“But you don’t.”

“I have. And worse, I did it with you. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself had you been hurt. I swear to you I will never, ever do something like that again no matter how mad I get.”

She hugged him close and he savored his body against hers. “Had I been physically assaulted, I probably wouldn’t be so forgiving.” She nuzzled his neck. “It was extremely humiliating to be told how worthless and undesirable I am. I’m not going to downplay it. But I’ve had worse.”

“Yeah, well, he was a fucking idiot. I think you’re more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever seen.”

Zarya trembled as he took her hand into his and led it to his cock that was already hard again. It was so erotic to have him hold her palm against his erection while he stared down at her with a hunger that was hot and tangible. “Believe me, no one has ever done this to me like you do. Every time I look at you, hear your voice, or smell your scent, I want to be inside you so badly it hurts.”

And he had definitely proven that. A lot over the last few days. It was a wonder the man could walk.

Her either.

She smiled up at him. “Thank you.” Then she pulled his lips down to hers so that she could kiss him.

He growled low in his throat as he hardened even more underneath her hand. As he deepened their kiss and went to remove her towel, she stopped him.

“You haven’t eaten.”

“I—”

She covered his lips before he could contradict her. “You need something more to nibble on than me.”

“Fine,” he groused with an uncharacteristic pout. “I need to get some real work done anyway. I’m not sure how the gerents are going to deal with that e-mail I sent out last night.”

“You’re going to eat first, right?”

“Yes, my lady.”

She smiled. “By the way, did you really fine and fire the cook?”

He actually turned sheepish over her question. “Well, yeah. I wasn’t going to let her near my food out of my eyesight after I fined her. What kind of stupid would that be?”

She laughed. “You know what I mean.”

“I do, and yes.” He sobered. “She had no right to treat you like that. I won’t have that kind of abuse in my home. If you tell me who stole your clothes, I’ll—”

“It’s all right,” she said, interrupting him. “I don’t care about something so trivial.”

“I do. Stealing from others isn’t trivial to me.”

He was right, but given everything else, she just wanted to forget it’d happened.

“Go and eat, my lord. The sooner you take care of your business, the sooner you can come back up here and take care of me.”

His eyes darkened playfully before he picked her hand up and kissed it. “Very well, my lady. I shall obey. But only because I need to make sure I still have an empire.”