Page 95 of No Darker Temptation

He lifts my hand and kisses the inside of my palm. “Not at all. So long as one day you let me have the real thing.”

“Mm…maybe.” I kiss behind his ear across his jaw. “Depends on how big the ring is.”

He sighs but doesn’t move to touch me. “Dahlia…”

“Why are you wearing a shirt?” I drag my hand down the length of his back before wrapping an arm around his waist. “You’re overdressed.”

Lifting to my knees, I leave a trail of kisses along his jaw and tighten my hold around his shoulders. He doesn’t move, doesn’t speak, but his breaths are coming in short, labored pants and I know he wants this as badly as I do. My mouth lingers over his as my freehand dips beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs. He hisses as I wrap my fingers around the base of him and stroke. At the last minute I pull my mouth away from his and graze my teeth along the shell of his ear.

“Where do you want me tonight?”

I watch as he swallows, struggling to keep his composure. “Dahlia.”

He says my name again. I wonder if that’s his favorite word.

Fingers grazing along his shaft, the touch is as delicate as it is commanding. He may know every inch of me but I know him just as well and there’s nothing more satisfying or gratifying than watching him come undone at my touch. He’s hard in seconds and I could just as easily get him off like this but it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable. I want him on his back with the lights on so I can watch every expression of pleasure and madness flicker across his face.

I pick up the pace, gliding up and down his erection with skilled fingers, stopping at the tip to feel the wetness there. “Tell me quickly or I’ll make you finish like this.”

I bring my free hand up his torso, across his chest⁠—

He jumps and pushes me away, an agonized sound leaving him. The movement startles me and I fly back against the pillows, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Alex—”

“Sorry, I…I’m not in the mood.”

“Bullshit,” I snap at him. “That sounded like it hurt.”

“It’s nothing. I’m fine⁠—”

I grab his wrist as he reaches for the blanket, likely to dip under the covers and hide, but I won’t let him. Before he can overpower me I flip the lamp on and straddle his lap, holding him down. When I was touching his chest he pulled away…

“Dahlia, don’t⁠—”

I grab the hem of his shirt and push it upward.

A nasty, mottled bruise in deep shades of red and purple cover the left side of his chest in a disfigured circular shape. A gasp leaves me at the sight of it.

“What the fuck were you doing today?”

He gnaws on the inside of his cheek before responding quietly, “If I promise to never do it again would you let me get away with it?”

I narrow my eyes at him.

“How about we get into that position you like where I put your legs⁠—”

“Alejandro!”

He pulls his shirt down and sits up. Contemplates. “I had a vest on.”

“You had a vest on?”

“Yes.”

“And if you hadn’t had a vest on?”

“Judging by the look on your face right now, I think it’s safe to say I’d probably be better off.”