The pearl-white silk of her robe drifted like liquid over the dark charcoal bedding, its golden sash loosening just enough to expose the delicate black lace beneath. Her dark hair lay scattered across the pillows in damp waves, the faint, intoxicating scent of cold orchids blooming in the warm air.
Victoria propped herself up on her elbows, a breathless laugh slipping past her lips. Her dark eyes, smoky and brimming with an intoxicating mix of aristocratic defiance and pure surrender, locked directly onto his.
"Rough, aren't you?" she murmured, her voice laced with lazy allure. "Is this how you plan to reward me, Alex?"
Alex didn't answer with words.
With slow, deliberate calm, he reached up and unbuttoned his collar. His platinum cufflinks were tossed onto the nightstand with a soft click, and with a casual roll of his forearms, he stripped his dress shirt off, tossing it aside to reveal the lean, sculpted lines of his chest and shoulders.
