Chapter Eighty-Six
Kai’s lips tremble almost imperceptibly, and a pulse hammering in his neck. His long eyelashes cast dark shadows under his eyes, his gaze almost bruised and definitely reluctant.
‘What’s this?’ I ask softly, running the embroidered silk through my hands.
His gaze flicks to mine, a definite frown marring his gorgeous face. ‘You know what it is.’
And I do. It’s the scarf he used to bind me to a chair in his bedroom at the beginning of this whirlwind relationship of ours.
‘A scarf?’ My question is part sweetness, part tease, as I take the glass from his hand.
The corner of his mouth quivers again, this time the result of repressing a smile. ‘Something like that,’ he answers, his voice low and a little rough. He inhales then, as though to speak, before finding my finger pressed against his lips.
‘Shh. You don’t need to say anything. Besides, you know that’snot right. You told me so.’ I loop it over his head as I speak, my fingers then moving to my denim shirtdress, where I begin to loosen it, button by slow button as Kai tries not to watch. I’m left inches from him in my underwear and nude heels, very aware of the rise and fall of my breasts, encased as they are in a blue lacy bra.
It helps that Kai seems pretty aware, too, his chest so close and moving almost as rapidly as my own. I pull the silk from his neck, the room silent but for the sound of our breath and the soft susurrus of silk against skin.
‘It can’t be a scarf,’ I repeat. ‘Because a scarf’s purpose is to keep you warm. That leaves only a restraint to tie, or a blindfold to steal your sight, to increase your pleasure tenfold.’
Kai’s eyes burn with the weight of his sudden expectation; confusion clouding the gold as I begin to fold the silk in half, before tucking it into my elastic waistband. I lean against him, my lips hovering just over his.
‘Looks like you’ll have to wait and see.’
It’s hard to resist, but I don’t kiss his pillow soft lips, instead lowering my mouth to the hollow of his throat. My fingers make short work of his shirt buttons as his hands find my hips, the heat in his large palms making me jolt. With each button loosened, I place a kiss against his warm caramel skin, until I’m able to pull the cotton free of his pants.
‘Will you... let me?’
The hard planes of his stomach contract under my fingers as I run them up his torso, wrapping my hand in the soft hair at the nape of his neck. In the absence of a reply, I pull him to me, past his hesitancy, until our mouths meet. I kiss, petal soft lips and teasing slides of tongue, controlling the rhythm, because this dance is ladies’ choice.
His hands slide to cup my arse but I pull away, my hands drifting to his shoulders as he groans. I slide the shirt down his arms, but not all the way. As the fabric reaches his elbows, I move around his body, pressing myself against the warm solidness of his back.
‘Do you trust me?’ Kai shivers as my breath meets his skin.
‘You shouldn’t be here.’ His words sound almost like a lament, but as he doesn’t try to step away, I ask my question again. ‘Of course I do,’ he says, rougher now. ‘That’s not—’
I steal the words from his mouth when I grasp the shirt hanging from his arms, and pull tight.
‘Kate.’ My name carries a warning. One I won’t heed.
‘Not a scarf and not a restraint,’ I say, twisting and tightening his custom tailored shirt, around and around, until his wrists are bound. Trailing my finger down the long line of his spine, I taper it around to his waist as I move. The hairs on his arms prick and stand, before I’m in front of him once more.
His gaze pins mine, no longer confused or hesitant, but darkly dilated and framed by those lashes of inky black. Knots of muscles strain his shoulders, while veins and tendons stand to attention in his throat. I swallow thickly at the sight of him. He’s never once been anything but in control, but right now bound—however unconvincingly—he’s the kind of beautiful that hurts my heart.Powerfully beautiful.
My body hums with need and I almost throw myself at him right then. The only thing holding me back is the thought that, while I’m sure it’s something we both want, it’s maybe not what we need.
‘You know what I’m thinking?’ I whisper.
‘That you find you like the sight of a tortured man?’
Not what I was expecting, my mouth curling along with his. ‘Oh, sweetheart,’ I say quietly, an echo of something Kai once said resonating. ‘This isn’t torture. At least... not yet.’
‘Kate,’ Kai says again in warning, though I note his shy smile hasn’t gone.
Taking the length of silk from my waistband, I feed it between my hands once more. ‘I’m thinking we’re wearing far too many clothes.’
Looping the length around his neck, I begin walking backwards into the master bedroom, pulling him with me.
Two small lamps are lit; one on a nightstand, the other on a chest. The drapes are open; the windows covered by gauzy voiles which mute the city lights below. This room is familiar, but its memories are tainted now.Sensory memories. Cigar smoke and hurt.The low velvet chair Kai once tied me to rests in front of the same large gilt framed mirror, but both pieces are now sullied by other memories. It’s almost as though the room is filled with ghosts.
