Chapter 47 - Forty Seven
The air crackled with unspoken tension as they remained tangled on the bed. Suzy’s chest rose and fell rapidly beneath him, her cheeks flushed a fiery red. Ryan, trapped between his own body heat and the close proximity of hers, felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple.
"What are you doing in my shirt, Duchess?" he finally growled, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down her spine.
Suzy swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "It’s... well," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, "I wasn’t expecting us to share a room."
She blurted out the truth in a rush, hoping to explain herself before his anger flared. "I packed my usual nightwear, but you... well, you don’t seem particularly fond of those," she added, a hint of defiance creeping into her voice. "Those flimsy things that barely cover anything."
Ryan’s jaw clenched slightly, his eyes narrowing. The memory of those transparent garments flashed in his mind, a vision he’d tried to suppress.
"And?" he prompted, his voice a low rumble.
Suzy crossed her arms defensively. "And," she continued, her voice gaining a touch of steel, "the thought of enduring another one of your lectures about what to do and what not to do frankly wasn’t appealing tonight. So, I borrowed your shirt."
He remained silent for a moment, his eyes searching hers. He knew about the scandalous nightgowns she favored, a source of annoyance and frustration for him at times.
"Besides," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "I was planning on putting everything back in order after my bath. I just..." Her sentence trailed off as she realized he wasn’t paying attention.
Ryan leaned closer, his breath warm against her cheek. His voice, when he spoke, was a low, husky command. "Take it off, Duchess."
Suzy’s eyes widened in surprise. The audacity of his request, the raw possessiveness in his voice, sent a jolt through her. "Wh-what?" she stammered, her voice barely a squeak.