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“Did you have this ready?” Esther asked.

Ashley walked to her. No, not walked. Sashayed? Maybe prowled. Yes, prowled was right. Her creature of the night comment was suddenly wildly appropriate. Ashley was beyond human. The glitter lava lamp on the nightstand cast pink undertones across Ashley’s cheek and neck, her toned arms. And on the other side of her, the moonlight peeking through the open window played off the sequins of her dress, shimmering and highlighting her curves and the muscles of her thighs.

She was a sparkling, pink creature of the night.

Esther’s knees threatened to fail her as this goddess drew near.

Ashley lifted a hand, brushing a lock of hair behind Esther’s ear and running a nail along Esther’s jawline until it tucked under her chin, lifting it to Ashley’s face. “If you tell me ‘stop,’ I will stop. Immediately. Is that understood?”

Esther swallowed. “Y-yes.”

The corner of Ashley’s mouth curved wickedly. “I don’t have any of my toys with me. Obviously, I don’t keep those at myparents’ house. But since this is your first time in a sense, we can keep things simple.”

Toys? Esther was sweating. She was both frightened and horny.

And also thinking about what might happen when they got back to New York. What kind of toys? Maybe she should have done more research before initiating.

Ashley’s fingers traced lightly down Esther’s shoulders, the cool touch bringing Esther’s racing mind back to the moment as they reached her waist. She couldn’t help a gasp when Ashley’s fingers touched skin.

“This dress.” Ashley’s words were a purr as she gripped Esther’s hips and turned her to face the bed. “It’s been driving me crazy all night. Long sleeves and a short skirt. You are full of contradictions, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

Esther wasn’t sure how to respond. She wasn’t sure shecouldrespond. Her heart beat a million miles a minute, and she forgot how to breathe as Ashley’s icy fingers continued to wander across her stomach and hips. Craving Ashley’s touch and scared that if she moved…if she moved, maybe she would wake up and this would all be a dream.

So, she held perfectly still and waited.

“Choices. Choices.” Ashley was still inspecting Esther’s curves with her hands, feeding Esther’s growing desire for contact and fanning a flame for more. “I love these heels on you. Are you attached to these tights?”

The two thoughts didn’t connect. Esther shook her head. She wasn’t attached to anything except Ashley. Ashley and her hands that were all over.

She pushed Esther’s hair to one side, wrapped it around her fist, and gently dragged Esther’s head and then shoulders backward until Ashley’s other arm around her waist was the only thing keeping Esther upright.

“I’m going to need verbal confirmation.” The tone left no room for questions.

Oh, sweet Jesus. Ashley was bossy in bed. And they weren’t even in bed yet. Esther’s thighs heated. She was wet, and they were both still fully dressed. “N-no. I’m not attached.”

“Is this all right so far? What I’ve been doing to you.” For a moment, Ashley’s eyes softened. “You remember what to say if it’s too much?”

“Yes,” Esther answered faster this time, glad she finally stopped her stuttering. “This is good—so good. And I remember.”

Ashley smiled, baring her teeth, before kissing gently down Esther’s exposed neck. She released Esther’s hair and turned her to the bed again. “Good girl.”

She put her hand on Esther’s upper back and gently guided her forward until her middle rested over the cool metal bed frame and her hands, then her elbows, sank into the deep fluffiness of Ashley’s bed. She felt the back of her dress rising to indecent levels—her heels doing no favors to hide anything. The idea alone of Ashley seeing her like this made her cheeks heat and her thighs clench.

“I think I’d like to eat you like this first,” Ashley said.

“Wait, you’ll what?” Esther squirmed, trying to look over her shoulder and fighting the bed for balance.

“Not literally.” Ashley laughed.

“I mean…I wasn’t complaining necessarily.”

“I’m not doing that again.” Ashley’s voice was firm now. “I want you to trust me. And I still don’t trust myself.” Her cool hands trailed from Esther’s waist down to her ankles, her sequined dress making a shushing sound as she moved, and Esther lost sight of her behind the bed. “I won’t do anything to hurt you. Understood?”

“Understood.” The word came out in a soft gasp as Ashley’s hands continued their way up her thighs, lifting the hem of her dress over her ass.

Esther squirmed. Her tights were efficient, not sexy. She wouldn’t have worn any, but it was so cold she couldn’t go bare-legged. She was chilly and self-conscious and completely out of control as the downy nothing of the bed consumed her arms. She was forced to rely on the metal bar under her hips and Ashley’s hands on her thighs for support, and the adrenaline of giving up so much control shot straight to her nethers.

Ashley slid Esther’s tights down to below her ass. There was a sound, more like a pop than a ripping. Arms braced like Bambi on ice, Esther looked down her chest between her legs to where the middle of her tights was split in two, essentially making them tattered thigh-high stockings.