Page 10 of Always Alchemy

I slide my fingers out and stroke her wetness down her calf.

‘What are you doing?’ Her face is outraged.

‘Just reminding you who has all the power here,’ I say smoothly.

She looks down her body at where my hand just was, where it should be. Her eyes narrow. ‘That’s a dangerous game to play, Wright.’

‘Not tonight. Not while I’ve got you like this.’

‘Orgasm denial can work both ways. And don’t forget, I can hold a grudge.’

That makes me laugh, because no one who’s aware of the extreme contempt in which Nat held me—or the idea of me—for two decades would argue with that.

‘I’ll take my chances,’ I say more blithely than I feel.

‘You’re a power-hungry dickhead, you know that?’

‘Mmm-hmm.’ I run my knuckles up her thigh, towards nirvana. Her intake of breath is exceedingly gratifying. ‘Got anything nicer to say?’

I’d like her to beg.

I’m expecting her to beg.

But, as usual, she surprises me.

‘I love you more than I could ever have imagined loving anybody,’ she says now. Her face is open and sweet, and I am a man falling into a yawning chasm of emotion and gratitude and disbelief. ‘You have every ounce of power you want over me. You know that. Nobody could ever, ever make me feel the way you make me feel. So please, darling, show me what you’re capable of. Give it to me.’

Jesus fuck.

She’s got me.

She may be the one strung up between two metal poles, but I’m the one who’s flayed wide open here.

I bend to kiss her knee before pushing the bar back further so her legs are doubled up again and wide open. ‘For that, my angel, you get everything.’

When I slide three fingers back inside her at this angle, she winces at the fullness, but she doesn’t break eye contact. We gaze at each other as I play her body like the mesmerising instrument it is.

‘I love you.’ I circle her clit, taking her in. ‘I love you so fucking much, and getting to do this is—’ I halt, clear my throat. ‘It’s every fucking fantasy I’ve ever, ever had.’

I keep talking. Keep telling her the things I need her to hear. I don’t know if it’s my words or my touch or this intense eye-fucking we’re doing that has her spiralling higher, but within moments her moans are coming more quickly and her body is arching off the bed as best it can in this position. I stroke and I jab and I watch in wonder as the woman I love falls apart at my hands.

Once she’s come down, I back away on my knees so I can lower her legs to the bed. ‘How do they feel?’ I ask her, leaning forward and stroking a hand up her stomach.

‘They’re good,’ she murmurs dazedly. I don’t want to leave her like this too long; I don’t necessarily trust herendorphin-riddled brain to accurately intercept her body’s messages right now.

‘I’ll untie you in a minute or two,’ I say, crawling over her. But I need a few moments more like this with her sated and pliant, a perfect, pale X against the black sheets. I stoop and suck gently on one perfect nipple, then the other, before trailing kisses up her neck so I can put my mouth on hers.

We kiss like this, tongues weaving and dancing, my dick jerking against her stomach as I stroke her hair, still in its ponytail.

‘I want you to come on me,’ she says as I draw away.

I grin. ‘I’m getting déjà vu.’

‘You can comeeverywherethis time,’ she murmurs, eyes flickering over my face, her grin growing more mischievous.

‘Yes I can,’ I agree, ‘and there’s nothing at all you can do about it, sweetheart.’ I sit back on my knees and stare down at her, taking my painfully hard cock in my hand. ‘You telling me to come on you that night was the best surprise I’ve ever had in my life.’

She rolls her eyes. I think she’s a little embarrassed. ‘Well, learning that I had precisely zero ability to withstand you was probably theworstsurprise I’ve ever had—but you made it worth my while. And there was no fucking way I was going to be the only one who let themselves go.’

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