Page 73 of Touch Me Not: Anniversary Edition

“Good girl.” He smiled and moved his other hand to 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.

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