Page 166 of Valentino

His words hang in the air between us.

The thing is, I had decided today that I was going to tell him about the phone chip and me hiding it this morning and try and make him understand why I did what I did. But the thing is that I want to defuse this war, not start it all over again.

I’m really not sure what to say or how to get over this awkwardness between us without getting into a huge fight. “It’s been a big day,” I tell him.

“It has.”

His eyes hold mine.

What the hell is going on with him tonight?

There’s something on the tip of his tongue that he wants to say, I can hear it in the silence, but I just can’t make it out.

I can’t sit here any longer with him because I know where it’s going to lead.

A screaming match that isn’t going to end well.

I take my plate to the kitchen and stand at the sink and turn the tap on.

“Leave it,” he says from behind me.

“I’m just going to quickly wash up the dishes.”

“Do you want to play a game with me?” He looks up at me and my eyes drop to his big kissable lips. “Anna?”

“What kind of game?” I murmur, distracted.

“Truth or dare.”

“What?”

“It’s been a very long week, and I get the feeling that we both need to relax,” he murmurs.

I nod. “That’s true,”

He bends and kisses my inner thigh. “Can we play a game?” His tongue circles on my inner thigh…. “Please?”

No need to beg, I’ll happily play anything.

I begin to hear my heartbeat in my ears as it pumps excitement through my bloodstream. Maybe the night is salvable.

“I mean….” My words trail off.

He picks up my hand and licks the palm before wrapping it around his face. “Truth or dare,” he whispers.

“I ….” Oh crap. “I….”

He stands and in one swift movement wraps his arm around my waist and jerks me forward, his teeth trail along my jaw. “If you choose truth, you have to answer whatever I ask of you.” He bends and bites my nipple through my clothes and perspiration dusts my skin.

“What’s dare?” I breathe.

“I handcuff you to my bed.” His teeth graze my skin. “And you let me….” He bites my nipple again and I jump at the sting. “Do whatever I want with you.” He bites me harder. “You let me use your body however I want to.”

My God…this man is fire.

He puts his mouth to my ear. “Can you do that for me, baby? Do you want to tell me the truth or do you want me to use you?”

Baby….