“Funny, I thought I was trapped inside one already.”
With a twist of his wrist, he turned on the flame beneath the kettle. “Because I turned down your martyr’s proposition of sex, you mean.”
The kitchen was absent of anywhere to sit, empty save a toaster and frozen clock, so Polly leaned back against the wall. “I guess you could say that.”
“Good news, then.” He removed two white mugs from the cabinet. “As I’m not a complete idiot, Polly, I didn’t turn it down.”
She despised the lust that tickled her belly. “I don’t understand.”
He paced halfway across the kitchen in her direction, crossing his arms as he considered her. “I have no problem admitting that I value pleasure. Or that I choose pleasure over supposed happiness. When you’re experiencing pleasure, you know it. Happiness is too vague a notion and a fleeting one, if you manage to experience it.”
She didn’t know how to respond to such rare honesty from Austin, so she stayed silent and waited for him to explain his point.
“Pleasure is what I want from you…from your body,” Austin continued in a gruff tone. “But for some elusive reason, I will also derive pleasure from your safety. So I will find a way to accomplish both. Are we on the same page?”
“Yes,” Polly answered slowly. “But I’m not sure I want to be.”
His smile was pure, lethal charm. “That’s why we’re negotiating, sweet.”
God, he was dangerous. “I’ll take what’s behind door number three.”
“Door number three could lead to you being harmed, so I’ve put a padlock on it. Choose again.”
Polly traced a circle on the floor with the toe of her boot. “The only reason you’ve been following me is to…keep me safe? No other reason?”
His facade shifted, but quickly snapped back into place when he shrugged. “Keep your friends close.”
“And your enemies closer?”
Austin’s response was to sip his tea, narrowing his eyes at her over the rim.
…
Rather unfortunate timing, being interrupted before he could finish himself. Austin swallowed a scalding sip of tea, praying the pain would prevent him from tossing Polly over his shoulder and hauling her into his bedroom. Her upturned nipples were outlined by the thin T-shirt she wore, all but screaming, suck me, Austin. And if she rubbed her damp palms against the outside of her thighs one more time, telling him her hormones were still singing as loudly as his own, he would give in with a heartfelt curse and complete his orgasm while she watched. Right in the kitchen, like a horny choirboy. Honestly, he’d never been hard up for sex in his life, and it was goddamn inconvenient when he needed to keep a sharp mind.
He watched Polly purse her plump lips, blowing on the surface of her tea in slow motion, giving him no choice but to adjust his groin, lest he reveal his desperation. Under no circumstances could he let Polly know how little control he possessed when it came to her. In a million years, he never would have anticipated her considering an exchange of sex for information. A rare miscalculation on his part. He’d managed to tear himself away before making a severe misstep, but if she so much as sighed against his skin just then, he would be on her like an animal.
“Shouldn’t a negotiation take place at a table?”
Austin shrugged. “I’ve never been in one place long enough to procure furniture.”
“Not even a—”
“Bed? Yes.” He held her eyes. “I have one of those.”
She smirked. “I was going to say laundry basket.”
“Sure you were.” Austin clasped his hands around the mug, welcoming the sting of heat. “I’d like to know what you have against the man you intend to ruin.”
A beat of silence passed. “Don’t you know his name?”
“He goes by more than one. I’d hazard a guess he has over thirty identities, and that’s a modest estimation.”
Her gaze dropped from his, perusing the kitchen. “I’m not telling you anything until you explain what exactly we’re negotiating.”
“I want an active role in helping you.” His gut tightened when her attention snapped back to his. “My nature doesn’t allow me to remain in the background, feeding you helpful tidbits and leaving the outcome to chance. Not where you’re concerned.”
“My nature doesn’t allow me to involve someone like you in my private business. This is my show and I don’t need a costar.”
He zeroed in on the most troublesome part of her statement, although he didn’t know why he should be surprised at her disdain. She’d never made a secret of it. Perhaps the fact that he’d had his tongue in her mouth on two separate occasions within twenty-four hours played a part. “Someone like me?”