“Because the anticipation is half the fun.” His tone was arrogant, as if he knew more about pleasing her than she knew about pleasing herself. “Let me show you.” He joined her on the pallet then, encouraging her to lie back as he stretched his long, naked length out beside her.
She wanted to run her hands all over him. Wanted to test the resiliency of his skin. Wanted to map every hard ridge and muscled contour. Wanted to fling off her pajama bottoms, climb on top of him, and skewer herself on that hard column of flesh that was as threatening as it was impressive.
He didn’t let her.
When she tried to turn toward him, he gently pressed her shoulders into the coverlet and whispered, “Stay still. Let me unwrap you like the gift that you are.”
She shivered at the idea. “Were you the type of kid who ripped into his Christmas presents? Or the type who carefully unwrapped each one to keep the paper intact?”
His smile was utterly uncivilized. It matched the jagged scar on his temple. “As I said, the anticipation is half the fun. Now, close your eyes.”
Part of her balked at the idea. If she closed her eyes, she wouldn’t be able to keep ogling all his glorious male flesh. But another part of her thrilled at the thought of letting him take the lead, giving him the reins to her pleasure and simply allowing herself to go along for the ride.
Her breath sawed out of her when she did as instructed and two words rumbled from the depths of his chest, “Good girl.”
Holy hell!
The air around her felt electric, charged with that intangible something pulled tight between them. It was like a live wire, fizzing and crackling. She gave into the danger of it, knowing that it might burn her.
But the reward would be worth the risk.
Then, all her thoughts vanished when she felt the air around her move because he reached out his hand. A second later, his fingers skimmed her cheek so lightly she almost didn’t feel it. Her body reacted as if he’d branded her; however, a harsh shudder ran down her spine.
Gently, he turned her head until she faced him. Her eyelids fluttered but remained closed when he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip.
“You’re so goddamned beautiful.” The timbre of his voice was raw and all-consuming. And then his mouth was on hers.
It wasn’t a frenzied kiss. Not like the one they’d shared in the kitchen that morning. Not like the one they’d just shared on the couch.
This was a slow kiss. A mapping kiss. This kiss was pure,thoroughseduction. And by the time he pulled his lips from hers, she was panting and mewling and begging him to touch her.
She needed his touch more than she needed her next breath.
He seemed to sense it because, in the next instant, his fingers moved from her face down to her neck and settled at the top button on her pajamas.
She bit her lip in agonized anticipation when she felt the first button slip free, followed by the second and the third. When he spread the halves of the top wide, the room's coolness coupled with the heat of his gaze—even though she couldn’t see them, she could feel his eyes on her—and made her shudder. Her nipples furled into even tighter buds. Her stomach began to quiver.
“So goddamned beautiful,” he repeated reverently, his hot breath feathering over the nipple closest to him.
She couldn’t help herself; she reached for him. But he caught her hand before it could make contact.
“Not yet,” he scolded again, manacling her wrists above her head.
She was aware of how exposed she was to him, with her arms raised and her breasts lifted high in invitation. But instead of feeling nervous or embarrassed, she only felt excitement.
Excitement, anticipation, and an odd sort of trust that, despite his high-handedness—or maybe because of it?—he would give her pleasure unlike anything she’d ever known.
She dared to open her eyes and found his gaze locked on her breasts. His irises swirled like whirlpools. The muscle in his jaw twitched with hunger. And his expression? There was no quarter there, only a dark, ravenous need that made her throat go dry.
He wasn’t looking at her face. So she wasn’t sure how he knew she’d opened her eyes. Maybe he had a sixth sense about such things.
“Close them,” he growled. “I want you to keep them closed so all your focus is onfeelingwhat I’m doing to you.”
She nodded and dutifully squeezed her eyes shut.
He rewarded her obedience by sucking her nipple into the heated haven of his mouth.
“Britt!” she gasped his name, her toes curling in pure pleasure.
