"I hate you," she spat at him. He smiled hugely at her, as his gaze flicked over her body. She was flushed and her breathing was coming out in pants. She may hate him but her body wanted him and she couldn't deny that.
"You sure haven't acted like you hate me when you're moaning in my arms," he said with confidence.
"How can you be so sure I'm not faking the whole thing?" she said with her own version of a cocky smile. She wasn't pulling it off. His eyes narrowed even further and he stalked closer to her. He now had her backed up to the bed, with nowhere for her to go. He was breathing just as heavily as her and his temper was close to the snapping point.
He ran his hand along the top of the towel, making her body shiver, betraying her words. He smiled in triumph once again and she continued to glare at him. She'd thrown down her bluff and he'd won. It was definitely a heady feeling.
"Deny it all you want but you want me just as badly as I want you. You can play the martyr but we both know sharing my bed is no hardship for you," he said, as he continued to caress her skin.
She said nothing else, she knew she'd lost the small battle but she wouldn't concede the entire war. She tilted her chin in defiance, which only made him smile more. He grabbed the knot on her towel and in one movement he ripped the thing off of her, leaving her completely naked in front of him.
Nicole gasped aloud at his boldness and wanted badly to cover herself up. She felt exposed, standing before him completely naked. There was no way to hide his affect on her, with her ni**les already hardened into tight peaks.
Ryan felt like he'd been kicked in the gut, at the sight of her luscious curves before him and he was no longer angry. He was hungry and he was going to prove to her how much she needed him. He did exactly that over the next several hours and felt immense satisfaction as she lay in his arms, sound asleep afterward.
He was too wired to fall asleep and slowly untangled himself from her. He felt much better and decided to get some work done. He'd proven his point and though he knew she would still fight him each step of the way, he didn't think he would wake up to find her in another bed again.
He realized he'd always been surrounded by women willing to concede to him, with the slightest crook of his finger and it had bored him. He was glad she was stubborn and independent. She certainly would never bore him. He actually whistled as he took his shower and dressed for the day, then headed downstairs. The drive into the office didn't take him long.
He almost laughed aloud at the relieved looks of his staff as he smiled at them and asked how their days were going. He hadn't realized what a complete grouch he'd been. He had a feeling his mood was only going to improve each day he had with Nicole. He pushed the button to page his secretary.
"Can you please get Nicole on the line and put her through?" he asked her.
"Yes sir," she efficiently replied. He could've easily rang her himself, especially since he was sitting at his desk doing nothing, in anticipation of her voice coming over the line but it was a game of who had the most power and he was determined to win.
"She's on line three, sir," the voice spoke over his intercom. He forced himself to wait a full two minutes before picking up the phone.
"Hello, Ryan here," he spoke into the handset as if bored.
"You're the one who called me," she said exasperated, when he forgot who he was even speaking to.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Ryan lied to her. "I'd like for you to come into the office today and have lunch with me," he told her.
"I'm busy," she said simply and his easy mood evaporated.
"Well then you'll undo any plans you've made and be here by noon," he told her, brooking no room for argument. The other end of the line was silent for so long he was beginning to think she'd actually had the audacity to hang up on him. His good mood was gone and he was about to explode.
"Fine, I'll be there," she finally said in a none too happy voice.
"Good, I'll see you then," he practically yelled before disconnecting the call. He was seething mad as he sat in his chair. There were women all around who'd be climbing all over themselves to spend one minute in his company and the one woman he actually wanted to be with acted as if she was going to the gallows every time he requested her presence. It was absolutely ridiculous and he needed to gain some control over himself. He refused to let her affect him so much.
"Mr. Titan, you have an international call on line one," his secretary's voice came over the intercom.
"I've got it," he snapped at the woman. He received no reply and rightfully so. His staff was terrified of what kind of a mood he'd be in because it changed every two minutes. He took the call and was grateful it occupied him over the next couple of hours. He didn't have time to sit around and brood about what Nicole was thinking or doing.