Page 9 of Taken By the Kingpin
He nods, all seriousness again. “Face the window.”
This is a self-defence class; there shouldn’t be anything sexy about it. But despite myself my skin thrums with the knowledge he will touch me. He makes my body warm and liquid and weak. How I’m going to pretend I’m fighting him off, when I want to draw him close, I don’t know.
“I’ll be able to see you in the reflection,” I protest but do as he says.
“Close your eyes.”
Oh. Yeah, obvious solution.
But with my eyes closed, every other sense is heightened. I hear the slight soft sounds of his clothes as he moves. I can smell his scent, stronger now I’m allowing myself to acknowledge it. He smells like sea rocks and green oranges. He smells like one of those massive photographs of a blue-green wave feels.
“I’m going to touch you.”
I jump a little because his voice is much closer than I thought, and his breath is warm on the curve of my ear.
“Where?” I squeak.
“I’ll grab your wrist.”
My wrists are suddenly the centre of my universe. I have no blood anywhere else in my body. Certainly not in my head, where it belongs, to help me make rational decisions. Because if it was, it would be screaming that this was a bad idea. That some unattractive man who doesn’t set me on fire with need should teach me to get away, not Sebastian.
“Just respond as you would naturally,” he says and the next moment his fingers grip my wrist. I gasp and freeze. That’s my instinctive response. Then panic sets in, prickly and jagged under my skin. I twist towards the window, but obviously that’s a window and I smack right into the glass with an undignified grunt.
He releases me instantly. “Good.”
“Not good,” I huff, my heart hammering in my chest as I turn to him.
“It was.” He nods encouragingly and am I imagining something dark in his gaze? “You didn’t just accept it.” Which is what I did earlier, he’s too tactful to point out. “You need to fight back. Go for sensitive areas. Eyes. Nose.” I look at the corresponding places on his body. “Groin.”
My gaze slips down without my volition and oh no now I am blushing furiously.
I cannot. I cannot look at Sebastian, look away from the line of his cock beneath that expensive fabric, or do anything other than be a completely inexperienced girl who is fascinated by a real man.
It looks big. Huge. His trousers are slightly tented and OMG does he… Surely not from touchingme? But I really don’t know what it would be like, or how—um—engorged—please tell me I didn’t just think that word—it would get. Maybe his underwear is like… Thermal or something? Because there’s no way—
“Next time try going the other way.” His gravelly voice sends tingles through me and I manage to drag my gaze from his nether regions, but I can’t meet his eyes. “Dig your elbow into me and bounce off rather than pulling away, which is what I expect.”
“Yep,” I squeak.
He knows I was looking at his cock. Or desperately trying to, like if I could have X-ray vision to look under his clothes I would totally be gawping at my first naked man right now.
“Again?” he says mildly.
We resume our positions. My pulse is so loud it’s like a nightclub downstairs as I wait for him to grab me. The anticipation is… exciting. Knowing it’s Sebastian means this is the best sort of thrilling. It’s walking a tightrope with a safety net. The exact amount of danger to make me feel more alive than I ever have before, but also I know he won’t hurt me.
I guess I have no justification for that belief, but I have it all the same. It’s bone-deep. This man refused to hurt me when I was thirteen, and instead found influence the hard way. He danced with me, and shot a man I’m certain meant me harm. Something tells me Sebastian wouldn’t take advantage.
Even if perhaps I wouldn’t mind if he did. Now. Just a little.
I yelp when he pins my hand to my side this time. I try to headbutt him. It’s pointless, as he’s a head taller than I am and all that happens is my skull connects with his chest as I turn into him. For half a second all of my front is pressed to his, while he holds my wrist behind my back.
My body responds like a match struck. Shivers go down my spine and spread heat between my legs even as I move all the way around and wrench from his grasp.
I’m wheezing from the exertion and adrenaline as I face him. I can feel the flush in my cheeks.
And he’s… Not affected. Or is he? His grey eyes are dark and intense like a long summer evening shadow.
“Okay,” I say after a moment. I swallow hard and step towards him. “I think I have that now.”
