She pressed against him, felt the hardness of his growing erection against her stomach, and need drove into her body, a need that seared her senses with the knowledge that he wanted her.
“Mmm…”
He pulled back, and she couldn’t help but let out a disappointed moan.
“I know, I know,” he murmured, his voice rough. “But we have to do this the right way. I have to take my time with you.”
“What if I don’t want you to?” she asked. Demanded of him.
“Mm-mm. I make the rules, Claudia. And my number one rule is to always prioritize your safety and well-being. So, we go slow. No matter how much I want to fucking devour you right now.”
“Oh, god, Brody. Don’t say that to me,” she protested as another wave of heat and yearning tore through her.
“Hey. You’re shaking,” he said. “Let’s get you inside.”
“I’m not cold.”
He pulled back, holding her face in both hands as he searched her eyes. “I know.”
Some understanding passed between them. Then he let her face go to take her key from her hand, and he opened the door to her apartment, and guided her through.
“Do you need me to come in?”
“Yes,” she said with a small groan.
He let out a chuckle. “I meant, are you okay on your own?”
“I think so, yes,” she answered, some part of her wanting to lie, to tell him sheneededhim. And she did—that part wasn’t a lie. But it was his hands and his mouth on her that she needed. She was perfectly fine other than this incredible desire burning her up.
“Okay, then. Go on in. Fill out the questionnaire whenever you want. I’ll send it in the next ten minutes or so. And get some rest. I have a feeling we’re both going to need it.”
“So… this is really not just me?”
“Fuck, not even close, beautiful girl. Now go on in before I change my mind and violate my own sense of ethics.”
“I don’t think you’d ever do that,” she told him.
“No, not usually. But lord, how you tempt me. Now go.”
He gave her a small smack on the butt, and a hard shiver went through her.
“Yes, Sir,” she muttered as she stepped inside.
“We’re not there yet,” he said with a teasing tone. “But we will be. Now in you go. Goodnight, beautiful.”
Oh, god, how did every single thing he said just make everything hotter and hotter? Her body, the anticipation of him finally taking her to the Dungeon? She’d never felt this sort of breathless anticipation with anyone she’d played with since she’d been single. Of course, they had all just been friends. But he was a friend—of sorts. An extremely hot, built-like-a-Greek god sort of friend who turned her brain to mush the moment he touched her. She shut the door behind her, aware that he might still be on the other side as she leaned her back against the door, trying to catch her breath.
The evening hadn’t gone the way she’d imagined. Or, the evening had, with dinner and conversation, but she’d never dreamed it would end like this, with that scorching kiss that had seemed to go on forever.
If only he’d never stopped. If only he’d come into her apartment with her and given her every single thing she needed so desperately, she was about to burst into flame.
With a sigh, she set her purse down on the small console table in the entry and slipped out of her jacket before hanging it in the closet. Then she kicked her boots off and made herway to the bathroom, where she splashed some water onto her face, hoping to calm down. But when she caught her reflection in the mirror, she could see her pupils were still wide, her eyes gleaming. That her long, brown hair was mussed. Maybe by the wind. Or maybe by him.
She had a flash of the sensation of his hands on her face, of the stark need she’d felt for those hands to be on her body, touching her. Hurting her a little. Or maybe a lot. She’d always been a bit of a masochist, so she wasn’t all that surprised—it was the level of pureneedfor him to do these things to her that was blowing her mind.
Oh, Brody Hale was definitely able to get her head back in the game. And she was pretty sure it would be a hundred times better once he did put his hands on her. But meanwhile she was left aching with wanting him, an ache so deep and hard she could barely stand it.
She needed her vibrator so badly. But her bed shared a wall with his in the apartment next door, and she wasn’t certain that any of her toys were quiet enough for him not to hear—although the idea of getting off with him just on the other side of the wall was nearly irresistible.
