"Whoa." The stranger helped me regain my balance and I rubbed my temple, which seriously hurt. "Are you alright?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but it was Damian's icy voice that responded to him first.
"She's fine."
My head jerked up as long strong fingers curled around my wrist, and I only caught a glance of the other guy's bemused expression...just before Damian started dragging me towards the elevators.
"Where are we going?" I asked breathlessly as we stepped inside the first elevator that opened its doors.
Instead of answering, he asked sharply, "Are you alright?"
I beamed up at him. "Did I make you worry?"
"Just answer the question," he snarled.
"You are worried!"
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
"And jeal—-oww!" I ended up yelping in pain when he suddenly pinched my cheeks. "That hurt!"
"Good."
"Good?" I was once again staring up at him, wide-eyed. "I'm hurt, and it's good?" I shook my head in wonderment. "Does that mean you're a sadist? Or does that make you a Dom?"
"What the hell?"
"I'm cool with either," I told him helpfully. "Whether you need me to be an M or a sub—-"
His hand covered my mouth, and as I blinked at him, he hissed, "Will you shut up? You're going to get me arrested if you keep talking like that."
"But there's no one around," I protested as soon as his hand left my mouth.
"You shouldn't get used to talking like that either way," he muttered.
"But I'm right, aren't I?"
He rolled his eyes.
"You like me."
"No, I—-"
Impatient at his stubborn refusal to acknowledge the burning truth between us, I decided to just do it ala Michael Jordan and take The Shot.
So I stood on my toes and kissed him.
Two
At first he was stiff and unresponsive, his lips cold, hard, and unmoving under my mouth.
After that, he was furious, the force of his emotions burning through the fierce manner in which he gripped my shoulders as he tried to push me away with a hiss. "Stop it."
But of course I didn't stop. I couldn't, not with that feeling making me breathless and weak in the knees, not with serendipity whispering in my ear and making my heart race like it never had before.
I'm sorry, Damian. I'll happily be a masochistic Sub for you, but not now. Not over this. Not when I think God gave you to me.
So instead of stopping, I tried harder, and this time I dared to lick his lower lip with my tongue. He probably wouldn't believe me at this point, but the truth was, I had never kissed a guy in my entire life. I liked my novels racy, though, and all those pages read totally paid off when I felt Damian's lean, hard body jerk against mine.
"Fuck."
My handsome Dom do so loved to curse, but I didn't mind at all. I found it absolutely sexy, and a hundred times sexier was the way he suddenly had me backed against the wall, which felt like a scene straight out of my favorite steamy romance.
"Damn you."
The words made me want to giggle even as my toes curled hard at the rough rasp of his voice. All this cussing was a turn on, but if I told him that, Damian would probably turn himself into a monk just to be perverse.
"Remember," he grated out. "You wanted this."
I do. I will.
But there was no time to answer, with Damian already fisting my hair as he bent his head down and sucked on my tongue hard.
Oooooooooooooh.
It was like being struck by a lightning bolt of pleasure, and the hands that I kept clenched behind my back moved on their own, first to clutch at his shirt, but when he angled my head to deepen the kiss, it suddenly didn't feel enough, and my hands moved up to press against his chest. Which was pure muscle, and so darn sexy it had me whimpering against his lips.
When I heard the elevator chime out as its doors slid open, I half-expected, half-dreaded the kiss ending, and it did...but only for Damian to sweep me up in his arms. So it wasn't over then? I pulled back a little, cautiously hopeful, and as soon as our gazes met, he said grimly, "It's too late for you to back out."
Oh!
I quickly hid my face against his neck so he wouldn't catch me smiling. Silly, handsome Damian. The thought of backing out hadn't even crossed my mind, and there was only excitement and a rather sensual thrill of fear when I felt him take his card key out to unlock his door.
His room was a suite, and since Josiah had booked the same type of room for my mom and me, I had a fair idea of how much it cost. Did that mean he was well off then? It would be nice if it were so, but honestly, it didn't matter. As much as I loved to tease Naomi by pretending to be an airhead, she had raised me too well to be one, and I totally didn't need a guy to make a living for me or—-oh my God!
My mental ramblings came to an abrupt halt when I felt Damian laying me down on his massive bed, and I found myself staring up at his gorgeous face. The bedside lamp's incandescent lighting cast shadows along his jaw, emphasizing its contours. Our gazes locked when I raised my fingers to trace one edge, and after a moment he reached for my hand, and I caught my breath when he nibbled on the tip of my fingers.
After releasing my hand, he asked softly, "Nervous?"
"Just a little," I admitted.
"Shall I let you go then?"
I shook my head right away, not even having to think of this, and I saw his jaw clench at the speed of my response.
"So be it."
My entire body started tingling as I watched Damian lower his head, and my breasts swelled and ached under the tight bodice of my dress the moment I felt the heat of his breath caress my skin.
"Fuck."
And the weight of his powerful body was finally pressing down against me.
Oh God.
For one long moment, it was just his lips and tongue, and he was such a masterful kisser that it was more than enough. He kissed me long and hard, kissed me to the point that my thoughts disintegrated, kissed until I moaned against his lips and gasped for breath as soon as he lifted his head.
"Damian."
He growled at hearing his name on my lips.
"Fuck."
And then his hands were moving swiftly to undress me: first, my jacket, then my dress, and in seconds, I was down in my undies. For a fleeting second, I felt self-conscious and panicky - what if he didn't like how I looked? What if he thought my body too curvy? I started to cover myself, anxiety making me tremble, but the moment I raised my hands, Damian's voice whipped over me in a command.
"Don't."
My gaze raised to his, and I found myself sucking my breath at the hard glitter of desire in his icy blue eyes.
"Let me look at you."
My arms fell back to my sides as his desire-laced gaze roamed over me, and I felt every inch that his eyes touched tingling...melting...aching...until I was trembling for another reason. Damian wanted me, and unlike earlier, he wasn't even making the slightest attempt to hide it. I could feel it in the way his body had turned rigid and tense above me, could hear it as his breathing grew harsh, and he started to pant. He wanted me, and oh God, the knowledge drove me crazy, and before I knew it, I was writhing and unconsciously begging him with my eyes.