Betrayed By The Billionaire

127

Xavier’s brow furrowed even deeper as he watched her sudden movement. "Where are you going?"

Chloe Bishop turned back, giving him a playful, charming smile. "To do something to 'please' you—I’m going to start your bathwater."

Stepping into the steamy bathroom, she turned on the faucet. As the sound of splashing water filled the room, Lyra’s advice from lunch suddenly echoed in her mind.

"Chloe, you’re his wife now. Use your charms... if you keep tempting him, feelings are bound to grow. Physical intimacy is the best way to heat up a relationship..."

Tempt him until feelings grow? Intimacy helps the relationship warm up?

Chloe found herself drifting toward the large vanity mirror. She looked herself up and down, checking her profile and her reflection from every angle. She had to admit, she certainly had the "assets" to be a temptress if she chose to be.

Should I actually try to seduce him? she wondered, testing a pose.

"What are you doing?"

The icy voice vibrating from the doorway made Chloe jump nearly out of her skin. Xavier had reached the bathroom just in time to see her lifting her long hair and pulling down her collar in front of the mirror... striking a provocative pose.

Chloe froze. Her grip on her hair loosened, letting the silky black tresses fall over her shoulders in a chaotic wave. She quickly yanked her collar back up, her eyes wide like a startled fawn’s as she stared at him, caught between intense embarrassment and a lingering flirtatiousness.

Xavier watched her, his expression unreadable. Is this woman really trying to seduce me?

Chloe’s face burned a deep crimson under his scrutiny. "I... I was just checking to see if the marks on my skin had faded yet."

God, that was the lamest excuse in history, she screamed internally.

Xavier crossed his arms over his broad chest, not bothered to call out her lie. "Well? Have they?"

Chloe felt like she wanted to disappear into the floor tiles. "Not... not yet."

She secretly suspected he had the temperament of a territorial wolf.

"Is the water ready?" Xavier asked, stepping further into the room.

Chloe suddenly remembered she was supposed to be monitoring the tub. She scrambled to check the temperature. It was scalding—she had let the hot water run too long and needed to balance it with the cold tap.

As she adjusted the handles, Xavier began unbuttoning his shirt right behind her. The sound of the door clicking shut made Chloe’s heart race with anxiety. "Just a bit more cold water and it’ll be perfect. I’ll... I’ll go finish the dishes now."

She tried to make a break for the door, but Xavier was faster. He tossed his shirt aside and blocked her path, his cold face suddenly sporting a dangerous, wicked smirk. "Weren't you just trying to seduce me out there?"

He hadn't forgotten her bold move under the dinner table.

Chloe’s entire body went rigid. Her eyes darted everywhere—at the tiles, the towels, the ceiling—anywhere but his face or his powerful, bare chest. "I wasn't. I was just... explaining the difference between flirting and seduction."

Xavier leaned in close, the faint scent of his cologne mixing with the steam of the bathroom. He looked at her flushed face, his gaze lingering on the tips of her ears, which were glowing bright red.

Suddenly, he gripped her waist and hoisted her up, sitting her on the edge of the marble vanity. He leaned down, his breath warm against her ear. "Then tell me... what exactly is the difference between those three words?"

Flirting and seduction? Chloe’s mind went blank. Uh... is there even a difference?

"Can't find the words?"

Xavier tilted her chin up, his thumb grazing her lower lip with a slow, deliberate pressure. His dark eyes were heavy with intent. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for a kiss that felt inevitable.

But the kiss never came.

Instead, Xavier abruptly let go of her. The heat in his eyes vanished, replaced by his usual arctic chill—and a flicker of what looked like genuine disgust. "Get out."

Chloe blinked, stunned by the sudden whiplash. She didn't wait for a second invitation. She slid off the vanity and bolted out of the bathroom like she was escaping a burning building.

Seduce him? she thought, leaning against the hallway wall and gasping for air. Forget it. I’ll stick to the 'pleasing'—it’s much safer for my health.