Page 185 of Safe Word

And I was getting harder and harder.

‘Damn it,’ I wrenched my face from hers, unused to such a potent blend of emotions.

‘Don’t leave,’ she said hurriedly. And I snapped my eyes to hers.

A breath stuck between my throat and fucking oblivion.

She thought I was leaving her again. That I surrendered to the moment and was going to take it all back.

The fear in her voice split me open in ways nothing ever could.

Silly little angel…

As if I could.

‘Leave?’ I rumbled, swaying my hips into her to make a point. She moaned, her eyes rolling back as she bit down on her lip. ‘I’m not fucking leaving you alone for a single goddamn second, Paula.’

Her eyes fluttered open. Wide. Wanting.

She looked down, her tongue licking over her bottom lip as she gazed at where we were joined.

‘I want you in my mouth,’ she murmured.

I wasn’t sure if it was a growl or a groan of exasperation that fell from my mouth.

My hand caught her jaw, angling it up so that she was facing me.

‘You wait until I give you things like that,’ I snarled, brushing my thumb along her cheek.

Her breath faltered.

Christ, she was beautiful when she was trying to behave. All those moments with her behind the mask came crashing down on me, and I was about to lose my goddamn mind.

It took every ounce of self-control to pull out of her – she whimpered from the loss.

I let the moment stretch as she clutched me between her thighs as if holding for dear life.

‘You want to taste me?’ I asked.

She inclined her head, slowly, her eyes fixed on my lips. Her fingers traced mine, and I mirrored the act. As if I couldn’t get enough of that sensation where her skin rubbed against me. As though she weren’t real and this had all been a figment of my imagination.

‘Then you need to learn patience.’

Her lips twitched, almost a pout.

I couldn’t help a grin from breaking out on my face.

Fuck, I wanted to let her do whatever that dark mind of hers had in store for me. I wanted to forget how close I was to losing control and just… let go.

She leaned in, pressing her forehead to mine again. I watched her lashes fan over her cheekbones as her eyes closed.

‘When I give it…’ I whispered, suddenly unable to form a coherent sentence. But I knew she would understand. ‘Not when you ask for it. Understand?’

‘Yes… Cain,’ she whispered. My name sat so comfortably on her tongue. As though testing it against this moment.

Something primal came over me again. I kissed her once. I tasted her, let her tongue circle mine and suck the last of my sense from it. She took from me. I took from her. Lips, tongue – branding the skin around my jaw as though she needed to taste all of me.

Greedy little angel. My little angel.