Page 43 of Sinful

“Don’t make me say it again, Rose.” The way he said my name made it sound like a threat… and somehow, I liked that too.

What was wrong with me?

I stopped questioning myself and nervously bit my bottom lip as I haltingly removed my shoes and slowly unbuttoned my dress. I let it fall to the ground, pooling around my ankles.

“Good girl,” he murmured.

I lifted my chin as I stood bare before him, every inch of me on display. My heart was in my throat, and my stomach was churning with anxiety.

I usually had no problem being naked. In my community, we were taught that the human body was a miracle. Nothing to be ashamed of. And yet, I was still nervous about being naked in front ofhim. He wasn’t like the others here. He was different. Special. I was absolutely desperate to impress him. Please him in every way.

His eyes roamed over the curves of my body, and his lips quirked as he watched my nipples harden.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked. His words were like a caress, sending pleasant shivers down my spine. “Your eyes, your lips, your hair, your body… everything about you is amazing, Rose.”

A flush rose in my cheeks, my heartbeat quickening. His words were weaving a spell around me, drawing me into a world where only the two of us existed.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“Close your eyes,” he said, voice like velvet. “Imagine my lips brushing against your neck, my breath warm on your skin.”

I obeyed his command, letting his words paint vivid images in my mind. I could feel the intensity of his gaze even with my eyes shut, and I could almost feel his whisper-soft touch on my skin, feel the heat of his body against mine. The phantomcaresses sent another shiver of pleasure down my spine, making my breath catch in my throat.

“Can you feel me?” he asked.

I nodded and exhaled deeply. “Yes,” I whispered, trembling in my spot. “I feel you.”

“Now,” he said, voice dropping lower. “Imagine my hands resting on your waist, holding you but never going any further. Just the thought of it, the anticipation, makes your heart beat faster. Do you feel that?”

“Yes,” I said breathlessly. Tension was building in me, a sweet ache that spread through my entire body.

“Get in the water,” he went on. “Take four slow steps forward and down. Let my voice be your guide.”

I did as he said, feeling his watchful gaze on my back. The water was blissfully warm, but the shivers kept coming anyway, making goosebumps spring up all over my bare skin. I heard footsteps on the rocks behind me, and I knew Sebastian was right there, mere inches from me.

“Sit down slowly,” he said. “And imagine my lips on you again, just barely grazing your skin. This time, they’re moving downward.”

My pulse quickened again, and I slowly sank into the water, imagining that its bubbling warmth was his lips and tongue all over my skin instead. Every inch of me was becoming more sensitive to the imagined touches, and I was filled with a yearning that was almost overwhelming. It felt like I was on the edge of something profound, a sensation that both thrilled and terrified me.

My breath hitched in my throat. “Sebastian, I… I don’t know…”

I couldn’t form the rest of the sentence. I didn’t even know what I was trying to say anymore.

“You don’t need to know what to do. I’ll tell you everything,” he said. His mouth was so close I could feel his warm breath ghosting over my ear as he spoke. “Just take a deep breath, lie back, and let me guide you there.”

“Okay,” I whispered, slowly letting my head fall backward to come to rest on the smooth rock behind me.

“Imagine I’m in the water with you now,” he went on. “My hands are pulling your legs apart, and my fingers are sliding all over your thighs, tracing little circles on your skin as they move higher and higher. Slowly, slowly…”

I felt real pinpricks of heat where I imagined his fingertips, and they quickly became jolts that surged straight to my core. “Yes,” I breathed. “I feel it all.”

“Good girl. Imagine I’m kissing you now. My mouth is on yours, so hungry for you, and my fingers are right between your legs, rubbing you there,” he muttered next to my ear. “You’re wet. So wet. And it has nothing to do with the water. It’s all you, Rose. All you.”

My nipples tightened again, and my pulse went crazy. My legs were shaking hard beneath the water, and I had to make a concerted effort to stop myself from sinking all the way in.

“I’ve noticed you don’t mind breaking the rules, Rose. Gives you a wicked little thrill, doesn’t it?” he whispered. “Now think about all your sins, wicked girl. Think about the things that cross your mind when you’re alone in bed. Think about the things you dream about. The things that make you wake up just as wet as you are right now.”

I took a deep breath and considered it. He was right. I was afraid of breaking the rules, and yet, that fear always sparked something inside me. Something that made my skin heat and my stomach flutter.

---