‘I thought I should go,’ she said, wanting to sound adamant but strangely conflicted about her course of action.
‘Don’t.’ His bare feet padded on the carpet as he crossed the room. He sat on the edge of the bed. ‘I don’t want you to,’ he added, as he curled his fingers around her neck and tugged her closer.
Her choice wasn’t about what he wanted. But when he placed a kiss on her temple, the tenderness of the gesture was so compelling her resolve faltered.
‘Stay with me tonight,’ he said, running his thumb over her cheekbone, his watchful gaze so intent on her reaction she felt it echo at her core.
His sensual lips quirked in an assured smile. ‘We left a lot unfinished. I think you agree.’
The heat climbed from her core into her cheeks. How did he do that? How did he read her responses so easily? But before she had a chance to feel embarrassed or, worse, threatened by how gauche she must appear to him, his gaze drifted to her hair.
‘Your hair is lopsided,’ he said.
She pressed a hand to the up-do and discovered it had tumbled down on one side.
‘I should…I should really go,’ she said, but as she attempted to scoot backwards off the bed, he captured her wrist and halted her getaway.
‘No, you shouldn’t,’ he said. ‘Let me help. It must be uncomfortable,’ he added. It wasn’t really, but as he proceeded to locate the pins holding her hair aloft, pluck them out and throw them away, her heart began to pummel her ribcage.
She watched him as he concentrated on the task, the care he was taking making her heart melt.
‘How did you tame it?’ he asked with a frown—as if he preferred it wild.
‘A curling iron,’ she said, her breathing catching again.
‘An iron
! Does that not hurt?’ he said, his frown becoming concerned.
Her heart rate jumped, but still she smiled. ‘No.’
He sank his fingers into the mass of curls she’d spent an hour arranging that afternoon as she’d practised the speech she’d never had a chance to give him. A moan escaped as he massaged her scalp, lifting and dividing the heavy weight.
She shivered, the delicious sensation rippling through her and reawakening the heat at her core that she’d thought would be sated for ever only minutes before.
‘It feels good?’ he asked.
‘Yes, very good.’
Too good.
She didn’t want to go now, she wanted to stay. But could she risk it?
‘Turn around,’ he said, and she did as he’d commanded.
He tugged on the sheet she had wrapped around her torso and she tightened her grip, but he only chuckled. ‘Let it go, you do not need it. I promise not to ravage you again until you ask.’
She let the sheet fall, but crossed her arms over her naked breasts, brutally aware of her reflection in the window.
She sat on the bed naked, his large silhouette behind her as his thumbs dug into the tight muscles of her neck. She had to bite off another groan as his fingers worked their magic, finding each knot and releasing it, melting her resistance as they went.
At last he reached her bottom and the moan escaped.
He gave her butt a playful slap. ‘Stop that, or I will not be responsible for my actions.’
Her eyes flew open. She met his gaze in the glass. He was smiling, but his jaw was tense. And she could feel his erection against her back.
She swung around, not as wary as she had been.