But he remained where he was. Waiting.
Despite her lack of a mask or accent, he seemed to understand exactly what she intended. What she desperately wanted.
She hoped he wanted it, as well.
“In this room…” she began slowly, only to have him finish for her.
“I belong to you.” His voice was raw, graveled, and deep. The texture wove through her blood and danced devilishly over her nerves. It was an acknowledgment and a promise.
She smiled. “Come to me.”
“Oui, Madame,” he murmured, approaching her in long strides, his fierce stare never leaving hers.
She almost ordered him to lower his gaze, but she wanted him to see her. Seeintoher. Know her. Feel what she felt.
For now…anyway.
“Stop,” she said when he reached the center of her bedroom.
His brows furrowed with delicious frustration, but he followed the order.
“Do not worry, my love,” Charlotte said in a soothing tone, “you will have what you want. Eventually.”
His eyes flashed and the muscles of his chest flexed. She wanted to see more.
“Remove your robe.”
“Oui, Madame.”
His low words thrilled her almost as much as the disrobing. She could not keep her gaze from gliding over every shadowed contour of his stunning torso as the satin slid from his shoulders and down to the floor. He was beautiful. And devastating in his strength and power so expertly contained within his will to please her.
Instead of circling around him, she approached him directly. Until she was close enough to detect his rich woodsy scent and feel the heat emanating from his skin glowing like copper in the firelight. Lifting her hand, she lightly drifted her fingertips along his collarbone, then over one taut pectoral muscle, then along the ridges of his ribs, before crossing back over his belly, which trembled beneath her touch.
By the time her gentle exploration was finished, a silken sheen of sweat coated his body.
He glistened.
And she was reminded of how he’d tasted. But this time, instead of using her finger to claim the moisture, she leaned toward him and flicked her tongue against the hollow at the base of his throat.
His groan was rich and heady as he dropped his head back to allow her more access.
She took it, trailing her tongue up along the side of his throat, feeling the thrum of his pulse beneath her lips, tasting the heat of his rising desire.
Though his hands clenched into fists at his sides, he didn’t reach for her. Finally lifting her head, she met his fierce stare with a smile of appreciation.
“Your patience and restraint are admirable and must be rewarded.”
Lifting her glass of wine to his lips, she ordered gently, “Drink.”
Dark eyes held her in thrall as he opened his mouth for a small sip of the heady red wine. When she took the glass away, a drop remained on his bottom lip. She caught it with her fingertip and opened her mouth to place it on her tongue.
He watched her with intent focus, his breath shortening, as she hummed her appreciation.
Then she dipped her finger into her wineglass then touched it to the side of her neck. Tipping her head back and to the side, she murmured, “Drink.”
He bowed his head reverently and gently licked the droplet from her skin.
Shivers of delicate pleasure chased down her spine. With heavy-lidded eyes, she slipped the strap of her negligee off one shoulder, baring a breast. His swift inhale of appreciation tightened the peak to a stiff point.
