I don’t care if he gets a full view of my ass as I try to retrieve my shopping bag.
A masculine groan alerts me to the fact that he is in fact getting a full view of my ass, and for a moment I have to wonder if he’s staring at it. Without even thinking, I wiggle my hips, making sure he gets a full show. Grabbing the edge of the bag, I remain bent over the bin.
Some whistles resound from around me, and I belatedly realize that it’s not just Raf who’s getting the show.
Damn!
I quickly get myself together, taking the bag and turning to see a Raf on the brink of an apoplexy. The veins in his neck are prominent, pulsing right under my gaze as he stares at me with anger in his eyes.
Another man stops a few feet away from me, his eyes on my ass as he continues to whistle lasciviously and leer at me. Raf surprises me as he turns swiftly, grabbing the man by the throat. A head shorter than Raf, it looks like child play as he leans in to whisper something in his ear. The man blanches, nodding repeatedly before Raf finally releases him, urging him to run—which he does.
‘What did you say to him?’ I frown, but he doesn’t even hear me.
Coming closer, I can see he is pissed. His steps are measured, his body wound so tightly I’m surprised he didn’t put the man in the hospital with all the aggression that’s rolling off him.
‘Aren’t you ashamed to behave like this?’ he grits out.
‘Like what?’ I shrug, making to move past him.
‘Like a fucking whore,’ he spits out, his eyes narrowed at me in distaste as he catches my arm, holding me in place.
‘What…?’ My mouth drops open as I stare at him.
‘First, you try to entice me to fuck you, and now, you’re showing your ass to anyone who walks by?’
‘You didn’t want it. Others may. Not my fault you have bad taste,’ I smile sweetly at him.
His grip tightens on my upper arm as he jerks me towards him.
Tipping my head up, I find him gazing at me with an indecipherable look on his face. There’s a twitch in his cheek as he purses his lips, seemingly trying to control himself.
‘Don’t force my hand, Noelle,’ he says in a strained tone.
‘Or what? You’re going to kill me? Oh, wait. You can’t,’ I chuckle. ‘You can’t do anything, can you?’ I flutter my lashes at him as I’m daring him to do something.
‘What I can do,’ he enunciates each word carefully, his eyes never leaving mine, ‘is paint your ass red so you never try something like that again.’
I frown, not understanding what he means. But I don’t dwell on that, changing the subject slightly so he doesn’t realize I didn’t get his jibe.
‘You’re on the losing side, Raf. You should just admit it,’ I wink at him before I push at him, my foot making contact with his shin.
Taken by surprise, his hold becomes slack enough for me to take flight.
‘You can’t catch me,’ I giggle as I make a funny face at him before I start running.
For a moment, I don’t think he’s going to follow. But a loud curse later, and I hear the footsteps behind me.
I dash into the first store I see, which coincidentally happens to be a lingerie one. Without even thinking, I grab some pieces off a rack and I turn to the changing rooms, locking myself in one.
The entire area is luxurious, and I’m impressed to find myself in quite possibly the most beautiful changing room I’ve ever seen.
There’s a velvet bench that takes up the entirety of the wall, a table by the side and mirrors on all sides of the room.
Leaning against one wall, I sigh in relief.
But it’s only a few moments later that I hear Raf’s disgruntled tone as he calls my name.
‘Noelle! Get out and come here,’ he yells as he comes charging towards the changing rooms.
Biting my lip, I try to think of something quick. The first idea that comes to mind, though, is so wild, I can’t help but giggle to myself as I quickly shed my clothes and put on the lace bodysuit I’d brought with me.
The bra is a little tight and my boobs are almost spilling out of their confines. Lace flows down, molded to my body, the bodysuit making me really look like a stripper.
Before I lose my courage though, I wrench the door open. Raf is pacing in front of the changing rooms, a deep scowl on his face.
And as he sees what I’m wearing, he stops in his tracks, his eyes widening as he lets them roam greedily over my form.
‘Like what you see?’ I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively, leaning against the door in a seductive stance.
He doesn’t answer me, not that I expected a reply from him.
Just to rile him further, since I know he is not indifferent, I proceed to move around slightly, emphasizing the curve of my spine as it leads to my ass, thrusting it towards him and pushing my breasts against the changing room’s door.
A mix of emotions plays on his face—from anger, to annoyance, to desire and back to anger, he’s an open book.
Except he isn’t.
Not when, shaking his head, he mutters something under his breath before he strides determinedly towards me, pushing me inside the changing room and locking the door behind him.
‘What…What are you doing?’
‘You’re such a brat, Noelle,’ he says, his eyes dipping to the swell of my breasts.
Suddenly, I have the urge to cover myself, feeling a little out of my depth. Maybe I’ve taken this too far? I’ve been playing the game all along thinking he’d never cross the line.
But as he continues to crowd me, pushing his body into mine, I realize I may have miscalculated a few things.
‘You’re not allowed in here,’ I say in a small voice, my eyes moving wildly about the room as I map escape routes.
And just as I utter the words, a knock sounds at the door, a sales assistant’s voice peeking through.
‘Excuse me, these are single use only. And females only.’
Relief floods my features at her words and I nod to Raf to exit, folding my arms over my chest and waiting for him to leave.
His eyes narrowed at me, he takes a step back, opening the door just enough to address the sales assistant.
‘You will turn around and you will forget you saw us here,’ he barks in a stern voice.
I can see the woman through the small space, and her expression immediately changes as she takes Raf in.
‘Of course,’ I mutter under my breath. Who wouldn’t find him attractive when he looks like a human Adonis.
‘Are we clear?’ He asks as he slips her a hundred dollars.
She nods her head, speechless, and Raf quickly locks the door again.
‘That… You can’t do that,’ my voice breaks slightly, and a shiver goes down my back at seeing that no one will help me now.
‘Well, it seems like I can,’ he says in an arrogant tone.
Moving around the spacious room, he looks intently at me, his hand at his collar as he loosens his tie before he takes it off.
My eyes are drawn to his hands—those strong, big hands and the prominent veins that protrude with every flex. Wrapping the tie around his knuckles, he circles around me, almost like a predator circling his prey.
For the first time, I’m afraid.
Countless scenarios are going through my mind as my gaze hones in on the tie, before I whip my eyes back to his.
He’s going to kill me—strangle me. That’s it.
His expression is humorless as he comes closer. I try to dash towards the door, but he simply blocks my way, backing me against the wall and placing his arm above my head, caging me in.
‘Uhm,’ I start, still looking around for an exit route. ‘I’m sorry?’ I offer a fake apology.
‘You’re sorry,’ he smirks.
The change is unmistakable. Whereas before he’d been fully in control of himself—striving to keep a mask of civility in place—now he let loose.
I can feel it in the energy swirling around us, the air that seems to grow hotter by the second, just like his hot breath fans my face as he leans in, an arrogant smile on his lips.
‘Not so brave, are you now?’
‘Uhm,’ I mumble incoherently. ‘I think we should go. We’ve been gone too long,’ I give a nervous laugh.
‘Not yet,’ he stops me from leaving. ‘I’ve decided to take you up on your offer. After all, when will I experience hate sex again,’ he laughs derisively, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
My entire body is trembling at this point, even though I’m trying to put on a strong front.
‘Well,’ I wet my lips, willing myself to calm down. ‘The offer expired,’ I push against his chest.
‘Did it?’ he drawls derisively.
I raise my gaze to his and I almost get lost in those stormy blue eyes of his.
‘I think the offer was never on the table, was it, little liar?’ he asks as he drags his fingers down the column of my neck in the lightest caress.
