Page 34 of Touch Me Not (Manwhore #1)

His hands slid higher, slipping under the hemline of her skirt and pushing it farther up, his fingers continuing to massage the flesh he exposed.

Holy hell. It was all she could do to stop a moan from slipping past her lips.

She wanted to squeeze her thighs together to relieve the pressure that was starting to build.

“Easy, baby,” he murmured. “I got you. It’s okay. You’re safe with me.”

Lily did moan when his wandering fingers traveled up, her dress inching up her hips.

Her hands fell away as he caressed her hips, moved around to cup her ass, and squeezed gently.

She felt every caress travel from his fingers in a little path of lightning all the way to her core.

She tried to squeeze her legs together then, but she couldn’t since she was straddled across his thighs.

He let out another low chuckle that sent a shiver through her.

His hand drifted up her back to where the zipper rested. She felt him tug on it, heard it as he slowly pulled it down, felt the cool air against her back as it was exposed. He laid his hand flat against her back and looked up, his eyes meeting hers.

“We need to set a safe word for you, Lily, something you’ll be able to remember no matter what happens here. Think, baby, what word will you remember?”

The first word that came to mind was Laney, but that didn’t seem appropriate. They had both loved one thing, and it was something she was sure she could remember.

“Butterfly.”

Nikolas regarded her curiously. “That is the first girly thing I’ve ever really heard you mention.”

“I am a girl.” The sarcasm wasn’t lost on him. She shifted, and he hissed. Her eyes widened when she felt him through the sheer lace of her panties. Flutters started in her stomach, but that sense of everything closing in on her came back. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly in and out.

“Are you good?” he asked.

“I…I don’t know,” she answered honestly.

“If it gets to be too much, Milaya , just say your safe word and I’ll stop. Promise.”

She nodded. Nikoli had never lied to her. He would stop if she asked him to. The real question was, would she ask him to?

“Good girl.” He smiled and moved his other hand to the small of her back.

Then he moved both hands up and around her shoulders.

Lily’s fear was fast receding, replaced by a completely new fear.

The fear she wouldn’t say stop. His fingers felt like a trail of fire as they danced their way up her neck, to bury themselves in her hair.

He pulled her toward him, his lips settling over hers.

Nikoli wasn’t gentle with his kiss. It was hard and demanding.

Lily shuddered, her arms coming up to cradle his neck, her fingers tugging at his hair.

She felt his groan go through her, causing another full body shudder.

His lips moved from hers, his kisses going across her cheek, then her jawbone, along her throat.

He stopped to nibble at the pulse point, and she moaned softly, her fingernails digging into his hair.

He continued his lip torture while his hands came to rest on her shoulders, pulling the lacy concoction that couldn’t really even be called a dress aside, letting it slide down her arms, over her breasts, to settle around her waist.

Nikoli pulled back and looked at her through heavily lidded eyes.

“Beautiful.” He’d been thinking of this all night, and now that it was here, he wasn’t going to rush it.

She sat on his lap in her black lacy underwear, her dress bunched around her waist, and her arms trapped within the sleeves.

Magnificent was the word he should have used. She was truly magnificent.

He let his fingers roam over every silky inch of flesh he’d revealed.

She shivered, a whimper escaping her, and his nostrils flared.

He’d never wanted anything more in his life than to flip her over and thrust into all that wet heat.

He pushed those thoughts aside. He’d be inside her soon enough.

Right now was about getting her used to the feel of his skin against hers.

Slowly unbuttoning his shirt, Nikoli watched her, looking for any signs she couldn’t do this.

She was nervous, but her eyes were locked on his chest as he revealed his bare skin with each button he undid.

He pulled the shirt off and tossed it aside.

He gave her a moment before he leaned back and tugged her forward until she landed against his chest, her breasts pressed tight against him.

He could feel her pebbled nipples and closed his eyes.

God, this felt so good. Too good. His arms wrapped around her, and she relaxed, her head tucked under his chin.

Lily’s warm breath ghosted over his naked flesh, and he suppressed the groan that was building.

She fit him perfectly. Her little purr of contentment made him smile. She trusted him. It was a truth Nikoli was proud of. She knew he would never hurt her. He wanted to see just how far that trust went.

