Ky’s eyes widened, and I felt his hardness pulse against my bare behind through the thin material of his undergarment as I spoke those forbidden words out loud. The elders and Prophet David would have declared me a harlot, but right now, it was a title I was content to own.
Ky stared at me, an expression on his face I could not decipher. All his features were sharp and tense, his kissable lips firm, his head of long golden hair wild and untamed. Ky’s hand drifted down my face and his rough but gentle touch was almost transcendent, trancelike.
My cheek instinctively nuzzled into his warm hand as I awaited his answer, drifting on the blissful wave of his affection. Curling my head into the bare skin on his chest, I nervously pressed my lips against the flesh of his shoulder, over his colorful tattoos, mesmerized as it shivered and jerked beneath my mouth.
Ky’s hand raked through my hair and he took in a long, ragged breath. “Lilah…” he hissed softly, his fist tightening in my wet hair. I risked a glance at his face to see his head tipped back, his eyes squeezed shut, and his teeth running over his bottom lip.
Hands shaking at the enormity of what I was about to do, I found the edge of the blanket without breaking my gaze on Ky and pushed the thick material to the floor, my naked body revealed and out on full display.
Hearing the blanket drop, Ky tilted down his head, his beautiful blue eyes opening and flaring with unmistakable passion when he drank in the sight of my bareness.
I combed my hand through his long blond hair and fixed my stare on his bulging arms, the muscles taut and defined. Carefully lifting my legs from his lap, I managed to stand on shaky feet, my back to Ky.
Smoothing my long hair over my left shoulder, the damp strands lying over my left breast, I sucked in a fortifying breath and slowly turned, keeping my eyes firmly to the ground, obeisant and meek, as a woman must be toward a man.
I had not been fully bare to any man but Brother Noah before this day, and it was taking all my strength not to run away and cover my flesh. My mind and heart warred over the protection of my virtue. Scripture raced through my conscience. Flee from sexual immorality. Any other sin a person commits is outside his body, but the person who sins sexually, sins against his own body.
Prophet David taught that to join with anyone outside The Order was to bed Satan himself. As a Cursed, to join with anyone who was not a blessed handpicked servant of God, a chosen elder, was unforgiveable, punishable in the fires of hell. My head told me to keep my faith, that this was a test from God, that Ky was my temptation, and to hold out for my people’s salvation. But my heart told me I should be with him, that Mae was correct and The Order and my prophet were no more.
Ky, in his own way, had proven over and over again that he could be strong and protect me, starting with the slaughter of Brother Noah, a man he thought would be best rid from this earth—Ky was unaware that Brother Noah had been essential to my salvation. As I thought of the tall, handsome man behind me, my core grew hot and my thighs clenched together with need. He protected me, shunned other women to stay with me. Insatiable need to join with him drove me at this very moment. It was singular and completely against all I held ideal, but I wanted him… I was going to give in.
Feeling a provocative tingle ghost down my spine, I gasped and spun around only to find Ky’s hand outstretched, his finger held midair.
“Fuck, Lilah…” he hissed and rubbed along his manhood as he let his enamored eyes run from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I swayed lightly on my feet while under his scrutiny, until his stare once again found mine.