“There will be no interactions between us going forward,” I said, which was a lie since there would be, but his uninvited presence irked me . . . and thrilled me, which also served to really irritate me.
“I wouldn’t count on that.”
My chest rose with a deep, short breath. There was something different about him. I didn’t know if it was his unexpected visit or the fact that I couldn’t see his face, or if it was his words. It could’ve been all those things, but a different kind of instinct came alive then, one that had nothing to do with my abilities and was purely mortal. Primal. It urged that I rise slowly and leave this space— that I didn’t run, because if so, he would give chase like any predator would.
In the shadows, the starbursts in his eyes brightened. Prince Thorne’s entire body appeared to tense, as if he sensed I was about to take flight. His chin dipped into the stroke of sunlight. The curve of his lips was full of predatory intent.
A skipping motion went through my chest as I quickly looked away, feeling a little breathless.
“You didn’t answer,” Prince Thorne said, drawing my attention back to him. He took another sip of my whiskey. “Did you have a restful nap?”
“It was quite restful until I was woken up to find someone uninvited in my chambers,” I pointed out. “Why are you here? Honestly?”
Those long . . . devilish fingers of his tapped along the arm of the settee. “Would you believe me if I said I missed you and wanted to see you?”
I snorted. “No.”
“Your lack of faith in my intentions wounds me, na’laa.”
“I don’t know you well enough to have any knowledge of your intentions or faith in them.”
“Really?” Prince Thorne drawled, then leaned more fully into the sunlight. My chest felt too tight as he tilted his head to the side. His hair was pulled back from his face and only a wavy strand glanced off his cheek. Multicolored eyes locked on to mine. “You feel you don’t know me well enough after I had my fingers inside you and your hand on my cock?”
Another sharp burst of desire darted through me. That was the absolute last thing I needed to be reminded of. “As if that has anything to do with knowing you.”
“True,” he murmured, an amused half grin forming on his mouth.
I folded an arm over my waist. “How did you even know which chambers were mine? Better yet, how did you get in here? The door was locked.”
One side of his lips curved up. “Do you think a simple lock can prevent me from being where I want to be?”
My stomach dipped. “Well, that is somewhat . . . creepy.”
“Maybe.” He was clearly unbothered by that fact. “As to how I knew which quarters were yours, I have my ways.”
I stared at him. “At the risk of sounding repetitive— ”
“What I just said was also somewhat . . .” The tilt to his lips was now daring. “Creepy.”
“Yes.” My fingers went to the little red bow at the neckline of my chemise. “But I can see that even though you’re aware of being creepy, that hasn’t stopped you.”
“It hasn’t.”
“Well, I suppose being aware of your troublesome behavior is one half of the battle.”
“It would only be a battle if I found my behavior to be troublesome.”
“At least you’re honest,” I muttered, twisting the ribbon.
“One of us has to be.”
My eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure what you’re insinuating.”
“You’re not?” He set the glass of whiskey he’d helped himself to onto the small end table.
“No.” I feigned a yawn as I eyed him. His body was reclined in an almost arrogant sprawl. My gaze went to his hand, and immediately I thought of his hand slipping beneath the water. A taut curl low in my belly followed.
“What are you thinking about, na’laa?”
“Stop calling me that. And I wasn’t thinking of anything.”
“Would you get mad if I said you were lying?”
“Yes, but I have a feeling that’s not going to stop you.”
“It’s not.” That half smile remained. “Your pulse picked up and it was not fear or anger that caused it. It was arousal.”
Inhaling sharply, I resisted the urge to pick up a pillow and throw it at him. “And so what if it was? You should be used to it, being what you are. It’s just a . . . a natural reaction to your presence, not one I can control.”