Page 55 of Darkness I Become
Asha took a shaky breath. “What do I do now?”
He took her clammy hands in his warm ones, giving them a reassuring squeeze.
“Do you trust me?” he asked, and she nodded nervously. “Alright. Then get on the bed.”
She immediately tensed, familiar with this particular order. Seeing her distress, he pulled her close, kissing her again with his tongue in her mouth until the angles of her body softened—until she was panting and aching again with need. He carefully guided her toward the bed and eased her down, so she was seated on the edge.
“There’s a good girl,” he said, and the praise made her scalp tingle with pleasure, to the point she was almost annoyed with herself. “One more thing, then.”
Cade went to the wardrobe on the opposite wall and rummaged inside for a moment before withdrawing a long, thin strip of fabric. He approached her with it outstretched and motioned as if to cover her eyes. His gaze sought her permission.
“You want to blindfold me?” Asha said with an incredulous giggle. “Why?”
“Trust,” he replied. “And I want you to focus on how you feel. Without your sight, you’d be surprised how much other senses take over.”
Fear bubbled in her gut, but so did a sense of intrigue. How would it feel, to trust him that much? In the past, she’d never have considered it. But hadn’t Cade proven himself to her? He’d saved her life. He’d protected her from Angel and even from his own men.
It was exhausting being constantly vigilant. For once, she wanted to listen to her desire instead of her fear.
So again, she said, “Okay.”
The corner of Cade’s mouth quirked up. “My angel’s brave.”
Asha flushed a little, but if he noticed, he didn’t comment. Instead, he covered her eyes with the blindfold and secured it. Her vision was plunged into darkness, and she inhaled sharply, anxiety rising in her chest.
“Take a deep breath,” Cade coaxed, and she did. “Good. Before we start, I want you to know that you can say no to anything, anytime, and I’ll hear you. For now…keep your hands at your sides. Stay perfectly still for me. If you move, I’ll stop.”
A bolt of lust surged through her, unbridled and inexplicable. She let out yet another shaky breath as he moved his mouth back to her neck, where he spread long, languid kisses. Deprived of her sight, the warmth of his hands was grounding, and she sighed at the goosebumps that rose on her flesh as he kissed onto her collarbone.
He was right that she felt him more acutely without her eyesight. Every touch sent a tremor through her that, far from dissuading her from continuing, made her ache for more. She’d never thought she could want someone as much as she wanted him.
Cade took his time, kissing her until she couldn’t help it—she squirmed. As promised, he stopped, and she let out a small, involuntary whine that embarrassed her.
Cade chuckled darkly. “You’ll have to learn to be still if you want more. Can you do that?”
Asha took another deep breath. “Yes. I can.”
“Alright. Let’s try again.”
He ramped up her torment by spreading open-mouthed kisses over her chest and caressing her over her clothes, his hands finding her breasts and her inner thighs, teasing her. Her nipples pebbled at his soft, intimate touch, and the heat in her body was maddening—unbearable.
“Please,” she finally whispered. “I want more.”
“Ah,” Cade said knowingly. “Good. She knows how to beg.”
She let out a tiny whimper, and he eased the straps of her worn tank top over her shoulders. She moved to lift her arms but then remembered his order.
“Oh, very good,” he said, a note of wonder in his voice. “Better than I expected, even. You can lift them.”
She hastened to obey, surprised at how much she was enjoying this. Cade lifted the shirt over her head, then removed her pants and underwear. When she was finally naked, she shuddered, unsure if what she felt was fear or arousal. The two blended together in a way that seemed to sharpen her senses even further.
Cade’s scent mingled with hers, and his mouth seemed to send tiny electric shocks over her skin, giving life to new desire that she didn’t know what to do with. She liked hearing his breath, steady and heavy, breathing her in. Not being able to see him added a new, unexpected dimension to her pleasure; she delighted in the surprise of his lips and tongue touching her in sensitive places.
“Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?” Cade asked, trailing kisses down her bare chest towards her breasts.
“No,” Asha replied, a little discomfited by the question.
“Hmm,” he murmured against her breast, and she gasped as his tongue lightly flicked over her nipple. “Their loss, then. Because you’re gorgeous. A goddess among women.”
