Page 80 of Rapunzel Is Losing It

“Stay,” he said in that tone of his that left no room for protest. I deflated against his chest. My body immediately molded into him again. “That’s my girl.”

My cheeks heated.My girl.I’d told him that he was mine in a text message just a few hours earlier, but that was different. Hearing him say it out loud sent a flutter through my nerves that had nothing to do with my night terrors.

“We can get some sleep right here,” he said and reached for the light switches. He only killed the big light though, leaving the room in the faint orange flow of the bedside lamp.

“If you hand me my Kindle, I’ll just read while you sleep.”

He gently tugged on my braid, forcing me to look up at him. I knew exactly why his brows were furrowed.

“There’s just no way I’ll fall back asleep. I’m sorry. It’s okay, though. You sleep,” I patted his hard pecs, “and I’ll stay right here.”

He leaned down to graze his lips over mine. “I can think of a few ways to tire you out.”

A shiver rippled along my spine, just as his hand grazed down my side to the elastic of my shorts. “I don’t think that’ll work,” I breathed.

“I’ve always hated your tiny pajamas.” His fingertip ran a lazy line along my waistband, burning hot against my skin. I sucked in a breath and glanced down at the cute rosy satin set I was wearing. They were covered in floral lace and little purple bows on the straps and waistband. Girly, but not remarkable enough tohate.

“Why?” I asked through a clogged throat. His fingertips dipped into my waistband - then stilled when they didn’t find another layer of fabric covering my hips.

“Because they’re so flimsy, I just want to rip them off. Fuck you until you lose your voice.” His hand slid lower and I pushed into him when he brushed down my pubic bone. “Your tiny shorts make it very hard to pretend that I don’t want your thighs clenching around me.”

“Oh.” My eyes squeezed shut and I pressed my face into the soft fabric of his shirt, because his words had sparked a small flame in my lower stomach.

His hand stopped just before touching me where I needed him to. “Look at me.”

I shook my head, skin prickling in anticipation of what my defiance would get me.

He gave my braid a sharp tug, forcing my eyes up to him. I sucked in a breath. Something had to be seriously wrong with me because that harsh tone and rough touch just fanned the heat in my core.

“Stop being a dick,” I hissed, eyes narrowed, and pushed against his fingers, “first I’m not allowed to open my eyes or make a sound when you go down on me, and now I’msupposedto look at you when you finger me? If you want to touch me, touch me already, asshole.”

“Care to repeat that?”

“Didn’t hear me the first time,Vic?”

“I heard you. I’m just making sure you know what you’re saying.”

“I said, you’re being a dick who demands too much considering you’ve never even made me come.”

Victor grabbed me by the waist and hoisted me around like I weighed nothing, draping me over his lap. His thighs pressed into my stomach, and I spluttered out air and nonsensicalsounds. Without so much as a warning, he slid his hand up the back of my shorts and dug his fingers into my ass cheek. I knew that he was strong, but being on the receiving end of his strength, without the care he usually took when touching me, was unfamiliar and it ignited a new kind of heat between my legs.

“Are you sure that’s what you meant to say?”

“What are you doing?” My voice came out muffled, his legs pressing into my lungs.

I wriggled backwards but before I could move more than an inch, his other hand clamped down around the back of my neck. He’d locked me down. I squirmed in his lap. I didn’t even want to get up. I just wanted his hand to move. To slide a few inches downwards. But shifting my hips did nothing to elevate the dense pressure between my legs.

“Lie still and answer when you’re asked a question, Cordelia.”

“I don’t know,” I breathed, already forgetting what he’d asked.

“Do you like acting like a fucking brat?”

“I… I just…”

His hand slipped between my legs, hard knuckles brushing against my most sensitive parts. Heat rushed through me. I squirmed against him, barely able to move.

“Victor,” I moaned his name, tilting against him.