His Arrogant Human Mate novel Chapter 43

"Afraid? What am I afraid of?" I tested, raising a brow. He better tread carefully or else he'd be getting a backhand across the cheek.

"Vulnerability. You don't like being vulnerable. That's why you freaked out when Alfie had to leave, why you won't let me get close to you, or any guy for that matter. That's why you're still a virgin."

My hand swung to make contact with his cheek, but he caught it easily, holding it in midair. "But that's okay, gorgeous. There's nothing wrong with being a virgin. It's better for us, actually. I should be the one to take it anyways," he said soothingly, kissing the back of my hand. "I'll work on making you feel more vulnerable so you can be that around me. It'll be a process, though, I know. But I think we can do it in two weeks."

"Don't talk about my virginity ever again. You don't get to decide anything about it, got it?" I snapped, about to turn on my heel, but he kept a steady grip on my wrist.

"My car is this way," he said sternly, cutting me off when I tried to say no. "I let you walk here by yourself. You will come home with me as a compromise."

I wrenched my arm out of his grip, storming towards the direction he motioned to. "Fine, but I'm sitting in the back."

"That's fine with me," Dominic replied with a funny tone of voice, easily catching up and matching my pace. "I am happy as long as you're by my side."

"Say that again and I will puke," I muttered.

He laughed heartily, ruffling my hair. "You're so cute, sugar."

Dominic demanded I join him in his office once we got back to the house, even though he was going to do work on his computer for a few hours. It was totally ridiculous but he didn't leave any room for objections. I sprawled out onto the dark leather loveseat that was across from his desk, pulling the gray throw blanket on top of me so I could curl up on my phone.

My immediate reaction was to text Alfie, but I remembered what went down between us so I sighed and set my phone down again. After staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully for a few moments, I placed my cell phone on the ground and rolled to face the back of the couch, closing my eyes.

"You just had who knows how much coffee and you're going to take a nap?" Dominic said skeptically.

"I didn't ask for your input on my nap schedule," I replied evenly.

He snickered but didn't say anything more on the subject, letting me relax. For two minutes. "There are books you can read in here," Dominic claimed. "A couple of them I really liked. Come look."

With an exaggerated sigh, I folded the blanket away from me and sat up. Dominic met my gaze for a few silent moments before motioning towards a bookshelf behind him. "The top shelf has the best options."

He was still holding me close to him, so close that I could feel the weight of his gaze and the heat emanating from his body. "Vulnerability, Caroline," he murmured, kissing my forehead.

"I'm not vulnerable."

Dominic's hold on my waist tightened and he spun until I was pressed into the nearest wall. I swallowed thickly, fighting back the strangled noise of fear in my throat. I kept my line of sight right at his chest, worried if I looked up at him he would see the terror this position put me in.

"Look at me," Dominic ordered softly.

I shook my head. "No thank you."

He chuckled, pressing his body closer to mine, angling his head down so his forehead rested on top of my hair. "If you weren't scared, you'd be able to look at me."

I gritted my teeth angrily before lifting my gaze. Dominic smiled at me, one of his hands skimming up my side. I thought he was going to cup my cheek, but instead, his fingers brushed over his mark on my throat. Chills fan through me at the tender contact, the mark itself tingling.