“You aren’t seriously going to wear that in front of all those men, are you?” he asked in his deep Greek accent, pointing at my dress. His eyes flickered to the small display of my cleavage and legs again, hands curling into balls.

“Why? What’s wrong with this dress?” I feigned innocence.

Striding closer, he pinned me with his hard stare. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You wanted to get on my nerves.”

My eyes widened slightly. Oh, so he figured it out.

Now, Mr. Valencian, how does it feel when someone irritates you out of your mind?

I gave him a look of horror. “What are you talking about? Why’d you think that? I wore it because I liked it. I didn’t think of you when choosing this dress! Don’t be delusional!”

Stepping closer, he gently cupped my chin. “Let’s not waste anymore time arguing, shall we? Go and change it. We’re getting late for dinner.”

My eyes narrowed. “I’m not changing this dress.”

“Until you’re changing this dress, we aren’t leaving.” His tone was serious.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I shrugged. “I’m fine with curling under my blanket right now and watching Netflix.”

“Rosebud.” With warning etched in his voice, he waited for me to obey.

But I was too comfortable in my place.

His lips curled into displeasure as he let out a curse. “Fine. Let’s go. But I swear, it won’t be my fault if someone goes to their early grave tonight.”

“You won’t dare!” Casting him a look, I passed him and sauntered into the warmth of the car.

Thank God he couldn’t see through my skin. Otherwise, he’d definitely notice how badly my bones were shivering with cold.

Irritating him had cost me much more than I thought.

Once inside the car, he shrugged off his coat and put it around my shoulders, still scowling.

“I-I don’t need it!”

“I can see that very well. Now put it on and stay quiet,” he ordered with a grunt, adjusting the heater.

I didn’t argue anymore.

Once we were outside of The Blue Paradise, the hotel the Arabs were staying at, he got out and opened the door for me. Stepping outside, when I was about to give him his coat back, his hands stopped me.

“No, keep it on.” Securing the coat around me, he took my hands in his. “They’re cold.”

I didn’t pull my hands from his much warmer ones as he rubbed them in his. My heart fluttered with warmth. My silence remained even when he took my hands and kissed them, mumbling how I needed a pair of gloves.

I wished I could just hide myself from the cold into the cocoon of his arms and never pull away.

“Mr. Valencian!”