"Too-fucking-bad, Sunshine. You started the job; you have to finish it now." He pushes down on my head until my nose bumps his, until my lips are poised over his and I can’t escape that searing gaze of his which holds mine. He presses his lips to mine. He brushes his mouth over mine with such gentleness that my breath catches. He nibbles on my lower lip. I open my mouth and he sweeps his tongue across the inner seam of my lip. His tongue tangles with mine and a flash of fire ignites low in my belly. I wriggle against him, and the thickness between his legs seems to lengthen further. Vibrations of awareness shoot up my spine. Still holding my gaze, he deepens the kiss. He sucks on my tongue, draws from me, seems to consume my breath, my taste, my very soul, which he’s about to lay claim to.
No, no, no, he doesn’t want me. He’s made that clear. He only sees me as a willing body. Someone to play with while he regains his strength. Probably even, fuck while he figures out what to do next. I know I am the one who made the first move, but I hadn’t expected the attraction to be this potent. I wanted to lay claim to him…but I am not ready to already feel so much for him. What if he leaves me, after all? What if he has his fun with me and decides to go his merry way? I would be shattered.
I try to turn my head, but his grip on my hair holds me in place.
"Let me go," I murmur against his lips. "Please, let me go."
He loosens his grip and I pull away. I rise to my feet, straighten my clothes. "I… I am sorry; that shouldn’t have happened. I don’t know what came over me." I shake my head. "I… I’ll get someone to help you to your feet."
I turn and rush to the door when, "Theresa," he calls out, "it’s okay that you lost your head around me. It’s normal."
"Excuse me?" I scowl at him over my shoulder, "What are you talking about?"
"It’s just my charm. I am irresistible; I understand."
"You…you…" I sputter. "Jesus, and I thought you had so much in common in Xander." I shake my head. "You know what? You’re right."
"Oh?"
"You are not him. You can’t be him. Xander would never treat me like…like…"
"Like a submissive?"
"What?" I blink.
"You’re a natural submissive, Sunshine," he drawls. "No wonder, the Sovranos decided to adopt you as one of their own. They must have realized that you wouldn’t survive for one second out in the big bad world. You, with your trusting nature and natural instinct to obey an order."
"Jesus Christ, are you hearing yourself?" I ask. "I am my own woman. I run a successful business. I have my independence and—"
"How much sexual experience have you had?"
I open and shut my mouth.
"Exactly." His lips kick up. "Doesn’t matter how much you deny it, it’s in your nature to obey. It’s in your DNA to feel most secure when you are following directions. You are the happiest when you are serving your master."
"I… I…" I shake my head, "That’s a load of bull."
"Your denying it doesn’t change who you are." He sprawls on the floor, a predator in repose, a lion stalking his prey and biding his time. Shit, and I had thought he was helpless? Ha, the joke’s on me. And now he gives me that load of nonsense of being submissive.
"Whatever." I toss my head. "You deserve an early death thanks to your horrible habit."
"My horrible habit?" He frowns.
I nod toward the lighter and cigarettes on the side table. "I can’t believe Seb would actually get that for you. I was going to remove it from your room, but you know what? I don’t think I will now."
"Like I said," his smile widens, "you’re a nurturer. A submissive with a soft heart who cares for others."
"Stop reducing all of my actions to sexual signposts." I throw up my hands. “Just for that, you deserve to be alone." I spin around and turn to leave, when he calls out.
"Stop."
As if I am going to obey him? I reach for the door handle when, "Theresa." He lowers his voice to a hush, "Turn around and get your arse back here."
A shudder runs down my spine. My tummy flip-flops. Something shifts in my chest and I can’t stop myself from turning to face him. Goddamn it. I don’t want to obey him.I don’t.I take a step forward, then another. I reach him, then scowl down at him.
"See that wasn’t so difficult, was it?"
"What do you want?"