No, you didn’t.
‘There’s every reason to steal a moment, Kassie,’ he said softly, his expression revealing his awareness of her wavering contrary thoughts. ‘Don’t you deserve just a moment?’
‘As if it would be good for me?’ She rolled her eyes.
But that little voice of truth whispered, mocking. It would be good for her. And the heat unfurling in her depths was the real reason for staying when he had told her to go.
‘I’d make it good.’ He chuckled at the look she shot him. ‘You know it’s true. Why don’t you let me try and we’ll see how you like it?’
‘As if I haven’t heard that line before!’
‘You already liked it a little. I think you might like it a lot.’
He scooted along the sofa until he sat the merest inch from her. Her skin sizzled and her pulse raced. Every cell yearned for him to come closer still. She refused to look at him.
‘I could make you feel so good. You know that’s true. I already make you feel.’
She swallowed hard. ‘You’re not being fair.’
‘No.’ He smiled at her. ‘But life isn’t fair.’
She looked into his eyes and the second she did so temptation screamed along her bones. ‘Your H—’
‘Call me Giorgos,’ he gritted. ‘I’m not your King. Not here.’
‘You can’t—’
‘That’s a command,’ he snapped. ‘When we’re alone I’m not your King, and you’re not my subject. You’re my equal. You may always speak freely—even when I don’t like what you’re saying.’
‘You’re commanding me to speak freely?’ she teased.
‘Yes.’ He glared at her. ‘I want to understand what you’re thinking.’
‘I already speak my mind—you know you can’t stop me. And you already know what I’m thinking. You know you confuse me.’
‘Then let me make it simple. All I want, right this second, is to kiss you,’ he said plainly. ‘Are you willing to let me do that?’
The desire—so new, so rare, promising so much—was irresistible. How could she not explore this—just once—now she finally felt it? It would doubtless be a mistake, but only a little one. And it was one that might be worth the price she would have to pay.
‘One kiss,’ she breathed. ‘One.’
With slow deliberation he brought his hands to her face and gently tilted her head towards him. She caught the light that kindled in his green gaze as he angled and lowered his head so he could brush his lips against hers in the softest, gentlest sweep.
That wasn’t fair. That wasn’t a real kiss. And suddenly she realised that she wanted a real kiss—one like that passionate encounter of the other night.
And then he was back, his mouth roving over hers and his tongue teasing her sensitive lips apart. She gasped and he was there, and all that giddy warmth flooded her. She closed her eyes and for the first time truly sank into it. He was so powerful. So commanding. And as he took his time and his care something shifted within her. Then shifted again.
Then he slowly eased the pressure, until he finally lifted his lips but kept his hands framing her face. She kept her eyes firmly closed.
‘Was it so awful?’ he prompted softly.
She didn’t want to look at him and admit the truth. She didn’t want to break the magic. She didn’t want to go back, or go forward in time, she just wanted to remain suspended in this moment of utter bliss.
‘Have I kissed you into a catatonic state?’
She laughed, an irrepressible bubble of delight bursting within her even as tears stung. She blinked them back, opening her eyes to see him—too close, too tender.
‘Oh, she breathes, she smiles. She lives.’ He was smiling at her, but there was that glint in his eyes. ‘Was it so terrible?’
She realised that under that arrogantly teasing question there was concern. Slowly she shook her head. ‘Why did you stop? You know you could have done...more.’
‘Because I wanted you to want more,’ he answered with an arrogant shrug. ‘I wanted to leave you wanting.’
His honesty was both shocking and thrilling. ‘Well that’s not fair.’
‘Actually, it is. You’ve left me wanting for days now.’
‘Unintentionally,’ she said indignantly. ‘I wasn’t even aware.’
‘You were aware.’
She looked down. She had been aware of the electricity between them. She just hadn’t been certain he felt it to the same degree as her. And she hadn’t known how to handle it.
She heard him give a muffled groan beneath his breath and he bent closer again.
‘I’m going to kiss you again, Kassie. And I’m going to touch you.’
Heat flooded her. ‘Where are you going to touch me?’
His smile flashed—wicked and approving—and it made her want to wriggle closer.
