Page 40 of Enchanted Hero
They both noticed.
He traced the metal pull, smoothing it for a second before pulling down. She shuddered as the zipper descended, revealing a tantalizing expanse of smooth flawlessness. She was all cream and curves, svelte skin and bare pinkness. He nearly lost it when he realized she wore no bra – the dress had its own built-in corset. Lower still, to racy red panties that hugged endless curves. He’d let Ms. Perkins choose Everleigh’s undergarments so he wouldn’t be tortured with images of what lay underneath the shimmering dress. Now he’d never forget.
“I’m going to free your arms.”
She replied with a curt nod. He guided her slender arm through the branches, subtly using enchantment to keep the thorns away from her sensitive skin. He released one arm, and then the other.
“It’s time for the dress to come off.”
This time she didn’t respond at all as he slid the gown down, unsnagging it from the bushes as it descended. It was the slowest, most delicious torture ever, as more and more of that beautiful body came into view. A slender waist gave way to gently flaring hips and shapely long legs. Then she was standing before him, naked save for the tiny red panties.
It was all he could do not to claim her right then.
“I’ll bring you out of the bushes now.”
She gulped. “Okay.”
He reached into the bushes and finally touched that creamy back. He wrapped one arm around her, his hand resting on her taut belly, and slid the other under her legs. He carefully lifted her into his arms.
Pure perfection.Holding her unclothed body against him, cradling the perfect form, was temptation defined. He’d been with beautiful women, yet she was different in a million ways he couldn’t explain. He wanted to hold her and never let go.
“Alexander?” she whispered.
Dissatisfaction, as sharp as it was poignant, tightened taut muscles. For now, he had to release her, yet would not allow her to go far. Gently, he lowered her to the ground. “I’ll get your gown.”
He quickly used enchantment to release the dress. He handed it to her, then looked away at the rustling of her donning it. She tested him like no other.
“I’m done.”
He turned to the stunning woman in the glittering dress. Now her entire body was pink, her eyes a shining green. “Thank you,” she murmured. “And I’m sorry for misconstruing the situation. If I’d known she was your sister, I would’ve given you privacy. But it seemed suspicious, and then you kissed her…” Her voice trailed off. “Not that it matters to me, of course.”
Except it did matter – to both of them. It was time she understood that. “That’s not how I kiss a woman I’m interested in.”
She lifted her jaunty little chin. “Then how do you kiss a woman you’re interested in?”
It was an invitation. A challenge. A demand.
He took her lips.
She was as sweet as honey and sugar, intoxicating, pure and so very sensual. Her lips were pink and plump, and she tasted like dark chocolate and wine. He wrapped his arms around her petite frame and pulled her closer. She was softness to his hardness, delicate strength to his power.
For moments, they parried, as he probed that delectable mouth. Satisfaction surged when she allowed it, as she reciprocated in kind. Her breathed shallowed, and he pushed closer, as the need to dominate – and conquer – fired. The connection between them electrified, the urge to take all.
She was far smaller than him, yet she fit perfectly in his arms. Her skin was as soft as rose petals, her hair silky and shiny. He could hold her forever, and if he didn’t stop now, he just might. With all the strength he possessed, he pulled back.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes alight. She gasped heavy gulps of the fragrant night air. “We can’t do this.” Suddenly, she pivoted, and without a look back, fled from him, through the darkened nightscape. For the longest time, he stared after her, rooted in the garden he’d created with enchantment. The wind still carried her scent, and her presence lingered in the air. Allowing her to leave was getting more difficult every time, but he was comforted by one truth:
Soon she would be his.
CHAPTER 8
“I’m sorry I’m late!”
Everleigh glanced up fromMount Paperwork,as she’d deemed her endless piles of work, as documents scattered in the breeze of Chloe’s rushed entrance. She pushed back the brand-new executive chair and braced the huge cherrywood desk Alexander commissioned from an expensive interior designer. The luxurious navy and gold office dripped in haute couture, and matched his business suite, which was separated by a single door.
“I’m so sorry.” Chloe grabbed the papers from the floor, crumpling them into a messy pile as she shoved them back on the desk. The young assistant was smiling, but her normally perfect hair was askew, her makeup uneven. It was an unusual miscue for someone who proclaimed to never leave the house without a full hour of pampering. “Traffic was brutal.”
Everleigh frowned. Today’s traffic had been particularly light, and she came from the same direction as Chloe. “Is everything all right?”
