“Did you think I would do that to you?” she asked.
I shook my head.
A faint smile curled around her lips. A silent command she didn’t have to repeat.
I never liked getting naked in front of strangers. I avoided saunas and always showered at home after the gym. It wasn’t so much about feeling insecure about my body as it was about not wanting strangers, or anyone, to see me. And still, I found myself taking off my sweatpants and fleeceshirt under her sharp gaze. I didn’t need to dress up for her anyway – no matter what I wore, she still eyed me like a snack she wanted to tear apart with her teeth.
Zafyra sucked in a sharp breath when I stood in front of her in nothing but black panties – thankfully, she allowed me to keep them on. I resisted the urge to cross my arms in front of my chest.
“Delicious,” she murmured, hungry eyes darting over me like she wanted to drink in every inch. Her gaze lingered on the abs on my stomach before shamelessly resting on my chest. “I see you’ve been working out.”
“Not for you,” I replied with a weak smile. “For me.”
She smirked. “Good.”
Her predatory gaze dropped to my toned thighs, prompting an unwanted thought to sneak in through the back of my mind.I hope she likes how my leg feels when she sits on it.
When she was done ogling me, she glanced over at the bottle I’d put on the table. “I wish I could rub that on you,” she mumbled, genuine regret crossing her face. “But you’re going to have to do that part yourself.” Her eyes met mine again. “Cover yourself in it. Your hands, your face, your thighs, your breasts, your neck.” Her voice dropped an octave. “Everywhere you want to feel me.”
I swallowed hard, trying to stay calm while her words sent shivers through me. “I can’t reach my own upper back.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, she looked just as frustrated with our situation as I was.
Then, she smiled sweetly. “Cover everything you can reach.”
I did as she said while she watched, her dark gaze setting every inch of my skin on fire. The material felt uncomfortable on my skin – too sticky, too thick – but the way she looked at me made it right. I caught every micro-reaction – the way her throat bobbed when I massaged the liquid over my breasts, the sharp inhale when my fingertips brushed over my neck.
“Now what?” I forced out when most of my body was covered in slime, resisting the urge to scratch it right off.
“Press Bluetooth on the control panel,” she said smoothly.
After a brief hesitation, I pressed the button. She smiled, then closed her eyes for a moment. I held my breath as I waited.
A low buzz in the liquid sent shivers through my skin. For a moment, it seemed to move, pulsate, just slightly.
Zafyra’s eyes fluttered open. She laughed.
“Lovely,” she mumbled. My breath hitched. I folded my arms, unsure of what to do with myself. I wanted to dim the low ambient lights even further. I needed her to touch me already.
I held my breath when she walked around me.
“Stay very still,” she murmured. A shock went through me, setting every nerve ending on fire. Suddenly, the low buzz next to my ear was accompanied by what felt like hot breath.
Her breath. For the first time, I felt her breath.
My knees felt unsteady. I blinked rapidly against the strong urge to burst out crying.
Instead, I just nodded.
Warmth spread along the back of my body, followed by a static that gave me goosebumps all over my skin. She couldn’t touch me without her electromagnetic radiation overwhelming my system – an ironic, devastating metaphor for how impossible our connection was.
I wanted the buzz to stop. And yet, I needed her touch even more.
Another shock when her fingers touched mine. They brushed over my thumb, over my wrist – out of instinct, my hands moved to fold around them, only to slip right through distorted air. I felt every touch in my bones, like radiation buzzing itself into my flesh, penetrating my organs. Uncomfortable and comforting at the same time.
“This is why I told you to stay still,” she growled in my ear. I couldn’t help the quiet whimper that left my mouth.
“Sorry,” I whispered.