‘I’m going to kiss you. I’m going to cup and stroke your breasts until they’re tight and aching. And then I am going to slide my hand into your panties and touch you where you’re hottest. Where you’re already wet.’
Her jaw dropped. She was shocked at his explicitness.
‘Just my words make you wet.’ He took advantage of her parted mouth and kissed her again. Hot and fierce. ‘Just my words make you want it.’
She trembled and knew he felt it.
‘I think your body knows what it wants,’ he muttered. ‘I think it knows just what to do.’ He pulled her so she was lifted into his lap. ‘Are you going to let it?’ He kissed her throat. ‘Are you going to let me?’
Oh, there was no choice at all any more.
‘Kiss me...’ she breathed.
He didn’t hesitate—delivering the long, slow kisses that served to torment her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. Never had she known kissing could be so good. So different. So playful. So intense.
He nibbled her lips with a tug of his teeth and then licked the small sting, caressing it with his lips. His hands held her close as he teased her, playfully alternating between soft and shallow kisses and deep lush sweeps of his tongue right inside her mouth. Dizzying, drugging...delightful.
Her blood ran hot and hotter still, and she began to wonder if he’d meant what he’d said—if he was ever going to do what he’d promised: touch as well as kiss. She ached for him to go lower, to touch where he’d threatened so wickedly. She was tight and aching all over—not just her breasts but in that hot, secret part of herself.
She moaned—unable to verbalise it. She didn’t want to fight it any more, nor to wait. She wanted him to make this ache end.
Slowly, with infinite patience, he kissed down the column of her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin. As he went he gently slid his hand beneath the hem of her tee shirt and up to cup her breast. She gasped as his thumb stroked across the taut tip of her nipple.
‘Giorgos...’ she moaned.
He returned to kiss her mouth—the gentle teasing replaced with a fierce passion that she instinctively met. An innate urge drove her to suck on his tongue as he plunged it deep into her mouth. His groan of response only made her hungrier.
Readier.
His hand swept down across her stomach firmly. Finally. And she was on fire. She moaned again and writhed—twisting to try to get his touch where she wanted it. But he was strong, holding her still while he kissed her and stroked lower, and lower still, slipping his hand beneath the waist of her jeans, beneath the cotton of her panties.
In reflex she pressed her legs together, but all that did was trap his hand—there. Right there. His fingers teased. Skilful, knowing fingers. She squirmed as she fought to accept the overwhelming pleasure of his intimate touch.
And acceptance—indeed the need for more—won. Her legs parted and she recklessly pushed her throbbing source of desire against his hand. Because it
felt so good. He felt so, so good.
And he answered—giving her more, and then more still. That primal pulse thrummed between them. Her hips circled as he drew breathless moans from her until she arched, taut, every muscle screaming with tension as he held her suspended in that long moment of searing, aching need.
She convulsed as pleasure shattered her. Her cry was caught in his rapacious, hard kiss until he released her mouth, allowing her to gasp as she rode the waves he’d summoned within her. In a half delirium she glimpsed him gazing down at her with glittering satisfaction as she came apart in his arms.
She buried her face in his chest so she wouldn’t have to meet his searching gaze and he let her, as if he knew she was feeling too exposed, too vulnerable. His fingers stroked through her hair, holding her close, and she could feel the fast beat of his heart and the rapid rise and fall of his chest as he cradled her.
A slow spread of sweetness relaxed every cell, and then more than sweetness...euphoria. It was a joy so sharp she couldn’t contain it. She lifted her chin and smiled at him, even as her eyes welled with gratitude, and she felt the fizzing feeling of total goodness.
‘That was amazing,’ she whispered with unrestrained astonishment. ‘Just...amazing. I never... Gosh.’ She couldn’t think of the words to express it.
‘That was your first orgasm?’
Something flickered in his eyes as she nodded.
‘Thank you.’ She pointed her toes as another last spasm of delight rippled through her and puffed out a breath of amazement.
‘The pleasure was mine,’ he said gruffly. He stood, tossing her a little in his arms to hold her more easily. ‘It’s late, Kassie. It’s been a big day.’