“Shall we take the stairs?” she offers, and I know I don’t have much time. By the time we make it to the top floor, I’m not sure how I feel. Everything she says about Sov shines him in good light. It helps that she seems so surprised about his attention being drawn to a woman. The man has been lost in work and nothing more since he took over for his father. I’m really starting to think that maybe he’d gotten lost in the moment with me earlier on the patio. Then again, Alex might be getting paid to butter me up. I lay some trust in that fact that we’re both women. In my world that holds a heavy weight.
We both stop when a flood of security comes pouring out of the suite doors.
“Knock it off. You’ll scare her away.” Sov steps out, looking as handsome as always. His attention is focused on me. His eyes make me feel like I’m the only person he sees. When he offers me his hand, I take it, getting lost in the idea of being all he ever needs.
Chapter Eleven
Sov
“Do you have many ties to the city?” I offer Mackenzie a plate of small cakes. I could eat about a dozen in one bite, but my mother loves these tiny morsels and since she’s the only woman I’ve had contact with for any extended period of time, I use her as my frame of reference.
“Not many.” Mackenzie inspects the plate suspiciously.
“They’re not poisoned,” I assure her.
“We bring our own ingredients,” Parker says. I don’t need to look at him to know that he’s offended. These women are going to be the death of him.
I wave a hand. “Leave us.”
“But—” Parker starts to protest but gets cut off with a curt shake of Zero’s head. He herds everyone out and then stands inside the door.
“You, too, Zero.”
His expression grows confused, as if he can’t comprehend what I’m saying. I fold my arms and give him a silent order. He glares back, but in the end, I’m Sov Charmont, so he leaves the suite, banging the door behind him.
“He doesn’t seem happy. Does he think I’m going to stab you with a fork?”
“There isn’t any cutlery on the table, so I believe I’m safe from death by utensil, but you are a Vieth Orphan, and they are known for their cunning.”
“I guess I should feel good, but I’m just an accountant.” She picks up a pink square and lifts it to her lips. Before she puts it in her mouth, she pauses. “Do you really bring all your own ingredients?”
“Yes.” I nod. “You can never be too careful. We bring everything from food to water wherever we go.”
“That sounds expensive and a lot of work.”
“Perhaps.” I don’t know nor do I care. “The end product is good, and that’s what matters.”
She chews on the small dessert, her pink tongue darting out to flick away the crumbs on her plump lower lip. I breathe heavily through my nose as an image of her licking her way along my cock flashes into mind.
“You must really be a prince,” she murmurs as she eats a second and then a third one. I vow to give the chef a raise.
“We don’t use titles.”
“That’s a yes then?” She finishes off a fourth bite before leaning back. She looks like a flower blooming on my sofa, and I want to go over and devour her.
“You may call me whatever you like.”
“You look like you were ready for bed.” She dodges my comment. “Already out of the monkey suit and into your jammies?”
“Jammies?” I glance down at my pants and T-shirt. “I sleep in the nude, darling.”
She ignores the endearment, too. “This is a fancy suite. I didn’t know this place had rooms like this.”
She’s adorable. I push aside the tray of cakes and pick up a velvet box. Should I give it to her now? Her naked neck demands attention. “This is for you. My hand makes a better necklace, but this will have to do for now.”
Mackenzie’s jaw drops as she takes in the yellow, white, and pink diamond choker. “What is this?”
“Something small.” I pluck the necklace off the silk padding and circle around to the back of the sofa. Her hair is still mostly up off her neck, making it easy for me to drape the choker in place. I fix the clasp and let the jewels drop into place. “Beautiful,” I murmur, but it’s not the necklace I’m admiring but the elegant line of her neck. My fingers drop to trace the knobs of her spine. She shivers but doesn’t move away.
I close my hand around the base of her neck. She feels fragile and vulnerable. “Mackenzie, this is a gift that I’m giving you because this dress deserves decoration. You do not have to sleep with me to keep it. I like the idea of a beautiful flower like you wearing beautiful things at all times.”