“Do you, now?”
“Yes,” she answered, her head too light to allow her to really filter what she was saying, which was what she’d have normally done. But there was nothing “normal” about being with Duff. Not for her. “I know you’re what I think of as a ‘true Dom,’ the kind who takes the great responsibility that comes with great power very seriously. I know . . . that I can trust you. That I can give myself over into your hands in a way I frankly thought was highly unlikely, at best. And that you believe in my ability to reach that scary, ethereal place that is submission, even when I can’t believe it myself. I’m still not sure how far I can go.”
She could see from the dimple in his cheek that he was grinning. “Could be mere ego on my part.”
“Yes. It could be. Except that it’s not.”
He turned and flashed a quick smile at her, and something in his expression made her go warm all over—with desire and pleasure and that sensation of just having had a momentary meeting of the minds. She liked it, despite herself. And had to admit it was happening a lot.
“How am I getting to your house?” he asked.
“I’ll show you the way.”
He turned to glance at her for a moment, his face sober despite the small smile still lingering there. “Yeah. I think you will, at that.”
She absorbed the words, cuddled into the leather seat and held them to her. She had no idea why she felt so warmly pleased. So . . . happy.
She hadn’t been happy for far too long.
When they pulled into her driveway, she had a flashback of the orgasm she’d had in that very spot so recently. Her body heated, but she fought it down as she unbuckled her seat belt and grabbed for the door handle.
“Ah, now that I won’t have, princess. Wait there while I come round.”
She was too confused to do anything but follow his directive. In a moment he’d opened the car door and was helping her out. He walked her up the shallow stairs to her front door, where he slid an arm around her waist and looked into her eyes.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“Me? I’m fine.”
“Flying at all? Do you need aftercare?”
“Oh. No. I’m . . . I feel a little light-headed, but I had a pretty good endorphin rush. I seem to be coming down nicely. And I can call Kitty if I need aftercare.”
“You can call me if you need aftercare. Although if you need it right now, I’ll have to find a way to do it while keeping this raging hard-on as far away from your luscious body as possible so I won’t ravage you inappropriately.”
She grinned. “Is there any other way to ravage?”
“I suppose not. Perhaps one of the most promising features of a good ravage.”
She shook her head. “I’m really fine, Duff. I promise. I’m going to have a hot bath, then go to bed.”
He cleared his throat. “All of which creates some lovely imagery that, alas, is not helping my current situation. But go on—into your bath. Expect a call from me sometime tomorrow. And I’d like to see you tomorrow night.”
“I’m not sure if that was phrased as a request or an order.”
He winked at her, his wide mouth spreading in a grin, the dimples creasing his cheeks as he handed her keys back to her. “Neither am I. Now get inside before I have my way with you on your front porch.”
She put the key in the lock while he stood just behind her, and even with her back to him she could feel his presence, the heat radiating from his big body. Once the door was open she turned to face him once more.
He had one hand braced over her head on the doorframe, his head bent, his eyes full of shadows and questions and the same lust she felt, as if it were mirrored there. He stared down at her for what felt like a very long time while her body filled with anticipation and a stark hunger that gnawed at her belly. No, it wasn’t her belly that begged to be fed.
Finally, he said, “Know that I want to kiss you, princess. But if I do, I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”
She blinked once, knowing damn well she was playing with fire. “Do it anyway.”
CHAPTER
Five
DUFF HEARD THE challenge in her tone. The stark need. And felt it reverberate like an echo in his system. He took one step closer.
You are losing your shit, man.
Another step closer, and she tilted her chin, clearly waiting—wanting—to be kissed. Could he simply kiss her and leave it at that?
Fuck no.
He was doing it anyway.
He grabbed her slim waist and yanked her in hard, a small growl escaping his tortured throat as he ground his hard-on against her sweet body, pressing against her curves. One hand went into her hair, grabbing on tight, pulling her head back and back. And then he went for her throat. Went for it like the hungry wolf he was, teeth and tongue, lapping and biting, drinking her in, then moving up to her jaw, lingering there, nipping and kissing before he found her mouth.
And oh, sweet Christ, her mouth was nothing short of perfection, her lips full and succulent beneath his. He licked them, sucked them, heard her quiet moan. Then he opened her lips with his tongue—had to—and some part of him knew it was all over. He was drowning in this woman.
Pressing her back a step, then another, he kicked the front door shut behind him. When she backed a step away from him, her green eyes glittering in the dim light of a single hanging lamp, he saw the question there. Her small palms rested on his chest—small, yet he felt the enormous power of the woman she was in them. The woman who was challenging his control—hell, the woman who had torn it down like a brick wall crumbling under the slam of a wrecking ball. He tried to catch his breath as he waited for her to tell him to get out.
Fuck.
She shook her head the tiniest bit, but his cock only throbbed harder.
“This is a pretty kind of hell I’m in, princess. But I can’t help but like it.”
“Duff . . . ?”