Page 50 of Ink & Desire

“You’re walking a fine line, little angel,” he says through gritted teeth. “You keep pushing me, but I don't think you know what you’re asking for.”

My chest rises and falls with my erratic breathing as I stand there, making no move to push him away or to pull away from his grip on my throat. My gaze drops from his eyes to his mouth as I imagine the feel of his lips on mine.

“I think I do,” I say, voice taunting.

I see the annoyance flash in his eyes, and I bite back a smile. I love knowing I can rile him. I love pushing his buttons. And I know he secretly loves it too, though he’d never admit it. My heart pounds in my chest as we stand there, our bodies inches apart. I wonder if he can feel my pulse fluttering under his fingers. I know he can tell how excited I am right now. He can see it in my eyes and hear it in my unsteady voice.

Slowly, I lower my hands to the hem of his shirt, dipping under to graze the bare skin of his abdomen. It’s a small, simple touch that lasts for barely a second. But it sets him off in a way I don’t expect. In a flash, he reaches down and grabs both my wrists and yanks them up over my head, pinning them to the wall above me. I gasp as he locks one of his big hands around both my wrists before his other hand comes back to my throat, holding me in place.

The sound of my pounding heart competes with my ragged breathing, deafening in the silence of the empty shop. His eyes are wilder now; the annoyance is slowly being taken over by the want I can see there.

“You wanted this. Remember that.”

His voice is hard. Angry. But behind the anger is something else. Something hot and filled with desire. He wants this as much as I do. He’s kept this side of him tightly leashed, no matter how much I’ve riled him over the past few weeks. He’s always kept himself in check. But not anymore. This time I’ve pushed him too far. A tiny part of me is afraid now, but that fear is miniscule compared to the need I feel.

I’ve wanted him for so long. I think some part of me has wanted him since that first day when he’d been so horrible to me. Even then, I’d felt a thrill at his nearness and the feel of his hand on my arm. I’m tired of pretending I don’t want him.

“I do,” I whisper. “And so do you.”

His jaw clenches as he glares at me, but we both know it wasn't a question. His grip on my wrists is unyielding as he holds them high above my head. The pressure on my neck is steady, but not enough to restrict my breathing. It’s just enough to render me immobile. To remind me that he’s in control. I may have pushed him into this, but I’m at his mercy now.

His body isn’t quite touching mine, but I can feel the heat radiating off him as he towers over me. My breath catches at the intensity in his dark eyes. I’ve never seen him this way. He’s not trying to disguise the naked hunger in his gaze. His dark eyes are wild with need. The urge to squirm under his scrutiny is strong, but he’s still holding my wrists in his vice-like grip. The helplessfeeling is one I’d normally hate. But not tonight. I know Corbin won’t hurt me.

“Oh, angel,” he whispers. “You’ve got no idea what I want from you. But you’re going to find out.”

His dark words send a thrill though me that travels all the way to my core. I feel myself grow wet as my mind fills with a dozen filthy images. I want him to touch me. I want his hands on my body, his mouth on my skin. I want him inside me, surrounding me. I want him to do something—anything. I’d resort to begging if I thought that would push him to act. It won’t. But I know what will.

“Prove it,” I say, injecting a boldness into my tone.

His eyes flare with that hint of anger, but behind that is something darker. Something I want him to unleash. There’s a moment of hesitation where I wonder if he’s going to release me and walk away like he did that night at the club. But then his gaze dips down to my mouth before coming back to my eyes.

“You’re such a brat,” he mutters just before his mouth crashes down on mine.

The kiss isn’t sweet or gentle. It’s the opposite of every first kiss I’ve ever had. It’s not curious or questioning. It takes. His lips are hard against mine, almost bruising as he punishes me with his mouth. A whimper escapes me as his tongue brushes my lips and I open for him. I feel this kiss all the way to my toes. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. But somehow, it’s exactly what I need.

I kiss him back, matching his urgency with my own. His hold on my wrists hasn’t loosened. If anything, his grip has tightened, pressing my arms hard against the wall. I have the fleeting thought that I’ll probably have bruises tomorrow, but I don’t care. The only regret I have is that I can’t touch him. But I know Corbin needs this semblance of control. I may have pushed him past his breaking point, but he’s still in charge. This is his way of making sure I know it.

He slides his hand higher to my jaw, using it to direct my movements as he turns my face so he can trail kisses down my jaw to my neck. I feel his teeth graze my sensitive skin and I gasp. His large body presses against me, pinning me to the wall. I can feel the hard ridge of his cock pressing into my belly and it brings a new rush of arousal.

“This is what you wanted, angel,” he says, arching his hips forward so there’s no mistaking his arousal. "Don't think I didn't know you've been wearing these little dresses on purpose. You wanted me to wonder what was underneath. Didn't you?"

He’s right. I've wanted this for weeks. I've even imagined what it would look like when he lost that tight grip on his control. And yes, I've been wearing dresses more in hopes that he might notice. But nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of this. Corbin releases my neck and brings his hand to my waist before sliding down my hip to the hem of my dress. The feeling of his hand on my bare thigh sends another littleshiver through me. He delivers another biting kiss to my neck, wringing a startled sound from my throat.

Please,” I gasp.

I don’t care that I’m begging. I don’t care if I sound pathetic. I just want Corbin to keep touching me, to keep kissing me. I want him in whatever way I can have him. He grins down at me, pleased by that single word from me.

“Are you begging?” His voice is low, taunting me. “I’ll bet you’re wet for me already, aren’t you?”

He doesn’t wait for me to answer before his hand moves between my legs, brushing against the damp fabric of my underwear. I want to be embarrassed by my obvious eagerness, but I can’t feel anything except excitement that he’s finally got his hands between my legs. He hums in what sounds like approval as his fingers slide up and down over the damp fabric, lighting my nerves on fire. Every brush of his fingers over my pussy has me wanting more, but he seems content to tease me.

“God damn, angel,” he whispers against my neck. “You’re so eager to be fucked. Are you always like this?”

I shake my head because no, I’m not usually like this. I’ve never had this kind of response with a man. I’ve never been so turned on by a man’s nearness that I soak a pair of panties before he even kisses me.

“No,” I whisper. “It’s you.”

I feel his breath against my neck as he exhales against me.

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