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Authors: Aliyah Burke
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low timbre that skated along her already tight nerves.
Chest heaving with the air she ingested, all she could do was behold him. When he merely returned her look, she began to chew on the side of her bottom lip. Heat flared in his gaze as he dropped it to her teeth and back up to her eyes.
“We have to stop,” he rasped. “Or I won’t be able to.”
I don’t want you to stop. I’ve never felt like this before. Dropping her forehead to his, she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. Taking several deep breaths, she licked her lips and climbed off his lap, turning her attention to fixing her clothing, even though it didn’t need it. And not looking at him.
“Look at me.” His low order flowed to her ears.
Swallowing, she did as he commanded. He’d gotten off the bench and stood in front of her. His gaze was gentle, although still filled with barely restrained desire.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t act like that,” she babbled.
“Don’t,” he barked. “Don’t apologize. I don’t want our first time to be on the floor of a museum, Cleo.”
Her body shuddered again as another flood swept through her. “Our first time?” she mumbled, not even registering that she was repeating his words right back to him.
An arrogant smile filled his features. “Yes. Besides, the guards are due to be through here soon, and I’ll be damned if I let them look upon your naked body.” He stepped up flush to her, allowing his masculine scent to flow over her along with the heat he exuded. “You should be loved on a huge bed…the first time. After that, everywhere. And by a man who will make you feel things you’d never thought you ever would. Let me rephrase…by me.”
This time, the moan did escape as her mind vividly painted the picture his words created. The urge to cross her legs to stop the flow of moisture was extremely prevalent. Instead, she shoved her hands into her pants pockets and turned her back to him. “I see,” she said as her feet moved her toward a bust of Nicholas the Second. He was right; the museum wasn’t any place for them to indulge in one another.
Nik watched her as she tried to appear unaffected by him. Even with her back to him, he could see the tiny tremors that surged through her body. He allowed his gaze to trail over her as he imagined what she was going to look like naked in his bed.
His heart accelerated as all the blood rushed headlong to his lower extremities. Out of the corner of his eye he, saw one of the night guards approach. The closer the uniformed man came, the easier it was for Nik to make out the barefaced appreciation he had while staring at Cleo. Oh, hell no!
A low rumble grew deep in Nik’s chest. Like in the bakery, he wanted to snap the smaller man in half for daring to look at his woman. Instead, he shoved down his jealousy and walked up behind Cleo as she took in the exhibit. The guard stopped and met his gaze before sending him a nod and moving silently on. Nik knew he was being arrogant, but if he didn’t have to share her, he sure as hell wasn’t going to.
“You must command a lot of respect around here, Nikolas,” she said without turning toward him.
Dropping his gaze to the top of her head, he smiled. “Why do you say that?”
“Sending the guard along without a word spoken.”
“You noticed?”
She chuckled. “Yes. Sorry if I wasn’t supposed to.”
It seemed the natural thing for him to do, sliding his arms around her slender body. He noticed she stiffened slightly before her body relaxed into his. Lowering his head by her ear, he whispered, “Does my holding you bother you?”
“No,” she responded in the same low tone. “I’m not used to public displays of affection. My ex wouldn’t even hold my hand.”
“He is a stupid man; don’t think of him.”
“Right,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s just easier said than done.”
“Get used to these displays, Cleo. I plan on touching you all the time.” Her quiver shot right
Chest heaving with the air she ingested, all she could do was behold him. When he merely returned her look, she began to chew on the side of her bottom lip. Heat flared in his gaze as he dropped it to her teeth and back up to her eyes.
“We have to stop,” he rasped. “Or I won’t be able to.”
I don’t want you to stop. I’ve never felt like this before. Dropping her forehead to his, she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. Taking several deep breaths, she licked her lips and climbed off his lap, turning her attention to fixing her clothing, even though it didn’t need it. And not looking at him.
“Look at me.” His low order flowed to her ears.
Swallowing, she did as he commanded. He’d gotten off the bench and stood in front of her. His gaze was gentle, although still filled with barely restrained desire.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t act like that,” she babbled.
“Don’t,” he barked. “Don’t apologize. I don’t want our first time to be on the floor of a museum, Cleo.”
Her body shuddered again as another flood swept through her. “Our first time?” she mumbled, not even registering that she was repeating his words right back to him.
An arrogant smile filled his features. “Yes. Besides, the guards are due to be through here soon, and I’ll be damned if I let them look upon your naked body.” He stepped up flush to her, allowing his masculine scent to flow over her along with the heat he exuded. “You should be loved on a huge bed…the first time. After that, everywhere. And by a man who will make you feel things you’d never thought you ever would. Let me rephrase…by me.”
This time, the moan did escape as her mind vividly painted the picture his words created. The urge to cross her legs to stop the flow of moisture was extremely prevalent. Instead, she shoved her hands into her pants pockets and turned her back to him. “I see,” she said as her feet moved her toward a bust of Nicholas the Second. He was right; the museum wasn’t any place for them to indulge in one another.
Nik watched her as she tried to appear unaffected by him. Even with her back to him, he could see the tiny tremors that surged through her body. He allowed his gaze to trail over her as he imagined what she was going to look like naked in his bed.
His heart accelerated as all the blood rushed headlong to his lower extremities. Out of the corner of his eye he, saw one of the night guards approach. The closer the uniformed man came, the easier it was for Nik to make out the barefaced appreciation he had while staring at Cleo. Oh, hell no!
A low rumble grew deep in Nik’s chest. Like in the bakery, he wanted to snap the smaller man in half for daring to look at his woman. Instead, he shoved down his jealousy and walked up behind Cleo as she took in the exhibit. The guard stopped and met his gaze before sending him a nod and moving silently on. Nik knew he was being arrogant, but if he didn’t have to share her, he sure as hell wasn’t going to.
“You must command a lot of respect around here, Nikolas,” she said without turning toward him.
Dropping his gaze to the top of her head, he smiled. “Why do you say that?”
“Sending the guard along without a word spoken.”
“You noticed?”
She chuckled. “Yes. Sorry if I wasn’t supposed to.”
It seemed the natural thing for him to do, sliding his arms around her slender body. He noticed she stiffened slightly before her body relaxed into his. Lowering his head by her ear, he whispered, “Does my holding you bother you?”
“No,” she responded in the same low tone. “I’m not used to public displays of affection. My ex wouldn’t even hold my hand.”
“He is a stupid man; don’t think of him.”
“Right,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s just easier said than done.”
“Get used to these displays, Cleo. I plan on touching you all the time.” Her quiver shot right
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