Page 48 of Devil's Embrace
"This."I closed the final distance between us.
Our lips met hesitantly at first, a tentative exploration that quickly kindled into something hotter, hungrier.His hand slid from my cheek to the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair as he deepened the kiss.I gasped against his mouth, my hands fisting in his shirt, pulling him closer rather than pushing him away.
The kiss became demanding, consuming, his tongue sweeping into my mouth with a confidence that made my knees weak.He tasted of expensive whiskey and barely leashed power.I bit his lower lip, not gently, and felt more than heard his growl of approval.
"Is this what you came here for?"he murmured against my mouth, his free hand sliding down my side to grip my hip.
"No," I admitted breathlessly."But it's what I hoped for."
Something flared in his eyes at my honesty—hunger, possession, and something deeper I wasn't ready to name.He lifted me suddenly, hands gripping beneath my thighs as my legs wrapped around his waist.The world tilted as he carried me across the room, our mouths fusing together, my fingers working at the buttons of his shirt.
We landed on the leather couch in a tangle of limbs, his body pressing mine into the cushions, solid and demanding.I arched against him, seeking more contact, more friction, more of everything he offered.His mouth left mine to trail hot kisses down my neck, teeth grazing the sensitive spot where my pulse hammered beneath my skin.
"Tell me to stop," he murmured, his voice rough with desire."Tell me this isn't what you want."
Instead of answering, I pulled his shirt free from his shoulders, my hands exploring the hard planes of his chest, tracing the tattoos that marked his skin."Don't stop," I whispered, my Southern drawl thickening with need."Please don't stop.I need this.Need you."
His hands found the zipper of my dress, dragging it down my back with a sound that seemed obscenely loud in the quiet room.The fabric pooled at my waist, leaving me exposed in just a black lace bra.His eyes darkened as they raked over me, hungry and appreciative.
"Beautiful."The single word carried more weight than flowery compliments ever could.
He lowered his head, mouth closing around my nipple through the lace.I gasped, back arching as pleasure shot straight to my pussy.His hand slid up my thigh, pushing my dress higher, fingers tracing the edge of my panties with maddening patience.
“Luca," His name came out as half plea, half demand.
He understood, his fingers finally sliding beneath the lace to where I was already wet and wanting.I moaned as he stroked me, my hips lifting to meet his touch.His mouth reclaimed mine, swallowing my sounds of pleasure as his fingers worked their magic, brushing my clit in a way that had sparks of pleasure zinging through me.
I fumbled with his belt, desperate to level the playing field, to feel him as he was feeling me.He helped, shifting to remove his remaining clothing with efficient movements before returning to the delicious task of undressing me completely.When we were both naked, he paused, his gaze sweeping over me with an intensity that should have made me feel vulnerable but instead made me feel powerful.
"You're sure?"he asked, his control clearly hanging by a thread.
I answered by pulling him down to me, our bodies aligning perfectly as if designed to fit together.He entered me in one smooth thrust, filling me completely.I cried out, nails digging into his shoulders as my body adjusted to the exquisite invasion.
"Emory," he groaned, burying his face against my neck as he began to move.
There was nothing gentle in our coupling.His hands gripped my hips hard enough to leave marks as he set a demanding rhythm.I matched him thrust for thrust, legs wrapped around his waist, taking him deeper.The leather couch creaked beneath us, the sound mixing with our harsh breathing and occasional gasps of pleasure.Just like the last time we’d been together, it was frantic and all-consuming.
His mouth found mine again, the kiss as demanding as his body's movements.One hand slid between us, finding where we were joined, his thumb circling my clit until I saw stars.I broke the kiss to cry out, my head falling back against the cushions.
"Look at me," he commanded, his voice rough with exertion."I want to see your face when you come."
The demand in his voice, the intensity in his eyes as I met his gaze, pushed me over the edge.Pleasure crashed through me in waves, my body clenching around him as I cried his name.He followed moments later, his rhythm faltering as he groaned against me, his body shuddering with release.
For several heartbeats, we remained locked together, breathing hard, sweat-slicked skin cooling in the fire lit room.His weight pressed me into the couch, but I made no move to dislodge him, savoring the solid reality of him against me, inside me.
Eventually, he shifted to his side, pulling me with him so we both fit on the wide couch, my back against his chest, his arm wrapped possessively around my waist.I felt his breath against my hair, the steady thump of his heartbeat against my shoulder blades.
"That wasn't exactly the conversation I planned."There was a hint of amusement in his voice.
I laughed softly, surprising myself with the sound."No, but it was certainly more effective than talking."
His arm tightened around me, pulling me closer against him.Neither of us mentioned what would come next, what this meant.For now, it was enough to lie in the circle of his arms, watching the fire cast shadows on the wall, feeling more content than I had any right to be in the arms of a killer.
As the minutes ticked by, the fire died down to glowing embers, casting the study in a soft orange light that seemed to soften the edges of reality.I lay with my head on Luca's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart beneath my ear, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my bare shoulder.The throw blanket he'd pulled over us provided just enough warmth against the night air.Neither of us had spoken for several minutes, both lost in our own thoughts, processing what had just happened between us—what was still happening with every breath, every touch, every silent moment of connection.
His hand drifted from my shoulder to my hair, fingers threading through the strands with surprising gentleness.This tenderness from a man I'd watched kill without hesitation should have disturbed me.Instead, I found myself leaning into it, craving it in a way that both frightened and exhilarated me.
The grandfather clock in the corner ticked steadily, marking time in a world that suddenly seemed suspended, existing in some liminal space between what had been and what might be.Eventually, the silence grew too heavy, too full of unasked questions.
