I nod, lifting my arms as he slowly pulls the fabric over my head. The cool air kisses my skin, and I fight the urge to cover myself. His eyes grow impossibly darker as his fingers trace the edge of my collarbone.
“You’re so soft everywhere,” he marvels, almost to himself, brushing his knuckles over the dip between my breasts. “Sweet girl. Been driving me out of my mind.”
He takes his time tracing the lace edge of my bra. I shiver under his touch, my body responding to his attentiveexploration. His deft hands slide to my back, and the clasp of my bra gives way under his fingers. My breath hitches with a flutter of nerves, yet the sure pressure of his hands on my body makes me trust I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
He gently removes the last barrier between his gaze and my bare skin, his eyes holding mine for a heartbeat before dropping.
“Fuck…Lucy,” he breathes, his voice a low rumble that vibrates through me. “You’re beautiful. I want to take my time with you. Is that all right?”
I nod, unable to find my voice as his calloused fingers trace a path down to the curve of my breast. The contrast between his rough hands and gentle touch is incredible.
“Tell me what you like,” he commands softly, his thumb brushing across my nipple. “I need to hear you say it.”
“I like your hands on me,” I whisper, my voice trembling slightly. “Everywhere.”
His mouth curves into a satisfied smile. “Good girl.” He lowers his head, pressing his lips to the hollow of my throat. “And here?” His teeth graze my skin lightly.
“Yes,” I gasp, my head tipping back in surrender, baring my neck to him without a second thought.
If I seem composed on the outside, it’s a lie. Because inside…I’m unraveling.
Good girl.
When he says it again, it doesn’t feel patronizing or soft. It feels earned. It makes me feel seen and wanted and powerful all at once. Like giving in is the strongest thing I’ve ever done.
“Your pulse is racing,” he murmurs against my skin. “Your heart’s beating so fast.” His palm spreads flat against my chest, feeling the erratic thrum beneath my breast.
His eyes find mine, watching my reactions carefullyas he continues to explore. “I want to feel every part of you,” he says, his voice deep and assured. “Want to learn what makes you tremble.” His hand slides down my stomach, stopping at the waistband of my jeans before he quirks his brow in a silent question.
I nod, and his fingers work the button of my jeans with deliberate slowness.
He eases them down my hips, his knuckles grazing my skin as he does. When I stand before him in just my underwear, he takes a step back, eyes roaming over me with such intensity that I can almost feel his gaze like a physical touch.
“Look at you.” His voice is thick with admiration. “Perfect.”
I’m so exposed, but the hunger and appreciation in his eyes melts the shame right off my skin.
“Come here,” he says, his voice a gentle command.
I step toward him without hesitation, drawn by the gravity of his words. He’s still fully dressed, and I reach for the buttons of his shirt with trembling fingers.
He covers my hands with his. “Let me.”
He guides me backward until the backs of my knees meet the bed, then lowers me down. I sink into the mattress, my breath caught somewhere in my throat as he straightens and reaches for the buttons of his shirt.
One by one, they come undone, giving me time to take it in. And I do. I can’tnot.
Tanned skin comes into view first, then the dark lines of ink sprawling across his chest and down his arms. Some of it is bold and sharp, some faded with time, but all of it…is him. Real. Raw. Beautiful.
“I didn’t know you had all this,” I whisper.
His eyes meet mine, something unreadable glinting there. “No one’s seen them in a long time.”
He shrugs the shirt off fully, and I swearthe room tilts. Because it’s not just the tattoos or the way he’s built—strong, solid, every inch of him carved and inked with stories I want to learn. It’s the trust in the way he lets me look.
“See something you like?” he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.
I bite my lip, nodding silently, too overwhelmed to form words.
