Chapter 124
Xander’s POV
The door shuts behind us, sealing us into the bedroom. My hand lingers on the handle for a moment longer, then I turn, and my eyes find her instantly, standing beside the bed.
The lamps are dim, and cast golden shadows over her skin as she stands in silence, watching me, and waiting with her beautiful eyes. Her hair is a little wind–tossed from the walk, and her cheeks are faintly pink. I don’t think I’ve ever just watched her, admired her, and indulged in her.
I realised that we’re always so caught up in the moment that we don’t realise what is there, but I want to. This time, I want to indulge in her, I want to devour her entirely and leave nothing untouched.
I want to see her whimper, crying out my name and know that no man, no one else, will ever come near her again, because the only person she can see touching her is me. She’s still fearful of how I will treat her, but I’m hoping this shows her just how much I need her. I need her like she’s the air I breathe. I’m not willing to let it slip away.
The dress, though, holds my attention, how it’s tight, and clings to her curves, and loose around her thighs where it sways. It’s the kind of dress that was never meant to be worn for this long.
It’s so rare I get to just look at her and take in her beauty; it’s rare I get time to admire her.
Crossing the room slowly, I let each step build the anticipation between us. She stays still, unmoving, but I can see her breath hitch when I reach her. Trailing my fingers down her sides, I keep going until I reach the hem of the dress. My fingers skim just past it, then stroke up her body, slowly as the fabric lifts with the movement. As it moves over her thighs, I breathe out.
The fabric around her waist is blood red, three delicate straps wrap around her hips, and meet in the middle to cover her. She’s like sin wrapped in silk and fire. My mouth goes dry at the sight.
“This isn’t the set I mentioned,” I whisper as I lift my gaze to hers. It’s not. “You picked this one, knowing exactly what it would do to me.”
She doesn’t answer, and I don’t need her to.
I push the dress higher, up over her waist, then her ribs, before pulling it off entirely. She stays still, watching me with eyes full of expectation. My throat tightens as I drag my gaze over her again, and I memorize every line, curve, and mark that’s on her body. I was expecting the other set, which was still beautiful, but nothing like this.
This set was created to test boundaries, to push, and to send a man crazy. I swear it’s succeeding.
“Fuck, Serafine,” I breathe. “You don’t even know what you do to me.”
Stepping closer, I press my mouth to her neck. I feel her pulse there, fast and fluttering. My lips trace a slow path to her collarbone, my teeth grazing lightly before my tongue strokes out and soothes the skin. Then I kiss her again.
“You’re mine,” I whisper against her throat. “Every inch of you.”
Her body arches toward me, but I’m not rushing. Not tonight, I want to worship her and make her realise how amazing she is.
My hands drift to her waist, and I hold her still as I continue to kiss down her body, across her chest, all the way until I drop to my knees in front of her. I lean closer, my tongue dragging along the swell of her breasts just before the lace. My lips kiss her again, slow, reverent and lingering.
“I could spend the rest of my life on my knees for you,” I murmur. “And it still wouldn’t be enough.”
She shivers, and I move and kiss lower, my hands sliding behind her thighs, before stroking upward as I kiss her stomach. She trembles under my touch. She tastes like fire, fear and something sweeter than what I deserve. My lips find the curve of her hip, and I speak against her skin, low and rough.
“Do you even know how fucking divine you are?” I ask. “Do you have any idea what you look like right now? Like every dark fantasy I’ve ever had.
1/2
Sun, 15 JUN
Chapter 124
My lips kiss up the inside of her thigh, then back again. I’m refusing to fauch her in the place she wants most. Har fingers head through my hair target gently, and I feel the tremble in her muscles.
“You’re not allowed to doubt yourself,” I say. “Not when you look like this. Not when you make me lose my mind just standing thein.”
I stand slowly, dragging my hands up over her body as I rise. Her breathing is more shaky now, and her eyes are wide and glassy with name, I press my mouth to hers, in a deep, claiming kiss.
“You still think I’m going to be gentle with you?” I growl between kisses. “Because I’ve got news for you, Serafine. I’m not. Not tonight”
She moans into my mouth, and I swallow the sound, feeling it run through my bones.
“You’re going to scream for me,” I whisper, dragging my mouth along her jaw. “And I’m not going to stop until you do.”
Her head falls back, and I trail my lips down her body again until I’m kneeling. I kiss her over her panties, and she gasps, as my tongue stroken mans fibr above the fabric. She whimpers, pushing her hips closer to me.
My fingers stroke up her thighs, hooking in the lace and dragging it down slowly. The moment she’s bare, I kiss her again, and her head falls back
