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My heart smoked as I stepped into her and nuzzled my nose against her ear. “I was waiting until you were strong enough from that stupid sea slug, but...do you want to play tonight?”
She shuddered and sucked in a breath. “Is that a trick question?”
Pulling away, I captured her stare with mine.
Seriousness filled me.
Deadly seriousness to know that if we did this, if I fully let myself go, she was strong enough to bring me back if I went too far.
“Do you trust me, Neri?”
She frowned a little. “You know I do.”
I shook my head, my voice barely louder than a whisper. “Do you truly, truly trust me? With your heart, body, and soul?”
She placed her hand on my chest, her fingers burning me through my shirt. “You own my heart, body, and soul, Aslan.” She flashed me her new tattoo. “I trust you with everything that I am.”
Wrapping my hand around hers, I squeezed her hard. “Do you remember the safe word?”
Her eyes widened as if I’d stunned her into silence.
The electricity crackled between us.
Our blood sizzled with connection.
And I very nearly came in my jeans as she breathed, “Seahorse.”
I swayed on the spot.
Images of what I would do to her exploded.
Visions of her on her knees, her hands bound, her mouth open—
Urgency choked me.
I grabbed her wrist, careful not to hurt her new ink. “Let’s go home, canim. I suddenly have the urge for a different kind of dessert.”
Chapter Twenty
*
Aslan
*
(Heart in Afrikaans: Hart)
“FUCKING HELL, WHERE IS THAT DAMN UBER?” I pressed Neri against the side of the building, dragging my nose down her throat and inhaling her wickedly intoxicating scent.
I kissed her hard.
Long.
Deep.
Pulling away, I struggled to see straight with how much I wanted her.
“I’m guessing the driver is deliberately tormenting us.” She ran her hands through my hair, tugging just enough to make me wild.
Fifteen minutes we’d been waiting. The waiter had locked the restaurant doors the moment we left, and the streets were empty. For a Saturday night, the small restaurant quarter where I’d brought Neri had gone to sleep and kicked out all its patrons.
Her deviant hand dropped from my hair and slipped between my legs, rubbing my hard-on.
I growled. Loudly.
Tearing her touch away, I pushed back and sucked in a ragged breath. Pacing, I raked both hands through my hair. “I’m not going to get arrested for public indecency. I’m not touching you again until we’re safely in our apartment.”
She bit her bottom lip with a smirk. “Always such a spoilsport.”
I chuckled even as my heart kicked with torture. “Behave, canim. For once in your life.” Spinning in place, I stalked back the way I came, pacing, pacing, using motion to keep me sane. “Check your phone again. How far away is it?”
Pulling her phone from her small, beaded clutch, she scowled. “I have no idea what’s going on with this driver. It said he was only five minutes away, but now it’s back to nine.”
“Bloody hell.” I looked at the stars. “We could walk home faster.”
“It’s a lovely night.” Neri smiled. “I’d be fine with a walk. Perhaps we can find a shadowy spot and—”
“Stop.” I held up my hand. “Not another word out of you.”
She laughed. “A bit on edge, Aslan?”
“Your fault. Entirely your fault.” I glowered at her tattoo, then my matching one. “Getting inked has made me unbelievably horny.”
“I know the feeling,” she whispered, her fingers stroking the lion on her arm.
My cock lurched.
Fucking hell.
I resumed my pacing, breathing hard.
I reached the end of the curb and spun to pace again. A group of guys appeared around the corner. Four of them, slightly inebriated by the sounds of the overly loud guffaws, and old enough to know better. Two were slightly overweight with a local AFL shirt covering their middle-age spread, while two were younger and obviously went to the gym. Their tight t-shirts revealed thick arms and egos to match.
My instincts prickled; I marched back to Neri.
She fell quiet as the four guys came toward us. She squeezed my hand as I took hers, stepping closer to her until her dress licked around my legs. Her phone screen glowed in the night as she checked where the damn Uber driver was.
According to the red dot, the car was now even farther away.
Fucking stupid app.
The four guys snickered as they came closer. The younger two did a double take as they looked at Neri. My hackles rose as they elbowed each other and leered in a way that made my knuckles beg to pound into their face.
One of the older ones wolf-whistled.
My teeth ground together.
All four of them looked similar with dirty, sandy blond hair, slightly crooked noses, and the typical righteous air of drunken men. “Hey pretty sheila, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
“You’re a fucking tosser, mate.” One of the fatter guys chuckled. “Sore eyes. What sort of expression is that? She’s a beauty. That’s what she is.”
