Page 19 of Raphael
My quip earns me a scoff as she attempts to fix her disheveled clothes. But a reluctant smile tugs at her lips all the same.
I lace my fingers through hers, marveling at how perfectly her hand fits in mine. “Come with me?” I ask on impulse.
She stills, the mirth in her eyes replaced by vulnerability. “Raphael... I shouldn’t…” The way she immediately bites her lower lip tells me just how much she really wants this.
I squeeze her hand gently. “Only one night, no strings attached. We’ll be discreet. I swear it.”
I see the temptation warring behind her dreamy eyes. Softly, I add, “Just give us a chance to explore this fire between us.Please.” Begging—that’s a first.
Fat raindrops begin to fall, beading on her silken skin like crystalline jewels. A fitting backdrop for this exquisite moment stretched taut.
Finally, she nods once, a goddess deigning to grant my plea. Joy leaps in my heart as she whispers, “Lead the way.”
Sheltered in the shadows of my car, our lips meet again, sweet as ripened fruit. Still, plenty of night left for stoking the flames between us. Consequences can wait until the harsh light of morning.
Tonight, my goddess of starfire is finally… mine.
CHAPTER11
Raphael
As we cruisethrough the rain-slicked streets, energy thrums between us—a live current I’m unable to resist. Helena is right beside me, our hands interlocked tightly. Every time I stroke her knuckles, shivers run down my spine.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her bashful grin. It’s hard to believe that she agreed to come with me tonight. We exchange few words, but the silence brims with promise.
We pull up outside my sleek downtown high-rise and I come around to open Helena’s door. Light raindrops fall, glistening like diamonds in her dark waves of hair.
She takes my offered hand and a flare of protectiveness courses through me as I guide her inside, sheltering her slender frame beneath my leather jacket.
In the elevator, we stand tantalizingly close, the air thick with anticipation. I brush a tendril of damp hair from her cheek, heart constricting at her indrawn breath, the way she leans into my touch...
My hands tremble as I shove the key into the door. We hurry inside, immediately drawn to the bedroom window where we take in the panoramic view of the city, raindrops diffusing the lights outside.
Helena moves to the window, her gaze drinking in the darkness punctured by vibrant city lights like stars. “It’s beautiful...” she murmurs.
Coming up behind her, I slide my fingers through her hair and press a kiss to the graceful arch of her neck. “Not as beautiful as you,” I whisper against her skin.
She turns, eyes luminous pools in the low light. Her delicate hand glides along my strong jawline and pulls my mouth down to hers. The kiss starts soft, reverent, then blazes with scorching hunger.
My hands span her waist, then move lower to cup her hips and pull her firmly against me. Helena loops her arms around my neck, pressing her body to mine until no space remains between us.
We stumble to the bed, our lips still locked in an embrace. I start to unbutton my shirt, but Helena’s slender fingers beat me to it. She slides the fabric from my shoulders and trails featherlight kisses down my chest before easing me onto the mattress.
My breath catches as she divests herself of her own clothing—each layer I peel away reveals more and more of her curves until she is gloriously nude atop the silken sheets. My hands map her body, exploring every inch of her as though committing her to memory. Her skin is molten satin beneath my worshipful touch.
I trail my lips along her elegant neck, nipping lightly. “You’re a goddess,” I purr, hands tracing her shapely curves. “And I’m going to worship every inch of you tonight.”
Helena gasps softly as I emphasize my point, palms gliding reverently over her silken skin. My confession hangs in the electric air between us, a sensual promise of delights to come.
I guide her towards sweet ecstasy with exquisite tenderness, tracing my fingers along the length of her torso and taking in the soft rise and fall of her breasts as her breath quickens beneath my touch.
Our lips meet again, hot and insistent, our tongues dueling for dominance as we explore each other’s mouths with growing fervor.
Rain hammers against the windowpane, an urgent drumbeat to the passion that ravages us. I lower my head to her chest, laving one peaked nipple with my tongue while my hand teases the other. She moans, arching her back as I suckle her, and a fierce possessiveness fills me, driving me to take her completely.
I slip my hand down between her legs, parting her thighs to reveal the glistening heat between them. Her hips lift in invitation as I delve into her folds, teasing her with short, shallow strokes that make her writhe with pleasure.
When I plunge two fingers deep inside her, Helena cries out my name, her nails digging into my scalp as she grinds against my hand. The sound of her pleasure sends me spiraling, and I shed the last of my clothing, willing to take her hard and fast, eager to pound into her with an intensity that will leave us both gasping and spent.
