She swallows and tries to lean away, but I hold her in my lap.
“No.This isn’t—”
“Incentive, Audrey.Give me a taste to last me the next three months, unless you’d rather I continue touching you every time we’re alone?”
Her huff ghosts over my lips.
“You’re a monster,” she growls.
“I am.I’m your monster, baby doll.Now kiss me and seal the deal.Or don’t.Either way, I win,” I murmur in anticipation.
She grinds her teeth and glares straight into my eyes for several heartbeats before dropping her gaze to my lips.It takes every ounce of my control to not pull her the last few inches toward me.I wait for what feels like a century as she captures her bottom lip between her teeth and studies my mouth.
When she closes her eyes and leans forward, my pulse leaps in both my throat and my cock.My senses sharpen.Her light, lemony scent invades my nostrils.The soft, delicate length of her digits trapped between my hand and my face tease my hair.Goosebumps pepper my nape.My lips tingle.
She presses her closed mouth to mine, hesitates, then tilts her head and flicks the tip of her tongue along my bottom lip.
When she leans back, I abandon the ice pack and wrap my chilled hand around her throat.She jerks and squeaks, but my grip prevents her from going too far.
“A real kiss, baby doll.Hot and deep and raw enough to last me three fucking miserable months,” I growl against her cheek.
“You’re asking too much.I… I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?Don’t stiff me, baby doll.I’m hard enough already.”
“Ican’t.I’ve never…”
Every cell in my body roars to life.My thoughts splinter.All the oxygen leaves the room.I pull back just far enough to study her shimmering eyes and trembling lips.The urge to plunder and conquer pounds through me.
“You’ve never made out before?Your past lovers were lousy, selfish men, doll, but don’t worry.I’ll make up for all their shortcomings,” I vow.
She pushes against my face and digs her nails into my hairline.
“Wait, I… you promise you’ll stop?Only one kiss.”
Her bravery astounds me.Despite the fear in her eyes, the tension in her coiled muscles, and her declaration of never wanting a man ever again, she studies my face and demands I swear my intent with words.
If I don’t stop, she’ll have the proof she needs to never trust me again.
The realization helps me put my raging boner in perspective.My current discomfort is inconsequential.Her trust is most important.
“I promise, Audrey.Just kissing,” I vow.
“That’s not—”
I close the distance between our mouths and sweep my tongue over the seam of her lips.Her gasp parts her teeth, but I tease her soft, plump lower lip, denying myself the sweet recesses of her mouth, and slip her hand into my hair as I splay my fingers around her throat, forcing her chin higher.
I lick the corner of her mouth and brush my lips side to side over hers.
Her low whimper swirls in my aching balls.
I nip her sensitive flesh.
She closes her fist in my hair and flicks her tongue between my teeth.I groan and flex my fingers around her throat as she explores my mouth with tentative licks.When I return her attention with teasing pressure, she shudders and wiggles closer.
I nearly disgrace myself as she tugs my hair and grows bolder, sweeping her tongue along the roof of my mouth and tracing the back of my teeth.She swallows.Her throat shifts in my grip.
I pull away with a snarl.
