"Yesss…always." I heard frustration loud and clear in her whispered words, and so did my cock. Painfully hard—and loving every second of the sweet torture of being so close to her.
"Good girl." I brushed over her pouty lips lightly with my thumb. "I need to tell you the rules before I take you upstairs."
"You have rules?" Her lips parted as she drew in a heavy breath and shaped them around pad of my thumb for a second before I took it away.
"Just two," I paused before adding, "but two very important ones."
The tip of her tongue wet her bottom lip before disappearing into her mouth. I'm sure I groaned audibly, when all I could imagine was that pretty pink tongue licking up the length of my rock-hard dick.
"Complete honesty from you is the first rule. You tell me we need to stop? We stop. You tell me to give you more? I will give you more. If I ask you a question, you give me a truthful answer. I'll hear you, as long as you tell me. I'll always listen to whatever you say."
She stilled as my words sunk in. I sensed a rapidly beating pulse against my lips as I kissed up her neck, but still she asked, "And rule number two?"
"I'm in charge in the bedroom. It's the only way I can do this with you. I'll make it so good, and give you exactly what you want, but I'll be taking the lead the whole way." I pulled back from her neck reluctantly. I had to read her face so I knew. It was a risk for me to even voice my second rule out loud, but I knew I had to do it, if not for me, then for her.
The breath left her in the softest way, in a quiet rush that almost masked the intensity of it. Almost. Her eyes were directed down but I could clearly see the pulse at her throat fluttering as she contemplated my conditions. What is she thinking?
"What if I say no to your rules?" Her chin lifted but her eyes stayed down. Such a tantalizing contradiction of gestures she presented while pinned against the wall by my crowding her. It was fucking hot. She wasn't even doing anything beyond standing before me waiting for an answer to her question. Winter didn't need to do anything for me to want her.
"Then we don't fuck. Not tonight…or ever."
Her eyes flickered up and held mine. "Then I…I agree to the rules, James," she replied without a trace of fear. "I want to fu…I want to do everything with you."
Probably the wrong thing for her to tell me when I was nearly out of my mind in crazy fucking lust. I knew she didn't have any idea what she was saying or the meaning behind it. Winter's idea of "everything" was a far cry from mine when discussing sex, but that didn't matter right now. She'd agreed to my rules. We were done with waiting.
I kissed her deeply, my tongue as far into her as I could get it. I kept her pinned to my wall and kissed the fuck out of her, pleasured myself on her mouth until the raging need burning me from the inside settled into something more familiar.
The darker edge of control I was used to took over as I learned her: the softness of her lips and tongue dancing along with mine; the way she moved her body against mine; the little sounds she made when aroused.
Which she fucking was. Her pussy was no doubt already wet, and soon I'd know when she was spread out naked in my bed ready to be fucked. Hell, she was ready right now just from kissing.
Her response was fucking perfect. Soft and accepting, she let me go to work on her. Before this night was through, Winter would be on the receiving end of more orgasms than she'd ever known. And I was going to enjoy giving every one of them to her.
I ended our kiss abruptly and took a step back.
Slowly she opened her eyes, her body resting against the wall as she took in deep breaths, waiting for me.
I obliged her.
"Take off the dress."
Chapter Sixteen
WINTER
My mind went blank for a moment as I tried to remember where the zipper was situated on my dress. Back? Side? I had no idea. I considered telling him the truth, but I didn't want to break the spell of our sensual dance. It felt too good being in the moment with James. Obviously. He had me so turned on I couldn't even recall how my own dress worked.
"Turn." One sharp word, but it was plenty. James had figured out my dilemma and was taking charge. Oddly, a wave of pure relief crashed over me as the decision was lifted away from my sphere of responsibility. The heat of his fingers finding the zipper and dragging it down seared into my skin despite the layers of silk in between.
Now opened at the waist, my dress allowed the cool night air to dance over my exposed skin. I could feel his eyes staring at my back. "Sorry," he whispered into my ear as he turned me around to face him once more. "I forgot about this." He drew my injured hand to his lips and kissed the back of it through the silk. "It won't happen again."
Why was he apologizing?
I was the one so stupefied by the sensual, dangerous man before me.
He stared at me; so serious, and even slightly harsh, but with a predatory gleam. I was about to be devoured.
Fear of the unknown mixing with desire twisted low in my belly and reminded me to take a breath. Depriving my body of oxygen was just as involuntary as the air I was forced to swallow in response. I waited.
"Now the dress. Off." His words—so precise—were a definite command.
Determined, I gripped the bodice of the dress where he'd unzipped me, worked the fabric over my hips, and let go. Gravity took hold, pulling it into a satiny heap around my calves. I stepped out carefully one shoe at a time, the chill of the night air sweeping over my skin. Designer ball gowns came with built-in bras and underlying slips, so once it was off my body, there wasn't much left to remove. Panties, stockings, gloves, shoes—was all that remained.
Slowly I lifted my eyes to his, meeting his stare. The harsh look on his face would've startled me if I wasn't so aroused. I could hardly breathe. The cool autumn air swept over my skin tightening my nipples to nearly painful peaks. James noticed. He stared leisurely before meeting my eyes again with a slow shake of his head.
"I used to imagine you like this—what you'd look like standing before me, waiting for me to tell you what to do next."
I took in a shuddering breath, unwilling to speak. I was too far into the exchange to even think about forming any words of my own. The look in his eyes.
"The reality is so much better, beautiful. You're perfect in every way."
I wished he would touch me. The longer I stood on display the more desperate I felt. Surely I would combust soon.
"Are you afraid?"
I nodded my head.
"Answer me with words, baby. I need to hear you," he scolded gently.
"Yes, I am afraid," I answered honestly.
"Afraid of me?" He raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Never of you."
"What then?"
"That I might burn up if you don't touch me." Even I could hear the frustration in my voice.
He gave me a wicked grin. "You want to be touched?"
"Yes."
"What else do you want?"
"I…I want…I want you to kiss me again."
"And?"
"I want to feel your hands on me." I wanted more than just his hands, and he knew it. I waited for him to command that I say how much I wanted his cock, but it didn't come. He kept staring at my body hungrily as if he couldn't decide where to start.
"We need a bed for the many things I want to do to you before this night is over."
"D-don't you have a bed?"
He laughed. "Oh, I have one. And I'm going to fuck you in it just as soon as you walk that very fine ass of yours up the stairs."
A bolt of heat hit me so hard my knees nearly buckled.
James saying the words, "I'm going to fuck you," in any context related to me would certainly do it. I sucked in a breath and looked toward the staircase, wondering how on earth my legs would manage to carry me up so many steps when they could barely hold me up. I'll never make it on my wobbly ass legs.
"You'll make it because I'll be right behind you enjoying the view. If you stumble, I'll catch you, and for the record, your legs are sheer perfection," he said, jerking his head the direction of the stairs.