Page 68 of A Heart So Savage

“You are so damn beautiful, lamb,” he breathed in reverence. “Like the goddess of springtime.”

Ava blushed, her arms coming up to cross over her breasts.

Seeing her like this was a shocking reminder that the pretty, pale pink of her nipples was the same exact shade as the inside of her sweet pussy. Kingston fought his arousal, determined to be a gentleman at least until the waxing was over. But it was difficult when the woman he was obsessed with was just a few feet away. Gorgeous. Nude. Shy. And most importantly, obediently standing before him for as long as he wanted to look at her.

Dragging his heated gaze over her body one more time, Kingston growled, “Put your robe on now, Ava.”

“Okay,” she responded softly. Snatching the garment up from the table, she plunged her arms into the sleeves and quickly tied the belt around her narrow waist.

Which was precisely when the technician knocked on the door and entered the room.

“Hello, Miss Blue. I’m Mary and I’ll be taking care of you today. My notes say this is your first time getting a wax of any sort?” Mary tilted her head down, studying Ava over the rim of her readers. She was an attractive older woman with dark brown eyes and a head full of darker brown curls pulled back in a low ponytail. Kingston knew immediately that Mary, with her wide friendly smile and comforting aura, put Ava at ease. The tension in her shoulders relaxed as Mary began preparing the necessary items.

“Yes. First time. And please, call me Ava.” Ava giggled, and Kingston could only stare at his little prisoner, entranced by the sweet, lilting sound. “As close and as personal as we’re about to be, I’m fine with being on a first-name basis.”

Mary laughed in appreciation. “All right, Ava. That’s a deal.” Her attention swung to Kingston, a speculative gleam in her dark eyes. “I see you bought some moral support.”

“Not only that, but financial as well,” Ava quipped, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she studied his reaction. “Mister Winter is mostly here to hold my hand and whisper words of encouragement. If it hurts too much, I’m allowed to dig my fingers into his hand as hard as I like. And since I chew my nails, I’m also allowed to use teeth on him. He should feel some pain, too, since this was his idea.”

“You will feel a bit of discomfort, but it is minimal. Our biggest concern is that you refrain from sex of any kind for a while. We recommend at least twenty-four hours, but for some people, it’s okay to indulge before that.” Mary helped Ava remove the robe and get up on the bed.

“Bet you didn’t know that, did you?” Ava crowed, flashing Kingston a grin filled with smug victory.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

Kingston was stunned by Ava’s playful cheekiness. And so fucking turned on, he needed to cross his legs to conceal his bulging erection.

He listened as Mary patiently explained the procedure for the Brazilian wax, slightly gratified when apprehension slipped over Ava’s suddenly pale features. When she glanced his way, he was the one with the smug smile. “Feel free to bite me when it gets to be too much.”

Ava’s eyes narrowed, although a reluctant smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Oh, I will. I won’t hold back, either. Not even a tiny bit.”

“I hope not, little savage.” He liked this version of Ava. The quick-wittedness she exhibited when sparring with him was a welcome change from the sadness she usually wore.

I’m the reason for a lot of that sadness.

Kingston ducked his head with that internal reminder.

Ava, to her credit, never made a peep while being waxed. Nor did she reach for his hand or even act like she needed support. If there was pain, she bore it well, and that had Kingston fantasizing about all the ways he could make her cry out for him.

The last area to be treated was her underarms, and Ava let out another giggle as Mary spread the heated wax there.

“Sorry,” Ava said, training her eyes on the ceiling, her body shaking with laughter. “I’ve always been very ticklish there.”

“Oh, I get it,” Mary replied. “Touch me behind my knees and I might just drop-kick you.”

Kingston’s head tilted. How did he not know Ava was ticklish? He knew everything about her. Or, at least, he thought he did.

With a slight frown, he filed that bit of information away for future use.

“All right, sweetie. We’re all done here.” Mary snapped off the surgical gloves and helped Ava sit up. Handing her the robe, Mary quickly went over the aftercare instructions. “You should repeat the waxing in about three or four weeks. After that, the time between treatments will naturally become longer and longer. Now, take your time getting dressed and we’ll get you set up for your next appointment.”

“We’ll need a few minutes. No more than a half-hour,” Kingston murmured, coming to his feet. Opening his wallet, he pulled out a couple of crisp hundred-dollar bills and handed them to Mary. “For you and your discretion, Mary. And as thanks for taking such excellent care of my Ava today.”

From the corner of his eye, Kingston saw Ava bite her bottom lip at the exchange. Or maybe it was his choice of words that caused her discomfort.

My Ava.

Mary’s eyebrows rose high, but after a second of consideration, she grinned and tucked the money into her pocket. “My pleasure, Mister Winter. Take your time. There’s certainly no rush. It was so wonderful meeting you, Ava. The robe is complimentary so feel free to take it home with you. I hope I see you again at the next appointment. You can request me if you like.”

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