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My heel tapped the floor as I took another deliberate step forward. His breath hitched, and his pupils swelled. I let a teasing smile curve my lips.
“I want to claim you, Leon.”
Lightly, I slipped the slender chain of my bracelet past my wrist, watching it fall onto the table with a soft thud.
He froze as if the air had turned molten. He was rooted in place until I took one more step.
His foot scraped across the polished wooden floor, the sound a faint whisper in the charged air.
I reached back, my fingers finding the zipper nestled at the small of my back, and I tugged it downward, the cool metal gliding over my skin. Inch by inch, the dress surrendered to gravity, sliding over my curves and revealing skin that tingled with anticipation.
His breaths grew ragged, every inhale and exhale unsteady.
I stood there in nothing but my bra, panties, and stockings, the intimate apparel clinging to me like a second skin.
I advanced, leaving behind the discarded fabric, and approached him with purposeful intent, each step a wordless statement.
He backed away, shaking his head. “Cali.”
My name came out rough and full of desire, making goosebumps pebble my skin.
“Are you afraid of me?” I questioned him, unable to hide my amusement.
It was almost laughable, the idea of this man, a reputedly fearless and unshakable being, intimidated by me.
“No,” he asserted, firm yet tinged with something unspoken.
My smile widened, satisfaction curling at the edges of my lips as his answer emboldened me further. “Good.”
The intensity of his gaze swept over me, a palpable heat that seemed to sear my skin with its fervor.
“Please be careful. I’m so afraid you’re moving too quickly,” he cautioned.
But he was only spurring me on, igniting a defiant fire within me as I closed the distance between us, driving him backward until he was trapped against a large armchair in the corner.
“Do I look like I’m afraid?” I placed a firm hand on his chest.
I pushed, sending him tumbling back into the chair, exactly where I wanted him to be.
He watched me, his gaze wide with a mixture of surprise and something deeper, as I allowed my gaze to drift downward.
My breath hitched at the sight of his erection, straining against the confines of his slacks, the fabric outlining it with tantalizing clarity and offering a delicious preview of what lay ahead.
Fueled by the audacious courage that proximity to him inspired, I dared to take the game further.
I climbed onto the chair and straddled his lap, allowing my hair to cascade around his face like a curtain.
I brought my mouth a hairsbreadth from his, brushing lightly against it, teasing, as my tongue flicked out briefly to taste the warmth of his lips.
He gasped, a ragged inhale rasping between his parted lips, yet his broad hands stayed firmly anchored to the leather armrests, knuckles whitening against the smooth surface, a restraint that was both maddening and electrifying.
I craved the brush of his fingertips against my skin, firm and demanding. I longed for his mouth on mine, a devouring claim to every inch of me.
His momentary hesitation was excruciating. I knew he treaded softly, careful not to overwhelm me, that he wanted to be gentle, but I wanted more than his caution…
God, I needed so much more.
It was one thing to be kind, but it was another thing to try to keep fear at bay when it didn’t exist in the first place.