“You like how I keep you hanging from my strings,” I said slowly. “Because that’s what it is. And just so you know, I’m aware of that.”
“I know,” she whispered. “You don’t do things you don’t mean.”
“Neither do you,” I mused. “I don’t think your body is capable of lying to me. Look at the way you’re grinding against nothing right now. Groveling for me to touch you.”
Her cheeks flushed red and she dropped her head, but I caught her chin and forced it back up.
“I must not scare you too much,” I mused. “At least that’s not what the sounds you make in our bedroom tell me. No, you like just enough fear to get you off. The shadow of the monster, not the real thing.”
Her brows drew together. “Is this about what we talked about at the restaurant? Are you angry?”
I scoffed, releasing her and sitting back. “No, I don’t care if you want to let Merrick touch you. I won’t let him fuck you. But I have no issue with him playing with you as long as I’m there.”
I’d expected her to draw back at my harsh tone, but she didn’t. Instead, her dark brows rose and she gave a little gasp, her hips moving again. My God, she had to be so wet beneath the thin hem of her slip.
“Take it out,” I said, shifting back into the chair and spreading my knees.
She faltered. “Peregrine, I don’t know—”
“Go on,” I said, relentless. “Unfasten my pants for me, angel.”
Her fingers slid up my thighs and fumbled with my belt buckle, pulling the leather free. I watched, my cock straining against my pants, as she slid the belt from me and laid it aside. She was so concentrated her lip was caught between her teeth and it had me aching for relief.
I needed to be in her mouth. To feel her accept me so intimately.
She swallowed as she pulled my cock free, staring down at it with her dark eyes wide. Under her gaze, it twitched. Aching painfully for her touch.
“You can take it, kitten,” I said.
I paused to roll back my shirtsleeves before gathering her hair into a ponytail in my fist. She shifted closer and her hand wrapped around the base of my cock. I couldn’t bite back the groan in my throat as she squeezed me and slid her fingers up my length to the tip. Her thumb traced along the underside and I twitched violently.
“You’re so soft,” she said wonderingly. “I’ve felt it inside, but it’s different in my hand like this.”
I let her explore me with her fingers. She ran her slender index up the length of me, from my groin, to the sensitive flesh below the head. I could have stayed like this all night, feeling nothing but her gentle touch. But it was fast becoming too much and I didn’t want the embarrassment of coming before I was even in her mouth.
Teeth gritted, I guided her head gently forward until I felt her hot breath on my skin. Her eyes darted up to mine as her lips parted and hot, wet paradise wrapped around my length. She had a small mouth and she was struggling, but I knew she wouldn’t give up. Sometime in the last few minutes, she’d sank into that place of adoration. Where the most important thing in her world was earning my praise.
“You perfect, lovely thing,” I breathed, stroking back her hair. “If only you could see how beautiful you look right now, angel.”
She moaned around me, sending the most delicious vibrations through my length. I knew now that compliments and praise were her weakest point and that made sense. After all, she’d spent her life being quietly ignored. Right now, on her knees with all my attention on her, she purred like a kitten beneath my hand.
Her tongue was soft as she worked it down my length to where she grasped the base. Taking me as far as she could until I felt the back of her throat bump me. A shudder moved through my hips and I gripped the armrest. Holding back for her. She was so absorbed in what she did she didn’t notice that the veins stood out in my arms.
“Keep making those pretty sounds,” I whispered. “I want to hear every last one.”
Her body shuddered beneath my touch and a slow, hot surge moved down my spine. I hadn’t felt this out of control since I was a teenager. For a moment I tried to calm my breathing, but it was no use. Seeing her down on the ground between my knees with her mouth wrapped around my cock was too much. Before I could pull back or warn her, I came hard, swearing under my breath.
She made a noise of surprise, but she didn’t pull away. As my orgasm ebbed, she gently let me slide from her mouth. Her throat tensed and I saw her swallow my cum. Then she licked me clean and looked up at me, her mouth a little swollen and her eyes wide. My God, she’d loved that as much as I had.
“I’m sorry, I should have warned you,” I said. “It just happened so fast.”
Her mouth twitched with a smile. “I did that.”
Surprised, I leaned back, surveying her. “You did. You should be proud of yourself.”
A flicker of hesitation crossed her face.
“Are you…proud of me?” Her voice was small and ashamed.