“Lily?”

“Hmm?”

“Time to go to bed.”

He felt her entire body tense up, and he laughed. “Shush, now, Milaya . I don’t mean what you think I mean. I just want to touch you. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

“I promise.”

“Okay.”

A smile spread across his face, and a feeling of sheer happiness overwhelmed him. He sat back up, helping Lily to swing around. He stood, Lily in his arms, and walked the short distance to his bedroom.

The brand-new king-sized bed dominated the room. Her gaze shot to the bed, and he hugged her tighter to him, reassuring her. “It’s okay, Milaya , you’re safe with me. You know that.”

He left the door open so her panic level would stay down. Kicking off his shoes, he set her on her feet by the bed.

The dress fell and pooled around her feet. “Stay still.”

He went to his closet and found the scarves he was looking for. They were thick, soft, and very sturdy. He took them back out and leaned in close to her ear. “I’m going to blindfold you, Milaya . You enjoy that, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she whispered, a shudder going through her.

He smiled and covered her eyes, tying the scarf tightly so it wouldn’t slip. Now that she couldn’t see the open lust on his face, she was calmer. “On the bed, Milaya .”

Gently, he pushed her until her knees hit the mattress. She fell back and lay there, her breathing a little erratic. Nikoli picked her legs up and said, “Go on, lay back on the bed, baby.” She scooted and twisted, pulling her legs free from his hands.

The rigid way she held her body made him laugh softly, and her mouth turned down in a frown. “It’s not nice to laugh when I’m scared.”

“There’s no reason to be afraid, Lily. I’m only going to touch you. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“That’s all?” she questioned, nervous.

“That’s all. Now give me your hands.”

“Why?” she asked suspiciously.

“Do you trust me, Lily Bells?”

“Yes.”

“Then give me your hands.”

Lily lay frozen, her mind whirling with a hundred different thoughts.

He was going to tie her hands up. She knew it.

She didn’t want him to, but she did. Why did he want to tie her hands?

So she couldn’t run from him, her mind whispered to her.

She thought about getting up and running now, but her skin felt like it was on fire, and all she wanted was to feel his hands on her.

Since he’d told her he was going to touch her, her mind seemed to fixate on the image, her skin already craving his touch.

Could she do this? Could she let him tie her up, give up all her control?

He asked her if she trusted him. The truth was she trusted him as much as she did Adam, maybe more.

Nikoli had never hurt her; he’d never pushed her too far.

He’d been gentle and kind. And she loved him. She could do this. She could. Maybe.

She lifted her hands, and he crooned something nonsensical to her.

She felt a soft material wrap around her wrists until they were bound.

Nikoli tugged on the knots to make sure they were secure then lifted her hands and fastened them to the headboard.

He tugged once more, and she pulled at the bonds as well.

They were tight. She wasn’t getting out of them anytime soon.

Nikoli moved away from the bed, and Lily lay there, her anxiety growing with every second.

What was wrong with her? Why had she let him do this?

She couldn’t handle this, and she started to twist her hands, tugging hard, needing to be free.

The panic rose fast and fierce, and she started yanking harder.

She needed out, she needed free. She couldn’t do this.

“Shhh, Milaya .” Nikoli’s hand covered both of hers.

“You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you.

You know this. Just breathe, dushka . Breathe and relax.

” His fingers started rubbing slow circles over her hands, and oddly, her body did start to calm down.

Not her mind, but her body began to unwind, to melt into his touch like it always did.

“Relax, baby,” he whispered, and she felt the bed give where he sat down, his hand giving hers a gentle squeeze before moving away. “It’s okay, baby. We’re going to take this slow. Just relax.”

The sounds of Blue Foundation’s Eyes on Fire filled the room, and Lily focused on it and the thud of her own erratic heartbeat.

She took deep breaths and just listened to the sultry sounds of the hypnotic song.

His touch began to chase away her panic, and she sighed.

His fingers ghosted up the length of her arm and back down again, like a flame trailing sparks behind it.

He ran his fingers down her other arm then back up.

When he came down again, she felt him. His fingertips were against her skin, and she shivered where they touched her.