“Oh.”

He went to a closet and came out with a white silk robe. He helped me into it, the material as soft and gentle as a kiss. I tightened the sash, then drew my hands over the material, enjoying the way it felt against my skin.

“I do like watching you, he said softly. “I like seeing the way your body reacts to my touch. The way your eyes flutter when you come close to the edge. There’s an honesty between us that’s—well, I like it.”

“I’m not doing anything except reacting to you,” I said, my voice soft though the words were entirely true.

“Good,” he said, and in that moment our eyes locked. I felt that clench in my belly, the strong tug of need. My lips parted, and I rose onto my toes, my hand reaching for his shoulder as I moved closer, craving his mouth, his kiss—

But he stepped back, and suddenly there was nowhere to go. I glanced down to the floor, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—” To what? To kiss him? Hell yes, I’d meant to kiss him. More likely, I didn’t mean to make an ass out of myself, but I was hardly going to tell him that.

And then I realized. “It’s what you said in the elevator. Despite all of this. Despite making me feel like this, you’re not going to kiss me. You’re still tormenting me, aren’t you?”

His smile was slow and sexy and undeniably charming. And he didn’t say a damn word in answer to my question. Instead, he reached for a strand of my hair and wound it around his fingers. “Christ, you tempt me.” He held out a hand. “Come with me.”

I was irritated, but I was also both amused and turned on. Plus, the only place to go was back into that bedroom, and that meant he was finally taking me to bed.

“Do you remember what I told you?” he asked as he led me into the room. “The things that I like?”

“Watching me, you said.”

“Very good. A gold star to the prize pupil. And yes, I’ve liked that very much. I’ve liked it all—pampering you, touching you. I liked watching your face when the waiter came in. And I liked knowing that you were doing that—sitting there, exposed for him—because you wanted to please me.”

He took a step closer, bringing him into the doorway, but not over the threshold. “I got hard watching you then, did you know that?”

I shook my head.

“Knowing how far you were willing to go to please me—it made me hard. Made me want you even more. And made me wonder how much farther you’d go.”

I licked my lips, but I didn’t say a word.

“That’s what you want, isn’t it? The adventure. The thrill. That’s why you sent me a note saying that you wanted to play—and why you got pissed when I sent you away.”

I nodded.

“And you’re here with me now because you crave something. Tell me, Sloane. Tell me what you crave.”

“You.”

He shook his head. “Me, yes, but it’s more than that. You want me to take you the rest of the way. You want to find out just how far you can go.” He reached out and stroked my cheek. “Why me, Sloane? I want you to tell me that.”

I forced myself not to take a step back, because how could I answer that question? Because you were right there, the focus of my investigation? Because I still want to get close; I still want inside Destiny; I still want to know what you are up to, and if Kevin is even close to right, I still want to shut you down.

That was all true, but it wasn’t the truth.

The truth was more raw, more scary. Because Tyler Sharp was dangerous. He was edgy. He was not the kind of man I should let under my skin.

Yet I had, and that that truth cut deep inside me. And what scared me was the certainty that if I spoke it aloud, I could never take it back.

Even so, I couldn’t keep silent. So I drew in a breath, gathered my courage, and told this enigmatic, dangerous man the deepest, most essential truth. “Because you saw me. Because you see me. Because nobody else ever has.”

He held my gaze, then slowly nodded. A moment later, he moved to the bed, then sat on the edge. “Come here, he said, and I moved forward to stand between his knees. He reached out for the sash on the robe, then gave it a tug to release the bow. The robe fell open, exposing me to him.

I stayed perfectly still, though my blood was pounding so hard in my veins it was a wonder he couldn’t hear it. He stood, his body so close to mine I could feel his heat. Then he reached with one hand and pulled the sash free from the loops of the robe. Next, he lifted both hands, placed them on my shoulders, and eased the robe off my body.

It pooled at my feet, leaving me naked and warm and frantic for his touch.

Slowly, his gaze skimmed over me, and with each moment that passed, I felt the need inside me grow. I didn’t know what to expect—all I knew was that I wanted it, and now.

“Beautiful.” A single word, but it might as well have been a touch. My breasts tightened, my nipples hardening so much it was almost painful. And my sex ached with a throbbing need that could only be satisfied by his touch.

I wanted to beg for it. To take his hand and place it upon me. Instead, I simply said, “Please.”

“Give me your hand.” His voice was sensual, yet commanding, and I complied without hesitation.

He held me gently, then slowly trailed the end of the silk sash over my arm, my wrist, the back of my hand. I’d never considered hands particularly erotic, but the sensual allure of the silk against my skin was undeniable.

“Please,” I said again, and watched his mouth curve into a smile.

“Please, what?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “Just, please.”

“Whatever the lady wants.” He twisted the sash around my wrist, then knotted it. As he did, I felt something cold rising slowly inside me, fighting through the heat. I bit my lip, resisting the urge to pull my hand back, and forced myself to simply breathe.

“There’s a sensuality in being bound,” he said, as the cold thing began to twist in my belly.

“No,” I whispered, but I didn’t withdraw my hand. The cold had frozen me.

His smile seemed almost amused. “You came to me, Sloane, remember? You came because you wanted to see how far I can take you.”

But not this far, I wanted to scream. You should know. You should see. Not this far.

As if he heard my silent plea, he released my hand, and I almost cried out in gratitude as the ice in my veins began to melt.

Crisis averted. Horror stymied. This will be okay. This is fine. Just breathe, and everything will be fine.

I told myself that. Repeated it like a mantra as I lowered my arm, the silk still dangling from my wrist, relief flooding through me, so powerful it left me weak and a little dizzy.

“We’ll go far, I promise you.” Slowly—so frustratingly slowly—he stroked his fingertip along my collarbone. Then headed downward, lower and lower in a straight line between my breasts and to my abdomen.

My muscles contracted with the touch, my breath coming in little gasps. Then he moved lower still until his fingers found me wet and ready and even the slightest brush of his touch against my clit sent shivers coursing through me and made my body go limp.

“Not yet,” he said, withdrawing his hand with a devious grin, then drawing me to the bed, and easing me down so that I was prone with Tyler looking down at me from above.