“So pretty,” I murmur. Then I hold her still as I tilt my head and lightly touch our lips together. It’s as respectful a first kiss as anyone could wish for, but that’s not what’s in my mind as I withdraw just far enough for her to say something, but she doesn’t, so I go in again. I think of my cock in her pink mouth. AsI tease her lips with mine, I imagine tying her down and making her melt until she begs me to take her cherry.
I keep the kiss gentle but firm, opening her mouth, and when she makes a little mewing sound like the cat she is, sliding my tongue into the slippery heat of her. And I hold her in place with my hand as I tease and tempt her.
Every part of my kiss lures her to ask for more. I carefully craft it with seduction, even as I think of holding her down, pinning her hands, and thrusting myself into where she’s soft and wet. Her mouth, yes, but more so her delicious, hidden little pink folds.
But despite the urges of my body, I just kiss her. Patient, gentle, but increasingly passionate. I’m determined to be what she needs. And it takes time, but eventually, she’s trying things on me, too. Her tongue slips over mine and she explores my mouth. I catch her plush bottom lip between my teeth, and suck, and she moans. And then when I give her the space—I could win awards for how careful I’m being—she eagerly tries the same. I don’t know whether to laugh or growl or groan. She’s innocently sexy as she learns to kiss.
I guide her with the hand still in her hair to sit over my lap, and she nestles onto my thighs, though thankfully not pressing close enough to notice the erection straining against my trousers. Kissing isn’t usually this arousing, but Caterina breaks every rule.
Because what starts off as sweet turns filthy. It’s open-mouthed, bites and licks and dragging my lips over her jaw and down her neck as she arches and whimpers. At first, it’s her tentatively resting her hands on my chest. But now she’s pushing aside my suit jacket and grasping at my pectorals, and I’m glad for the hours at the gym because she seems to like my body. A lot. But not nearly as much as I adore her lithe young curves.
I’ve spent three years watching her go to work at the bar every evening, and knowing other men would look at her, and now I finally have her on me, kissing me back. The jealous and possessive monster in me is purring. I have her. She’s mine.
Okay, she isn’t aware of this fact yet, but details. Dark creatures of dangerous emotion don’t care for technicalities. She’s in my penthouse, on my lap, having eaten my food. I’ve got her now, and I’m not letting go.
She makes a squeak, but this one isn’t the good, sexy type. It’s pain.
“Caterina?” Simultaneously, my heart breaks that she’s hurt, and I realise I’ve caused it. In the midst of my need for her, I forgot about her injuries.
“Sorry,” she says as I release her. “I’m okay, it was just…”
A lump forms in my throat that she touches her face where a bruise is darkening her skin. She’s still injured, and I’m awful for touching her in this situation.
“No more kissing where I might hurt you.”
Her brow creases in disappointment. “But?—”
“No, moya koshechka.” The denial is painful, but I’m not putting her at risk of any harm. If I now have the right to care for and defend my girl, that also includes protection from me.
She presses her lips together.
“We missed the movie.”
I think the movie has been over for a while. I didn’t notice. Neither of us did. I grab the remote and rewind until she touches my hand to tell me to stop.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does. Watch the guy get the girl.” She likes a happy ending, and she’ll have it, even if I know she won’t want that with me.
“I’d rather learn to kiss,” she grouches, but obeys, huffing a sigh and crawling off my lap to flop into the cushions.
“We’re not hurting your face.”
And I mean it. I really do. I take a deep breath and will my erection down.
She’s had a trauma today and needs to be treated delicately.
But because I am a bad, bad man, a thought occurs to me as I stare blankly at the television. Who said anything about kisses on her lips? I just assumed a kiss meant a mutual one, where she kissed me back. But that was a severe lack of imagination on my part.
“I could kiss you somewhere else…” That’s as close as I’m comfortable suggesting, within the terms of my self-imposed rules.
Her gaze slides from the television to mine, and her cheeks heat. “Where were you thinking of?”
“Give me access to anywhere you don’t mind me kissing,” I suggest, patient as if I’m trying to coax out a shy creature.
Her stillness reveals she heard me, even though I didn’t make the offer at more than a low rumble.
“Like, take off my clothes?” she whispers, embarrassment in her every curve.
