She considers that, actually thinks about my words before shrugging. “I guess the grass is always greener. You do crazy security work and I take care of people.”
I trace her puffy bottom lip. “I like how you take care of me.”
“Sex isn’t taking care of someone.” She rolls her eyes, then slowly rolls me fully onto my back to kiss across my chest with slow, excruciating patience. “Andthisis aftercare.”
“What’s your definition then?”
“Taking care of someone is prioritizing their health, making them …” Her breath brushes across my skin. “Making them feel like they matter, like every little detail is vitally important, caring about their wellness, their life, their feelings.”
I stroke over her cheek and feel her lean into my hand. Her eyes shut and she doesn’t complain when I just take the time to study her face. So calm, so relaxed, soft, and approachable when she isn’t in public.
Valerie is different from anyone I’ve ever met. I lean forward and hesitate, my nose brushing hers. She takes a shuddering breath. “Lief, you make patience feel like torture.”
I kiss her softly, then slowly kiss her again. Our lips mold together and my hand slides back into her hair as I tighten my hold on her. She feels good, right, like she should be mine and mine alone.
I draw back before she can take control, then roll her over, pressing her into the bed as her toes rub across my ankle. My lips hover over hers as my hair brushes her cheek. This woman is more dangerous than any order or hitman.
She whimpers under me, but her fingers stay soft as she strokes over my body. My hips roll, a reaction I can’t control. She bites her bottom lip and arches her back, lifting to try and kiss me.
I keep that millimeter of space between us. My lips part. “You make being taken care of sound … pleasant.”
“It can be.” Her fingers tease my throat, then she presses her palm to my pulse. “Do you want me to take care of you Lief?”
My heart lurches uncomfortably in my chest. I take a ragged breath. She’s offering more than she knows. I could say yes. But that word is stuck.
“You’re big and strong.” She whispers, lips pressing to my jaw. “I’m sure people think you don’t need anything soft, that you don’t need anything at all. And I know Hunter and Chase well enough to know they don’t think about things like that.”
“You do,” I murmur.
She nods but feels how hard I am against her hip. She adjusts the position so I’m pressed against her pussy. I could slide right in. She’s still wet. Her hand pushes my hair back, but I can’t look away from her warm eyes, as welcoming as a fire inrealwinter.
She’s a threat. My body disagrees, but Iknowit.
Valerie brushes her lips over mine. “Are you going to fuck me again, Viking?”
“No.” I murmur, despite kissing her again, my tongue slowly brushing hers. “I’m going to take care of you.”
VALERIE
Lief taking care of me involves the shower. He keeps a hand on me as he turns it on as if I’m going to run. Which is fucking impossible considering how sexy he is … and the fact that my legs are barely more than jelly.
“I like showers as hot as they can be,” He murmurs.
“Good,” I agree.
He guides me in with him, then orders me to stand in one spot. I have to support myself against the wall. He looks me over slowly and his cock taps his belly again. It’s distracting me like crazy. “We should do something about that.”
“No.” He catches my hand before I can touch him and holds it against the wall of the shower.
I bite my bottom lip as his grip tightens on me and his eyes sharpen. I shiver and revel in the fact that he has total control. Lief presses his body against mine. This level of dominance is so … so hot. The blatant hunger and desire being pushed down, his control, all of it is so maddening, so overwhelming.
“But-” I start.
The tip of his nose brushes along my jaw and I turn my head, ready for him to kiss my neck, to bite me, to do anything and everything he wants to me. But instead, my loofah scrubs along my hip or up my side. I whimper at the sudden change.
“I’m taking care of you,” He insists. “Let me.”
And I do. He teases my body with the loofah, rubbing over every bit of my body. And I’m not allowed to clean his. He does that himself, only letting me watch. I ache for him, burn for him, but if he can manage this much control to be soft with me …I want to take advantage of it.