Slade’s attention is solely on me as I peel myself away from the wall. The fire blazes behind him like the mouth of a demon, but the wickedest thing in this room is him. The way he watches me leaves no doubt in my mind that his thoughts are as filthy and debauched as he claimed.
“You know, this hardly seems fair that I should be undressing while you aren’t,” I point out.
Slade grins from his seat. “If you wanted me to strip, Auren, all you had to do was ask.” When I narrow my eyes on him, he clicks his tongue. “Shy?”
Of course I’m a little shy. I’m about to bare myself to him, to let him see every inch of me, and it’s nerve-wracking.
As if he’s caught the tremor of hesitation that moves through me, Slade says, “Do you remember when I accidentally walked in on you in my tent when you were changing?” At my slow nod, he goes on. “I wanted to touch you so damn badly it took every ounce of self-restraint to walk away. I’ll admit, I thought about that moment many, many times.”
“That’s not very gentlemanly,” I tease.
His lips tip up. “I’m no gentleman.”
Why does something as simple as that send a trill of excitement reverberating down my spine?
Before I lose my nerve, I look down at the ribbons that are still somewhat wrapped around me to hold up my dress. One by one, I let them slowly unravel all the way until the loose back of my bodice parts like paper unfolding.
When all of my ribbons are lying on the floor behind me, they shake out and stretch. I lift my fingers to the top of my gown, more to keep it up than to peel it off.
One look at Slade, and my face heats, but I don’t want my nerves to get the better of me. I want to be confident, sexy, in control. Empowered.
Keeping that frame of mind, I turn around until my back is facing him, and the heat of the crackling fire trickles up my spine. With my fingers digging beneath the collar, I drag my dress off my left shoulder, feeling like I’m exposing far more than just my skin. Two of my ribbons come up to help tug the sleeve the rest of the way down, and with my pulse ricocheting in my veins, I do the same to the other side, until the bodice sinks around my waist.
“Not a fan of the corsets here, love?”
That damn word.
“No,” I tell him with a shake of my head. “And you wouldn’t be either if you were expected to wear them.”
A low chuckle. “I suppose I wouldn’t.”
I start to pull the dress down, but Slade says, “Slower.”
Just that single word spikes desire low in my belly. “Bossy.”
“King,” he reminds me.
My lips tilt up, and then with a careful drag, I start to take my gown off. I give a slightly exaggerated shimmy of my hips, and behind me, I hear Slade groan. A thrill shoots through me, and my confidence grows enough that I haul it down the rest of the way and let the dress pool at my feet.
I look over my shoulder, careful to keep my body still as I turn my head.
He’s leaning forward, bent elbows propped against his thighs, hands clasped in front of his chin. There’s nothing bored or stony about him right now. No, he’s pure heat and restrained hunger, and I love that I’m the person who’s put that look in his eyes.
“Let down that gorgeous hair of yours.”
My ribbons come up instantly, two of them unthreading the braids they created. A gentle comb through, and then my scalp is relaxed, my golden tresses hanging down my back in gentle waves.
“I can’t wait to thread my fingers through every strand,” he tells me. “To twist it around my fist and tip your head back so I can look you in the eye as I take you from behind.”
A stuttering breath slips past my lips at his wicked words, and I watch as his eyes dip lower. Lower.
Slade hums. “I’m inclined to agree with you about the corsets, but I have to say, Fifth’s undergarments are a different matter entirely.”
A nervous laugh comes out of me as his gaze settles on my ass that’s currently encased in gold lace. Glittering stockings hug my legs, the tops stopping at my thighs. His hands move to the armrests, his fingers curling over the ends to give it a white-knuckled grip, as if he has to hold himself back, or else he’ll pounce on me.
“Turn around for me, Auren.” His voice simmers and strokes.
I don’t know how he can affect me so much, but every gravelly instruction he speaks adds weight to the lust that’s already piled inside of me. I step out of the dress and turn in a slow circle until I’m facing him fully, in nothing but my gloves, stockings, underwear, and boots.