Page 118 of Niccolaio Andretti (The Five Syndicates)

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“Well, you can’t sleep on hardwood.”

“This is fine.”

My eyebrows went up.

“I think I can do better than that.”

If I had to drag my own bed into this room, I would make sure there was a bed in this room before the end of the day.

“You two have separate rooms,” he said. I felt my face burst into heat. The first comment he volunteered in over an hour was about my sex life?

I lifted my chin a notch. “I’m saving myself for marriage.”

“People still do that?”

I forced myself to lift my eyes up and meet his gaze. There was an expression of faint curiosity on his face. So Mr. Stone Face actually had some sort of emotion within him. “You seem surprised.”

“Why.”

“Why what?”

“Why are you saving yourself?”

My mouth gaped open. No one ever was this blunt. Especially about something so delicate. I could give him a pat answer but I decided to be honest.

“It wasn’t a conscious choice. It just sort of happened.”

My face was so hot.

“Are you religious?”

“Not particularly.”

“How long have you and Matt been together?”

“About a year.”

He stood there staring at me.

“Okay,” I said. My voice firm. “I’ll let you unpack.”

I pushed the vacuum cleaner towards the door.

“I don’t think something like that just happens.”

I went completely still. “Excuse me?”

“It’s definitely a choice.”

My face was so hot. I glanced over my shoulder at him. A slow smile crossed his face. Good grief. That smile changed his whole face. He was stunning looking. Magnificent, actually. Something dark fluttered in my belly. My breath was hitched in my throat. I worked to yank my gaze away from his.

I made some sort of noise and then beelined to my bedroom. I was out of breath. One smile and my entire body tingled. Jesus. Who was this guy?

From my bedroom, I called Matt. No answer.

I texted him.

Me: Your friend Jackson arrived. You invited him to stay here?

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