Page 30 of Red Velvet

A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth, and I know there's something condescending in the way I'm looking at her now, and in the way I'm reaching to touch her delicate cheek. She flinches away at first, visibly confused at the gentle caress. But a moment later, she accepts it for what it is, a soothing gesture to calm the chatter of her mind.

"You really need a label for this, don't you, little girl?"

"Why do you call me that?"

"Because that's who you are to me," I say in a low voice, leaning in closer so I can feel her rapid breath on my skin. "A naughty little girl who needs her tight ass spanked, hard. A sexy minx who craves to be bent over and fucked even harder until she comes on my hard cock. I bet you like to be choked, too, don't you? Shall we find out next time?"

Her eyes widen and her lower lip starts trembling. The blush on her cheeks is apparent even in this light, and the heat radiating from her small body is pulling me closer, making it so hard to resist her.

"I bet you’re still wet right now, aren't you?"

She closes her eyes and surprises me by moving in for a kiss. Her lips connect with mine in an innocent brush, testing and coyly asking for more. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't resist such an offer. I let her dictate the tone of our kiss for a while, giving in to the allure of her innocence, her cautious claiming that’s so different to my approach, so different to what I'm used to. She's like silk, wrapping my razor-sharp edges, careful not to get ripped to pieces.

But she will be. She’ll fall apart beneath my hands.

Her body melts into mine when I accelerate the way our tongues entwine, wrapping my arm around her slim shoulder and pulling her closer. My other hand lands on her lap, idly standing by while our kiss grows voracious. She heaves in my embrace, her legs dangling as if she's only waiting for me to tell her to part them, like I did downstairs.

But then she dismisses my assumption by breaking our kiss as abruptly as it started. Her eyelashes flutter nervously when she tilts her head back to look up at me.

"I've never met anyone like you," she whispers. "I've never had anything like this."

I can't help the triumphant smile that finds its way on my face. It’s more than just flattering.

It's promising.

But Lila doesn't give me a lot of time to revel her confession. Instead, she finds a way of destroying the moment that I didn't anticipate.

"This could be good for me. Like you said. I've only ever been with boyfriends like Jim. And he…"

She pauses, clearing her throat and straightening her back, which forces a few more inches of distance between us.

"He was perfect, a truly good man," she goes on, heating my blood with a taste of rage. "He did everything for me, and I would’ve been safe with him forever. I always thought that was exactly what I needed, because how could I not? Every woman wants the perfect husband, a man who takes care of her, who builds her a home and a family. And it's like—"

"What's your point?" I'm not here to hear about her oh-so-perfect loser ex-fiancé.She’d better be going somewhere with this.

She nods as if agreeing with me. Her eyes are big when she looks at me with that innocent and hopeful expression of a young girl who just discovered something really valuable.

"You're like a godsend," she assesses in a low voice.

Despite the soft tone, her words leave a shattering impact on me.

Did she really just say that? A fucking godsend?

I frown, suddenly relieved about the added space between us. "I don't know about that, little girl."

"Oh, don't take it too literal," she retorts, waving me off. "You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

She nods emphatically. "Yes. I mean you're just what I need right now, and it's like the universe knew that. A rebel, someone to push my boundaries. Someone who—"

"A rebel? That's what you think I am?"

Anger spoils the air between us. Her words make me feel small, like a little boy who likes to play cowboy, or an unruly son who lives for the pain he causes his parents by his wayward choices.

That’s only partly true.

"I'm sorry!" she blurts out. "I didn't mean to insult you."

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