Page 14 of Stumped

My clit throbs at his words, but I arch an eyebrow and press my thighs together. “If I’m impressed with your begging, I’ll take off a layer.”

“Was that not impressive?”

“You’ve been staring at my breasts all night. I know you want me out of this dress.”

Another growl and one more step. “I want to taste you. Drag my mouth over every inch of your incredible body, suck on your nipples and dip my tongue into your pussy. I want to know whatit feels like when you shatter around me, clenching so hard I black out.Please, Vera, let me have that.”

My breath catches at his words. There’s something about a man who can talk dirty and look so earnest at the same time. Lust flashes through his eyes and I want to know what else I can elicit from him.

Biting down on my bottom lip, I slide my hands under the dress and hook my fingers into the waistband of my underwear. His head cocks to the side, gaze following the action and his mouth drops open when the red lace falls to the floor.

He scrubs a hand over his jaw. “Fuck, I cansmellyou. I bet you’re dripping down your thighs.”

I swallow back a moan and kick the underwear forward. “Beg, Elias.”

He drops to his knees and sits back on his heels. My stomach clenches at the raw desire in his gaze. One minute we’re staring at each other, the next his eyes are slipping shut as he lifts the red material to his nose and inhales deeply.

“Fuck,” he moans and takes another deep drag before slipping my underwear into his pocket.

“You like that, Elias?”

He nods, scooting forward and in a gravelly voice, says, “I’m going to think about this for days, years,millennia. The scent of you is going to be so deep in my bones. I need you, Vera. I’ve neverneededanyone before. Wanting is easy, because it’s normal. But needing? You make me greedy and desperate and possessive. I don’t want to share you. I want all of you, on my tongue, my fingers, wrapped around me. I won’t survive if I don’t have you.”

With a coy smile, I unhook my bra and slide it out through the sleeves of my dress. This time, he doesn’t break eye contact, not even when I toss it to the side.

“Look at you,” I whisper. “So handsome, so sexy, soeager.”

“Only for you, Vera. Never before, never after.”

I shouldn’t be turned on or pleased by the statement, because we’ll never see each other again. And yet… “What else do you want from me, Elias?”

“Everything. I’ll take anything you give me. Your sexy as hell gaze? Done. Your smile? God, yes. I would doanythingfor your smile. Hell, right now I’d do anything to flip that dress up and look at you.”

“Why me?”

He shakes his head. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

“Oh, I know I’m fucking sexy and beautiful. I know I shine brighter than almost everyone else. But why didyoupick me?”

“Because…” He’s inches away, hands toying with the hem of my dress. “You sassed everyone in that bar, not giving a shit you were the odd one out. You can stand your ground and fight for what you want, and I know this after spending a few hours with you. You make every other woman seem so boring in comparison.”

I roll my eyes. “None of that ‘not like other girls’ bullshit, Elias.”

“Vera. You are better than everyone else. You’re fearless and beautiful, how can you be like the othergirls?” I chuckle and he smirks. “I can’t remember the last time someone had my attention the way you did from the moment we met. I’ve been thinking about all of the ways I could have you. Every chance you gave me to touch you was one step closer to having you.Please, Vera. Let me have you. One taste willneverbe enough, I want all of you.”

The hesitation is clear on my face, because he shakes his head. Before I even have a chance to speak, Elias is straightening up.

“All of you for one night, Vera,” he adds and I suck my bottom lip between my teeth, worrying it gently. “Would I like tospend forever getting to know you? Absolutely. But if one night is all you can give me, that’s all I’ll take.”

I nod, hands fisting the bottom of my dress and I hitch it up my thighs, exposing more of myself to Elias. He leans back, gaze following what I’m doing and blows out a shaky breath. Then says, “Wait.”

“What?”

“Levelling the playing field,” he mumbles and tugs off his shirt.

He stands up and I don’t know where to look first. Our eyes clash before I do a slow perusal of his body. Broad shoulders, muscles everywhere, firm chest and a six pack I’m certain has been drawn onto his skin. There’s a smattering of dark hair along his chest, with a faint line leading down to his navel. I swallow hard, hot all over. My eyes are drawn to the scar on his right shoulder, it looks fresh, pink and angry. The flexing of his biceps distracts me enough to watch what his hands are doing. His jeans drop to the floor and I draw in a sharp breath at the outline of his dick pressing against the front of his boxer-briefs.

“Fucking hell, Elias. What are you famous for—a big dick and perfect abs?”

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