I set her down on the black leather sofa under the window.
A goddess sitting in the silvered, fluttery rays of moonlight that filtered in through the thin drapes.
Her chest jacking with each strained breath and eyes doing avid, feral things.
A thrill bolted from her being in shocks of electricity that blasted through the room.
Dressed in black, that flimsy, silken skirt hiked up high around her thighs.
Long, toned legs draped out in front of her, bent at the knees with those heels planted on my floor.
Knees just spread.
Trembles rocked through her with the furor of an earthquake.
This goddess? I was pretty sure she would prove lethal. Touching her condemnation and blame. But there I was, sinking to my knees in front of her.
Nothing but a beggar at her feet.
But it was Brinley who was going to be doing the begging tonight.
My palms landed on her knees.
Flames flashed.
In a surge of desire, she arched from the couch. Body bowing in a petition.
“Silas…”
My name wisped out into the night and curled around me like a lucid dream.
There was something deeper and more profound in that single word coming from her mouth than any other that had ever touched my ears before it.
Like it might mean something.
Like I might mean something to her.
Guilt tried to rise to the surface. To force me back into the order where I knew I should stay.
But there was something about Brinley Webber that had me pinned.
I couldn’t help but think maybe I might have a little more to offer. Giving herthis.
Dominance and control capped off in a blitz of pleasure.
“You want this, Brinley?” My voice was low and raw. Cutting through the charged air in the slice of a warning. “You want me to wipe away that flash of terror you were feeling today? Replace it with everything that I am?”
Her gaze darkened, toiled with old wounds and debilitating horrors and sheer, absolute want.
She knew I wasn’t referring to the fuckwit who tried to drag her off but rather whatever’d had her recoiling at my touch.
Referring to the ancient fear that would glint at the farthest recesses of her fierce, ferocious gaze.
Something she guarded like family jewels that had been tarnished.
And somehow, I was able to see it.
Maybe it was sick that I wanted to be the one to hold it.
