I don’t date in general. I fuck, and when I fuck women, that’s the last I see of them because I don’t want a thing more from them. This, though . . .” I move my hand to gesture between us. “ . . . There is something more than just sex hanging in the air between us, and I know that you can feel it as well. You might tell me that all you want from me is a good lay, but your body says otherwise.”
Her lips part as she draws in a shallow breath. “I . . .”
“No. I will not allow this to be negotiated as if it’s some sort of exchange for sex. This evening, you owe me your company during dinner and your thoughts. Not your body.”
“I don’t have a say, do I?”
The static hum between us grows louder as if it’s waiting to shock one of us.
“You don’t, but I’ll oblige you for a second, considering your body won’t take no for an answer,” I say, and she looks down at her body. She’s pressed herself against me entirely without even thinking about it. Her feet are nestled between mine, and her hands are resting against my chest.
When she looks up at me again, I shift my hand from the back of her neck to the side where I run my finger along her pale jaw. Her eyes move to mine slowly as I bring my lips toward hers. She’s perfectly still under my touch, despite the urgency I sense within her, but I refuse to let her rush this.
Her body starts to tremble as I take in her very essence. I lower my lips to touch hers for the first time. The electric current that was in the air surrounding us passes through our lips as she kisses me back. Her lips part without my having to ask for permission and I take the opportunity to explore more of her. I dip my tongue inside of her mouth, and she doesn’t stop me or force me to take more. I’m possessing her completely as our lips lock and our tongues travel together.
Her hands move off of my chest, and she brings both arms up to encircle my neck, pressing her chest to mine. With this one kiss, I can feel my world crack open as she leans into me . . . before we both break away from each other. She looks up into my eyes and captures her bottom lip between her teeth before one of her hands comes to touch her lips as if she’s shocked by the intimacy of the kiss.
“Would you like for that to happen again?” I ask her as she tries to regulate her breathing.
“I think so.”
“Good, now come.” I pause as I take her hand in mine, speaking again before she can. “And do not turn that into anything sexual.”
She looks stunned as she lets me intertwine my fingers with hers. She nods and walks quietly with me down the quay with yachts flanking us on either side. She remains quiet until we reach the end of the berth and we come to a stop in front of my yacht.
“You own this thing? It’s enormous.” She looks up and takes in its pure brilliance and majestic features. “When you said yacht . . . I thought you meant something like row, row, row your boat. Not this . . . vessel.”
I chuckle and dig my hands into the pockets of my slacks, angling my head to the entrance. “Climb aboard. I do own her, along with two more on this quay.”
She peers down at the gap between the gangway and the yacht before looking back at me. “You’re not going to make me walk the plank or something, are you?”
“Not for a second.” I step over the gap effortlessly and offer her my hand. “Come.”
She opens her mouth to respond with a witty retort, but closes her lips when she sees the expression on my face, daring her to say more.
Wisely, she keeps silent as she takes my hand, and I help her across the gap, pulling her hard enough for her to crash into my chest. I automatically ring my arms around her as she begs me for my lips without a word.
I give them to her, pleasing her when I slide my tongue against hers before pulling away.
“Aren’t you supposed to kiss me at the end of the date? Like in all of those other fairy-tale dates?”
“This is not a fairy
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