“They won’t be.”

“They will be.”

I wanted to argue with him, but I kept my mouth shut. Eyes closed, pleasure rushing through my body.

“You know what I’m starting to think?” he asked. His lips brushed against the sensitive column of my neck, and I shook my head. “You’re a very dirty woman, Aurora Ivanov. So dirty you’ve kept it hidden from me, but I better warn you, I will discover all of your secrets.”

“I don’t hide anything,” I said.

He plunged two fingers inside me. “Yeah, you did. A virgin you may be, in more ways than you realize, but your needs are far from innocent. I think it would be only fair for us to explore them.” He pinched my clit, causing me to cry out, then finally withdrawing his hand.

I watched him lick my cream off his finger and move to sit back down. “Try on the next one.”

He’d gotten me all hot and bothered and was on his cell phone as if nothing happened. I didn’t get this man.

In the last twenty-four hours, he’d touched me more than in the first seven months of marriage. Not that I was complaining. Even as I believed I hated the man, I still couldn’t stop myself from watching him, desperate for his touch.

I still wasn’t sure how to initiate sex. I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind and instead focused on what appeared to be important to him. Picking out the perfect dress for this banquet.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“No. I don’t like going to these events. I find them pointless and unnecessary.” He didn’t look up from his cell.

“Why do you go then?”

“Image. To drive a point across.”

I pulled on a pale-blue dress with a scooped neck that showcased my cleavage by pushing my tits together. Blowing out a breath, I spun toward him. The dress fell to my ankles. Very modest with a hint of reveal.

“This one?”

He looked up. “Yes.”

“Will you need my help with anything this time?” I asked. I hated going to the banquets and special events. They were places I always felt the odd one out.

I licked my lips as my mouth had gone dry.

After changing out of the dress he’d picked and back into my jeans and a shirt, I held the two dresses he’d liked, and was ready to leave.

He looked up from his cell phone. “You’re not going to try any others on?”

I wrinkled my nose. “No.”

“And here I thought you liked shopping.”

“Your credit card should show a full refund. I hate shopping.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Why go shopping then?”

“It wasn’t about the clothes or shoes. I just … I needed to get out. That’s all. Call me childish. I’d been trapped after what happened with Sergei. It wasn’t my fault and still, I was punished.”

Slavik grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me in close. His lips so close to mine, but he didn’t kiss me. “I know it wasn’t your fault, but you could have told me the very instant he made any kind of hint he wanted more from you. Sergei shouldn’t have gotten anything from you. His job was to protect you.”