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I put my hands on my hips and cleared my throat.
“I should punish you for that stunt,” I said.
My voice sounded so fucking hoarse. Why had I said it like that? I sounded like the beginning of a porno.
Pull it together, Merrick.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I don’t know what got into me. I had too much to drink or something.”
“No, you’re sorry you’re in trouble. You’d walk out there in front of everyone practically naked in a heartbeat if I let you.”
Something about what I said triggered her. Her brows creased and her lower lip pushed out. Flames crackled in her eyes.
“Stop trying to control me,” she snapped.
Oh, that pissed me off. Heat surged and I jerked my tie off and rolled up my sleeves. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck. Was the heat turned all the way up?
“Clara, I let you do whatever you like,” I said. “What more can you possibly want?”
“I could have slept with not one, but two men tonight if it weren’t for you,” she said, trying to toss back her wet hair. “But I couldn’t swipe my V card if I tried because everyone is just so fucking scared of Merrick Llwyd.”
“Good,” I snapped. “You don’t need to sleep with every man who buys you a drink.”
She gasped. “Are you calling me a whore?”
“No, I’m telling you that no man in this lodge is worthy of fucking you. So I don’t regret scaring them off.”
She lost it, throwing her hands up.
“Then who, Merrick, is worthy of fucking me?”
I hesitated because the truth sounded ridiculous. No one was worthy of fucking her, not even Osian. No one had hands worthy of touching her body or a mouth that deserved to kiss hers. She was too fucking perfect, too precious.
I swallowed.
“I am trying to be the better man here,” I said. “But I am struggling.”
“Oh, I know,” she retorted.
I moved toward her and she backed up, sitting down hard on the couch. Her fingers, manicured and painted a glittery pink, dug into the cushions. I sank into a crouch before her, looking up into her face.
She glowered, pouting.
“You embarrassed me tonight in front of people I have good relationships with,” I said. “Traditional people who won’t appreciate what you did.”
Her jaw worked. “I was angry because I hate that no one will touch me because they’re so scared of you.”
Yes, they were, and for good reason. I would kill anyone who treated her cheaply and think nothing of it. And I didn’t regret a fucking thing.
“Why do you want them anyway?” I asked. “They’re assholes.”
She squirmed. “I wanted to know what it feels like. I just want to feel good too. Why is that a bad thing?”
It wasn’t a bad thing. Wanting to feel good in bed was a natural human desire, but I didn’t want some random man to do that with her. Just the thought made the blood pound in my head until my ears roared.
It hit me like a ton of bricks.
I wanted to be that man.
