“Don’t I?”
“Not if you know what’s good for you.”
“And I suppose you think you do.”
In the absence of my reply, Isla slides her hands up my chest, my abs tighten and my balls ache as she pushes the shirt from my shoulders. I return the favor, dragging her dress from her body until it pools at her feet. My appreciation of the sight before me is a low rumble of approval. Her underwear is little more than pale, silky cobwebs, a demicup bra and tiny panties. In the ambient light, her skin seems to glisten, highlights of peaches and cream. By contrast, her eyes are like midnight. The color of liquid sin.
“You’re exquisite.” I wrap my hand around her waist to pull her against me when she reaches for my pants. “Ladies first,” I murmur, lifting away her hands.
“Are you shy?” Amusement twinkles in her eyes.
“You already know the answer to that.”
“I shouldn’t be the only one naked.”
“You’re not naked.” My gaze meanders down her body from the rosy peaks of her nipples straining at the lace to the shadow of her femininity. “Yet.”
“Maybe you don’t want to admit to being shy. Maybe that’s why it’s taken so long for you to kiss me,” she says, twirling away.
“And maybe you’re frightened.” I take a step toward her, and her head comes up fast.
“Frightened?” Her breasts rise and fall with tight breaths as she steps backward. “Of you?”
“Frightened you might’ve bitten off more than you can chew.”
“I’m not frightened,” she protests, stepping backward again.
“Then stop trying to get away from me,” I growl, lunging for her. Wrapping my arms around her, I drag her against me.
“I think you’re the one who’s frightened.” Her eyes are so dark as her head rears back. “You never kissed me, not properly. Not on the lips—not until tonight.”
My answer is a low growl as I trace a hot, wet path to her throat, my hands dipping to palm her ass.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I couldn’t trust myself to stop.” To kiss her was to yield. I didn’t want to just kiss her, and I didn’t want a hurried fuck in a small bed, one foot on the floor, listening out for footsteps in the hallway. Not with her. Not then. I could tell together we’d be something special. I wanted to spread her out and take her apart piece by piece, discover all her hidden pleasure points, feast on her moans and her tears. I wanted to lose myself in her in a visceral masterpiece. I wanted her to crave me, to say yes to seeing me again. And it worked because she turned up on my doorstep. But by then, she was a prize I was destined never to have.
And look at us now.
“I think you’re a tease.”
“Do you?” I pull back. If I sound a little delighted, it’s because I am. “I do like to take my time.”
“Glacially slow.” In a flash of pure Isla, she rolls her eyes. The next time she rolls them will be in ecstasy.
“My darling, a wise person once told me hasty men miss so much.”
“You’re the opposite of hasty.” Her voice brims with temptation.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t meant that way.”
“I’ll ask you how you feel about it in the morning.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I’m going to continue as I started, that I’m going to take my time with you. I will kiss you—again and again. I’ll kiss you until you’re delirious.” Her breath is hot and sweet as I feather my lips over hers, drifting south to press over her heart. “Here,” I whisper, sliding my finger into the half cup of her bra to release her nipple. She whimpers as I envelop the tight peak and moans as I suck, her fingers lifting to knot in my hair. I glance up, savoring her reaction as I flick the shiny bud with the tip of my tongue. “Or here.” I cup my hand between her legs. “Yes, I think I’ll start here.”
“Niko, stop talking.” Her voice is pure compliment as I wrap my arm around her back, steadying her as I flick her bra loose.
“You’re so hot for me already,” I murmur, bending her backward over my arm. The shapes I’ll bend her in when she’s pliant and sated, her big eyes watching me as I take her again and again. “Such a good, good girl. What a treasure it is to see you burning for me.”
“Oh God.” Isla jolts against me as I rub my middle finger over her slit. “Who says stuff like that?”
“Aren’t you watching my mouth? Watching the shapes and promises it makes. Let’s put you somewhere you’ll get a better view, hmm?” After briefly considering the sofa, I instead begin to move her backward until we come up against the desk. “Let’s put those kissing conundrums to rest.”