“Ugh…you’re crushing me.”
“Then give it up.”
In one last-ditch attempt, she tries to knee me in the balls. I grip her knee with one hand and stroke her thigh. A smile stretches my lips, a real one, though it probably looks like an evil smirk in the dark. “You really shouldn’t have played dirty. Now, I’m tempted to do something.”
“D-do what?”
“Make you squirm.” My fingers inch closer to her hips, and even though I’m touching her through her clothes, I feel her warmth and the shudder going through her body.
“Y-you said you wouldn’t touch me.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Why?”
“Because your body gets so pliant underneath me and I might like that.”
“It does not.”
“Hmm. Should I prove it?”
“D-don’t.”
“Challenge accepted, my little butterfly.”
After all, she’s the reason I lost my sexual appetite and it’s only fair that I get it back through her.
Yes, she’s a liar, but she might be the best form of distraction I’ve ever had.
9
ANASTASIA
My little butterfly.
That’s what he just called me, right?
My chest tightens and my eyes grow in size, desperate to make him out. In the darkness, I can’t see him, but the sharp lines of his face are visible and so is the glint in his intense eyes.
I’m trapped beneath the hardness of his body and the sheer size of him. I’m crushed and can’t breathe. And that cologne I searched for at the department stores? It’s suffocating me now, robbing my thought process and stopping me from thinking beyond this moment.
“You…you have my butterfly?”
“Why would you think that?”
“You just called me a little butterfly.”
“Could have done that for any reason.”
“But it was specific enough.”
“Hmm. What are you going to do to find out whether I have it or not?” His voice is deep, dark velvet that’s wrapping itself around my neck.
“I…”
My words trail off when his hand that’s been on my thigh glides to the inner side of it.
I clench my legs together tightly, even though it tingles, even though every illogical thought in my head is urging me to let go.
I can’t.
Not when I can sense ripples of darkness emanating from him. The same darkness I fought tooth and nail to leave behind.
I think I’ve always sensed it on him, even during that night in Jersey, but back then, it was fine because it was a one-time thing and I foolishly thought I wouldn’t see him again.
I foolishly thought I would just keep him in my memories and that’s it.
But he’s right here, and he’s coming after me and that’s not good.
It’s downright frightening for Babushka’s and my destiny.
His fingers hover at the apex of my thighs and even though he’s not forcing entry, he’s lingering there, biding his time.
“What’s going on?” There’s slight amusement in his tone, bordering on sadism. “Feeling shy all of a sudden?”
“That’s not…oh…” My words end in a moan because he’s pressing a finger against my clit now, and although it’s through my pants and underwear, I can feel the throbbing of my veins in my core.
“You shouldn’t be.” He’s speaking against my ear, his voice hotter and sexier in the low range.
For a second, I’m so focused on that, on his voice and range, that I momentarily forget what’s at stake here. My brain has tuned out all environmental elements so all I can feel is his cut body that has a warrior tattoo hidden beneath the prim and proper suit.
A lot of muscles, too, that I saw that day and currently feel against the softness of my belly and breasts.
Everything about me is so soft while he’s so hard and big that he makes me feel small. So small and breakable, but instead of becoming apprehensive, my skin catches fire and a strange type of arousal spreads inside me.
That’s wrong, though, isn’t it? I’m not supposed to be turned on by our size difference. If anything, I should be wary of it, should think of what’s at stake.
Like my laptop.
Knox must’ve gotten this close to aim for my laptop that I’m holding with both hands and keeping it out of reach above my head.
But he doesn’t.
Instead, he flicks his tongue on the shell of my ear and I can’t help the zaps of pleasure that burst in waves across my sensitive flesh. When his deep whisper follows, I’m on the verge of something so harsh, it steals my breath.