Page 16

Eleven

C ALISTA

The surge of brazenness that coursed through my veins as soon as I heard the door lock was electrifying, as shocking as an unexpected thunderclap that left me breathless and disoriented.

The Cali who had always second-guessed herself, always hesitated, seemed to have vanished into thin air. The woman who had grown restrained and shut off from the world was eerily silent.

The layers of armor I had built around myself, the icy facade I presented to the world, the mask that whispered for me to shrink into the shadows—all seemed to dissolve in that instant .

The attack had reduced me to a mere shadow of my former self, so much so that most days, I stared at my reflection in the mirror and struggled to recognize the woman looking back at me.

The memory of the Cali I once was faded more with each passing day. That Cali, who had brimmed with confidence and self-assuredness, who knew exactly what she wanted both in life and in her intimate moments, felt like a distant ghost from a dream long forgotten.

She was bold, fearless, and embraced her sexuality with open arms and unabashed audacity.

I longed for her return.

I missed her presence.

Yet, despite the daring flicker of boldness I had shown tonight, I remained uncertain if that version of Cali was still alive within me.

I desperately hoped that she was merely buried beneath layers of fear and caution, waiting to be coaxed back to life so she could embrace herself again in all her radiant glory.

Was I deluding myself?

As I stood there, my heart pounding, daring Leon to undress me with a silent challenge, was I truly ready for her to roar back to life?

I was pleading for the spark within me to ignite into a blazing fire, but was I prepared for the intensity of the flames that would follow?

There was only one way to find out, and I found myself standing on the precipice of that very opportunity, hoping fervently that Leon wouldn’t falter .

By the way he fixed his gaze on me, like a wild animal contemplating the release of a caged beast, he seemed to be weighing the situation with careful consideration.

“Calista, darling,” he said in a low rumble, “let’s pause, just briefly, and talk.”

I took a deep breath, determination coursing through me.

“First of all, is this a test?”

His question caught me off guard, sending a ripple of surprise through me.

“Yes,” I replied quickly. “But not for you.”

He cocked one brow, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

“Fair enough.” He stepped back, hands tucked into his pockets. “May I make a proposal before we go any further?”

I crossed my arms, taking a step backward, further into the room, and then shifting my weight from one foot to the other. My pulse thrummed in my ears.

“Sure,” I muttered, brushing a stray curl behind my ear.

The knot of impatience in my chest tightened even as his steady calm washed over me. It was a strange comfort I hadn’t realized I needed.

He lifted his gaze, slow and unwavering. “I want us both to vow honesty. Honesty in everything, but especially about how we feel.”

I waved a hand. “Of course.”

My heart pounded against my ribs.

He shook his head, exhaling a quiet sigh. “No. I mean, really honest. ”

“Oh.” The single syllable caught in my throat.

Heat bubbled up my neck. Talking about feelings was like standing naked in a windstorm.

I swallowed and forced a smile. “Okay, you go first.”

He retreated a few paces so there was ten feet of empty air between us.

My stomach clenched, and every instinct told me to close the gap.

“My worry,” he began, “is that you’re moving too fast. Are you using this—us—to exorcise old demons, Calista?”

My fingers fluttered at my sides.

“God, no,” I blurted, shaking my head, and then said with a hitch in my voice, “I promise that’s not why. I feel…safe with you, Leon. I haven’t been with anyone since…”

My throat tightened, and everything else I wanted to say dissolved in the wake of memories.

I inhaled, pushing through, and continued. “I used to feel fierce. Like my body was mine, like I was a goddess. I want that back. I want to feel pleasure like it’s mine to claim.”

He moved in my direction, closing the majority of the distance, and reached out, his thumb brushing my jaw.

“You are safe with me. Claim it all.”

Warmth bloomed in my belly. A slow grin spread across my face. I lifted my chin, pursing my lips as if in a challenge.

My fingers found the tiny latch of my gold hoop earrings. I set them on the wooden side table nearest to me. The soft clink echoed as they hit the polished surface.

I leaned in, the air between us crackling .

Then I slid a hand behind my head, releasing the pin that held my curls aloft. A cascade of dark blond ringlets tumbled over my shoulders, brushing my collarbone. I tilted my head, feeling each lock fall like warm silk.

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.

I bent toward him, pressing my breasts against his chest and kissing him with firm intent.

This time, I slipped my tongue between his velvet lips, seeking his taste, his heat. He met my advance, his tongue tangling with mine in a fevered dance as I moaned low against him.

His hand rose to my hip, the broad warmth of his palm scorching and sending a jolt of electricity rippling through my veins.

“Yes,” I breathed, leaning into his touch. I murmured in his ear, “Leon, I’m fine. I promise I won’t break.”

He withdrew and stared at me as if he were searching for some hidden truth, shining like a star within them.

“I never want to remind you of any pain you endured,” he whispered with unexpected emotion.

“Oh, Leon,” I said, shaking my head.

I desperately needed him to realize that I envisioned no pain now.

Not that kind of pain, at least.

With him, there would be no true suffering. With him, even with the kind of pain that might take place, I’d experience only pleasure.

I dipped forward again, capturing his lower lip between my teeth and nibbling. “When offered willingly, pain can be much different than what you’re thinking of, darling.”

His eyelashes fluttered in slow beats, then the shadows of desire that lurked inside him flared into brilliant flames, sparkling with a delicious tension of light and dark that made me shudder with raw craving.

His hand slid up to the nape of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair.

“Fuck, Calista, you’re killing me,” he growled, crushing his lips to mine with urgent, hungry force.

I moaned as he collapsed into desire, exhilarated that his protective shell had shattered.

I yearned to see the man I sensed just beneath Leon’s composed, careful exterior.