Mastered(82)

She was very careful to keep the word financially out of her statement, and she knew he recognized the omission as well. She never wanted him to think she was with him for what he could provide financially. It would only cheapen what they had, and she wanted nothing to tarnish the beauty or progression of their relationship.

His entire expression softened and there was no longer any hint of anger or annoyance reflected in his eyes or his tone when he spoke to her again.

“Do you have any idea how rare it is to find someone as refreshingly honest as you are?” he asked in a husky voice.

She closed her eyes self-consciously, heat scorching over her face at the way he looked at her. As though he could see so much more than others could about her. Even her friends. What her girlfriends thought was a fault and something that would only bring pain and embarrassment for Evangeline, Drake clearly saw differently.

She sensed that this was a man who’d endured a lot of dishonesty in his life, which very likely explained why he was a very blunt, straightforward man. He didn’t sugarcoat things or try to appease others.

And she supposed it made sense that if he hadn’t had many people in his life who were honest, and he was a man who told the unvarnished truth, that he would appreciate those same qualities in Evangeline, whereas she saw it as simply being herself and deceit not being part of her nature.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by her that his men, those he trusted most and who seemed to be more than the average, run-of-the-mill employees, shared all of the traits Drake possessed. Blunt, straightforward, no tolerance for bullshit, and like Drake, they absolutely commanded obedience and respect from those around them.

“Look at me, Angel,” Drake said in a firm command that had her eyes flying open so she could once more meet his gaze. “Never are you to feel shame because you’re an honest, genuine person. They’re rare and unfortunately they are also the people who tend to get taken advantage of the most. I never want you to think that’s what I’m doing here. I want you. I intend to have you. But in no way will I ever take advantage of you.”

“Sometimes I’m too honest,” she whispered. “Not everyone wants to hear the truth, and not everyone wants to know what I’m thinking at any given moment.”

His hand slid over the curve of her backside and then to her inner thigh, rimming her entrance with one finger.

“I always want to hear the truth,” he said in a very serious tone. “Especially when it comes to you and what you’re thinking or feeling. I never want you to feel as though you have to lie to me about anything. If I don’t have that from you, then it means two things. That I’m not doing my job right, and it also means I have failed to maintain your trust. Neither of those is an acceptable scenario.”#p#分页标题#e#

She breathed out a sigh of relief. For so long she’d had to guard her words so carefully, not ever wanting to inadvertently hurt anyone’s feelings. It was hard to go against something so solidly ingrained in her by her parents. But she also refused to outright lie, so more often than not, she merely said nothing at all.

“It means more than you’ll ever know that I can be myself with you, Drake,” she said, staring deeply into his mesmerizing eyes.

He added another finger, stretching her, making her moan. Her eyelashes fluttered closed as pleasure raced through her body, leaving a fiery trail as though she’d been burned by his mere touch.

“Open your eyes. I want to see you when you come,” Drake said, all vestiges of gentleness and tenderness erased from his tone and features.

She shivered because once more he’d slipped so easily back into the role of the ultimate dominant male demonstrating his power and control over his woman.

She obeyed instantly and knew he approved of her obedience. Maybe to others his body language didn’t broadcast much at all. Or the nearly imperceptible change in his eyes. But she had already learned what each expression meant, or at least the ones she’d been subjected to so far.

And then a thought occurred to her and she frowned, searching out his gaze as he continued to lazily finger her.

“I thought you said tonight was for you,” she said in a husky, sexy-sounding voice she didn’t even recognize.

His eyes glittered and his smile was almost cruel looking against the harsh lines of his face. The man was one sexy beast of an alpha male. There was not one thing about him that didn’t do it for her. She hadn’t imagined men like Drake even existed except in fiction.

He was a man feared by others, recognized for his power and predatory nature. As a rule, she’d always avoided men like Drake, so she had no explanation for why she’d been so inexorably drawn to him and his dominant nature. Even now she should be terrified. Not anticipating every single one of the things he’d promised to do to her.