Page 86 of The Devil's Pawn

“Finish the sentence.” He presses light kisses to my shoulder. A rash of goosebumps pepper my skin. “Say it.” When I’m silent, he grinds out, “Say it, Imogen.”

The words fall out on an exhale. “Sleep with me.”

He rolls me onto my back and looms over me, his eyes glittering. Dangerous. Irresistible.

“Is that what you want?”

I rub my lips between my teeth and nod.

“Use your words. If you want something, ask for it. Demand it. Be direct.”

My face gets hot, as though I’ve taken a vacation on the surface of the sun. In fact, my entire body is on fire. “I want you. I mean I want your…” I motion to his groin area, and he chuckles.

“Where do you want it?”

“You know where.”

“I don’tknowanything. Not unless you tell me. You have three holes. Which one do you want me to fuck first?”

I’m visibly sweating now, even though the room is on the cool side. He’s so comfortable with dirty talk, but I can’t even say “dick” without my insides burning like a chili.

Unable to meet his eyes, I turn away. He presses a fingertip to my cheek and forces me to look at him once more.

“Imogen.”

Covering my face with my hands, I mutter, “I can’t.”

He straddles me and grips my wrists, pulling my hands apart. “Look at me.”

I shake my head, squeezing my eyes closed.

“Look at me.”

The command in his voice is impossible to resist. I slowly meet his gaze.

“Tell me.”

“Why?” I wail. “Why can’t you just do it? Why are you making this sohard?”

He’s punishing me for some sin I’m not aware I committed; he must be.

Moving closer, he runs the tip of his nose down mine, breathing in deeply. “Because, my sweet, innocent little pawn, I don’t know your body yet. I can’t read the cues. And while many men in my position wouldn’t ask, they’d only take, I’m not one of them. I’m an immoral man in lots of ways, but not this. Not with you. Your first time should be special. Memorable. I intend to make sure it is.”

His words turn my insides to mush. He’s not punishing me, he’s empowering me.

Gathering every ounce of courage, I force myself to lock eyes with him. “I want to lose my virginity to you. I want you to fuck me there.” I point at myself.

He chuckles. “Better. We’ll work on your dirty talk.”

I’m not sure it’s something that’ll ever come naturally to me, but I’m not about to start a discussion when the ache that’s been inside me for so long might soon be gone. The heaviness between my legs is a constant pressure, a torture I can’t wait to rid myself of.

He undresses me, taking his time about it. When I attempt to help, as I did that night in the stables, he tuts and wags his finger. Seeing a lighter side to him is intoxicating, and I hope after we’ve connected in the most intimate way a couple can, he’ll show me this side of him more often.

My panties are the last to go. He drops them beside the bed on top of the rest of my clothes. Running his palm from my neck to my abdomen, he lets out a contented sigh.

“I could stare at your body for hours.” He cups both my breasts, pushing them together. “Fucking these is going on the list.”

Another flush of heat warms my body. He’s cooking me from the inside out with his words alone.

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