Page 81 of Her Darkest Possession

Heat rises between us, familiar yet different. It's charged with something deeper than just desire. My skin prickles with awareness, and a flush starts creeping up my neck to my cheeks.

I've known this truth for weeks now, even if I couldn't admit it to myself. Even when I stopped him from saying those words before we were almost parted forever.

Back then, I was afraid of what hearing those words might mean. I was afraid of giving him that final piece of myself.

But I'm not afraid anymore.

Slowly, with trembling hands, I cup his face and feel the sharp lines of his jaw against my palm, the roughness of stubble beneath my fingers, and his warm breath tickling my skin.

His eyes never leave mine as I lean closer until our breaths mingle.

"I love you too, Anatoly," I whisper against his lips.

Anatoly tips forward and captures my lips in a soft and reverent kiss. I kiss him back slowly yet fiercely, savoring the moment. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and my tongue meets it slowly and sensuously, dancing with his in a familiar rhythm that still feels new each time.

My hips begin to slowly move on their own, grinding against him. I feel him harden beneath me, and a soft moan escapes from the back of my throat. He tastes like the wine we were drinking, rich and intoxicating.

His hands slide from my hips to cup my ass, encouraging the slow roll of my body against his. The friction sends sparks of pleasure shooting up my spine, and I break the kiss to catch my breath.

"I love you," I whisper again, because now that I've said it once, I want to say it over and over. I want to say it until the words are etched into his skin, into his heart.

His pupils dilate, those blue eyes darkening with desire as he looks at me like I'm everything he's ever wanted. One of his hands slides up my back, cupping the nape of my neck beneath my hair.

"Say it again," he commands softly.

I roll my hips again, deliberate and teasing now. "I love you, Tolya."

He groans at the nickname, the sound rumbling through his chest and into mine where we're pressed together. His fingers tighten in my hair, not painfully, but with enough pressure to make me gasp.

"Again," he whispers against my lips.

"I love you," I breathe, my voice breaking slightly as his other hand slips beneath my shirt until it finds bare skin.

23

INDIGO

I gaspas Anatoly slowly begins to roll my waistband down until my ass is exposed to the cool air of the dining room. A shiver runs through me—from the temperature or anticipation, I'm not sure. Maybe both.

I moan softly and continue to grind my hips against his, feeling him hard beneath me. The friction sends delicious waves of pleasure through my body, but something inside me shifts. I want more. I want something different.

"Stop," I whisper against his lips, my breath coming in short pants.

Anatoly freezes and pulls back slightly, his eyes searching mine with confusion and concern.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his voice husky with desire but edged with worry.

I smile at him reassuringly and shake my head. "Nothing's wrong," I murmur. "There's just something I want to do first."

His eyes darken with understanding as I reach down and pull my sweater over my head in one fluid motion, and toss it aside. His gaze travels hungrily over my exposed skin, and I feel beautiful under his attention.

Slowly, I shift off his lap, sliding down between his legs until I'm kneeling on the floor before him. I push his knees apart gently, making space for myself between them. My fingers trail up his thighs, feeling the powerful muscles beneath the fabric of his pants.

Looking up at Anatoly from between his thighs, I feel a surge of confidence and desire. His eyes are molten blue, fixed on me with such intensity I can almost feel his gaze like a physical touch.

"Do you want to make me happy, Tolya?" I ask.

"Of course I do."