“This room suits you, by the way,” he says upon survey. “A mix of classic and modern. Maybe I should keep you with your eyes closed so I have ample time to snoop around.”
“Hey!”
His laugh has a calming effect on my butterflies. It is like he is their master and can tame even the wildest one.
I feel the press of the mattress in front of me, toward the headboard. My chin is gripped strongly, making my eyes pop open in shock of the suddenness of the motion—but not from any pain. It’s just surprise. Dark sapphire eyes stare into mine, making me quiver from the sheer force of the intensity. Graham has one knee on the bed and the other leg on the ground, keeping his height dominating above my kneeling form in a position of power. I swear the man could be laid out flat on the floor and still have the aura of command and control. Every breath he takes is planned. Calculated.
His hands adjust my curling hair behind my shoulders and then slide down my arms to rest on my hips. He tugs me forward and captures my lips between his own. I melt into his kiss and forget about everything around me. It is just the two of us.
Graham thumbs at the waistband of my fleece bottoms, toying with the elastic. I suck in a breath as our lips part. The anticipation is causing me to unravel.
“Tell me you want this, Angie. Make me believe you.”
I want something that I have never had, but in the back of my head know it exists. But do I want to continue this with a man who is repeatedly stepping over the boundaries? He is someone who might prevent me from finishing my second chance semester if I cannot catch a break.
My chin is nudged by gentle fingers. “Angie, I am waiting.”
“I want this.” At least for tonight. I’ll worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes.
Graham’s steel-blue eyes penetrate mine. He studies me for a moment and then nods once. His warm hands tug upward at the bottom of my shirt hem, revealing my bare abdomen. A shiver runs through me over the anticipation of what’s to come. I lift my arms as my shirt finds its new home on the floor.
“Cute,” Graham mouths in reference to my pink lace bra, “and sexy. Just like you.”
“Thanks,” I shyly grin. I was not planning on anyone seeing it, although I’m not sure it would have altered my selection.
He kisses my shoulder straps and uses his teeth to tug them down. His hands cup my breasts for the first time, feeling their weight. I moan and tilt my head toward his mouth until our lips meet again. He sucks on my bottom lip as he unfastens the clasp in back, discarding the article to join my shirt. I wonder why he is starting on top, instead of going straight to my source of pleasure. This slow play is driving me into a hazy daze. When his mouth captures my right nipple, while his other hand pinches the left, I realize that I know nothing about foreplay. A tremor hits me, and I nearly convulse off the side of the bed.
“So responsive,” he says breathily over my dampened flesh.
I fist his hair and tug. I want more. So much more.
Graham chuckles at my reaction and peppers kisses down the valley between my breasts until he suckles my left nipple between his lips.
“Ohhh,” I moan, throwing my head back.
He releases his hold and locks eyes with mine. “You better not come until I tell you to.”
“Huh?” Come? I have spent the better half of the last decade trying to get there. I sincerely doubt he could get me there without even taking my pants off.
“You heard me.”
Yeah, I heard him. I just don’t believe him.
“And if you think I can’t get you there just from this,” he says, tweaking both nipples with his thumbs and index fingers, “then that will be a fun challenge for another day.”
I stare at him in disbelief as he guides me off the bed to stand in front of him. He shifts his body on the bed so that he is sitting with his knees spread.
“Strip.”
“Excuse me?”
“Angela,” he says in warning.
My shaking hands grip the waistband of my fleece pajama bottoms and gently pull them down. I shimmy my hips side to side allowing the fabric to pool at my feet. I step out and kick the garment to the side. I am in just pink lace bikini-style panties. Panties that were part of the collection sent to me from the same man who is ogling me with hungry eyes.
“What happened to your knees?” Graham demands, his voice gruff.
He gently touches each bandage and flicks his eyes up to mine with concern.