His words stung. “You only doing what you’re doing to help me? Not because you want to?”
He gave a low laugh. “I didn’t have you down for insecure.”
“I’m not, but even so…” She looked away and was pleased when he caught her chin and tilted her to face him once more.
“Even so, you’re a woman who wishes to be desired. And, believe me, you are. I did want to help you. I wanted to show you that not all men are alike, not all men want to hurt, some want to give, some want to pleasure. But somewhere in the middle of doing that, my feelings have changed.” He paused as if he were struggling to find the right words. She decided to take pity on him.
“And if I were a woman who no longer needed help?”
He smiled. “I’d still desire you.” The smile dropped. “I’d still want to pleasure you, to see your eyes close as you surrender to your passion.”
“Um, I like the sound of that.” She lifted herself onto tiptoe and kissed him. By the time she lowered herself once more, his gaze had heated up, and she decided it was worth another try. This time she decided a more physical approach might work.
She smoothed her hand down his chest and lower, until it brushed the front of his trousers. His eyes narrowed. “Ela,” he said in a warning tone.
She opened her eyes wide. “What?”
“We are not having full sex, no matter what you might think.”
She crossed her arms. “Really! All I want is sex with you. I didn’t realize it would be quite so hard to get. I understood that men were happy to poke it”—she glared down at his obvious erection—“anywhere.”
“I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but I can assure you I’m choosy where I—to use your charming expression—poke it.”
She felt hurt, and blinked as the strange sensation filled her. “I’m really not attractive enough for you, am I?” Her voice sounded strangely weak and hoarse. She tried to clear her throat but there was a big lump which wouldn’t budge. She tried to pull up the scarf which had slipped from her hair on the ride, but he stopped her, and dragged it away further from her hair and face. He cupped her cheeks with both his hands and looked into her eyes.
“You’re wrong, Ela. I find you very attractive.”
She gulped. “Even when I’m haranguing you?”
He gave a light shrug. “You infuriate me then, but I still can’t help my body responding, as it is now. No, I find you very attractive. Come closer and I’ll show you just how much.”
She couldn’t have denied him, or herself, if she’d wanted to, and she most certainly didn’t want to. So she stepped forward into his arms and he caressed her back and then lower, before carefully taking off her abaya. Then he carried her over to the bed and laid her down. He lifted the light dress she wore beneath her abaya and stroked up her leg, caressing her thigh. She shivered and closed her eyes. The effect of his caress was surprising, more than surprising. It was as if he’d flicked a switch which had ignited other switches, sweeping over and inside her body, turning them on, one at a time. She still didn’t open her eyes because she was afraid to see what this turning on had done to her body. Every part of her felt hyper aware, as if tuned in to a higher frequency.
Then his other hand swept up her other leg. His thumbs curved around her thighs and touched the most intimate part of her. This time she did open her eyes and she was met with the darkened, aroused eyes of Xander. The more he touched her, the more she wanted him completely—inside her. Wantonly, she opened her legs wide and lifted her dress. He needed no further invitation and pulled down her panties. When he touched her she gasped, as he toyed with her moist skin.
“You see,” she gasped again, “I’m ready for you to be inside me.”
“You might be ready, but I’m not entering you.”
“Please,” she asked, unable to deny the throbbing deep inside of her.
“Um, I like the way you say ‘please’. Maybe…”
“Yes?” she asked hopefully.
“Maybe there is a way.”
“How?”
“I’ll give you what you desire only if you surrender your will to me. Only then will I oblige.”
He’d gone too far! “I won’t surrender my will to anyone!”
He withdrew his thumbs which has been caressing her in a most exciting kind of way. She clamped her hands on his to stop him from moving.
“Then you won’t get what you want,” he replied, his lips twisted into a sexy smile, as if he knew she’d refuse, as if he’d wanted her to refuse. “And you’ll have to be content with a little appetizer.”
“What are you going to do?”