He grunted, pulling back. His gaze burned like blue fire—the hottest flame.
“I dropped the key because you distracted me.”
Without a word, he rose to his feet, impressive without the use of his hands.
Now, it was Nikolett’s turn to kneel, grabbing the small key. Eric turned his back to her, and Nikolett worked the cuffs, unlocking one, then the other.
There were pink lines on his wrists—he’d probably fought the cuffs, trying to pull them apart.
Nikolett leaned in and gently kissed one of the marks, but she’d only kissed one wrist before he turned around to face her. He towered over her, a bare-chested god of a man too antediluvian for this time and place.
His hand cupped her jaw, tipping her head up, the contact assuaging some of her returning nervousness.
Beneath the thin fabric of his pants, his cock—conveniently at eye level—twitched, hardening even as she watched.
And when his fingers slid into her hair, she’d parted her lips, ready to take him.
“Fuck, Nikki, look at that pretty mouth, open and ready for my cock.”
The last vestiges of apprehension evaporated. Her nipples were hard inside her bra, her sex throbbing. The trail his mouth had left on her skin burned, the rest of her cold and in need of that same touch.
Eric reached down and hauled her to her feet. “But that’s not what we’re doing.”
She wobbled a little as she adjusted, putting most of her weight on her good leg, which was more difficult with the heels. Eric gripped her upper arms as he looked down at her. She had the strangest sense that even if she tried to fall, he’d hold her up. She was utterly safe from toppling as long as his hands were on her.
His gaze softened, the predatory, possessive look fading.
No. No no no.No thinking or talking. Not now when they were close.
“Eric, if you don’t fu?—”
“Where’s your cast?”
She hesitated, remembering last night and Gus’ reaction.
Gus, you have to tell him about Gus.
“Nikki,” he barked, blond brows coming together.
“I don’t need it.”
“You don’t need it, or you didn’t want it fucking up your whole regal goddess look?” He gestured to the chair.
Rude of him to call her out like that. She had decided not to wear it, and to wear the sexy heels, because that’s who she wanted, needed, to be to handle a kidnapped Eric and the conversation about their relationship.
She sidestepped the actual question. “Goddess?”
“Yes,” he said simply.
Maybe she should tell him she’d just been thinking of him as a god.
They were both blasphemous fools with too high an opinion of either themselves or each other.
“Nikolett.” He barked her name, tone laced with warning.
She jumped, even as heat slid along her skin. She liked that dangerous warning tone that promised he’d do dark, forbidden things to punish her if she didn’t obey.
She raised her chin. “Yes?”
