Page 46 of Dirty Little Sins

"Life in general is a risk. You're just making excuses. You're afraid, but you need to make peace with that fear. It's what keeps us alive. We'd be boring without it. It's also the likely source of the panic attacks you have."

I shook my head, trying to deny what he said. But the shock of longing ripping through my body made that impossible. They weren't excuses, they were facts. This man was dangerous in more ways than one.

My instincts were screaming that there was a lot more at stake here than my career.

Yet, I wanted him far more than I wanted to escape. He was right about one thing though. There were facets of him that scared the hell out of me.

If I lost my heart to him, he could and probably would crush it.

"You know I'm right. Those excuses you keep making are your natural defenses. Until you learn how to let them down at the right time, with the right person, your fear is going to eat you alive."

We'd almost made it to the door when I started to shake. Instead of grabbing the handle and opening it so he could throw me out like I expected, he pushed me against it and nuzzled the back of my neck.

All of the heat and energy radiating from his body to mine made my nerve endings tingle with need. He had so much tension in his body. What he'd been through today had scared him and this was his way of admitting it. And trashing the suite had been him trying and failing to release it.

Despite everything that should and did scare me about him, I melted. He needed me and I need to give him that. It was the most natural give and take I could imagine and this was my chance.

"Take me to bed, Vincent. Show me what you mean." They were bold words I never used, but I wanted to prove him wrong. I wasn't going to let fear hold me back this time.

His breathy groan into my neck nearly did me in. I held my breath—waiting until slowly he turned me in his arms and studied my face.

I expected questions, but he must have seen the answers he needed without the words as he silently led me to the master suite. Once there, I stepped ahead of him and began working the zipper down on my dress. He gently brushed my fingers away and slid it slowly down my back until it stopped just above my ass.

Vincent sucked in a breath and I froze. That little sound had so much meaning it threatened my sanity. The longing sizzled and cracked between us as we stood still like that for several long minutes. With my stomach trembling and the ache in my breasts almost unbearable, I whisked the dress from my body and allowed it to pool at my feet.

I reached for the clasp of my bra and suddenly he was against me with his hand wrapped around my wrist in a firm hold.

"Don't," he warned.

A smile that he couldn't see curved my lips as a whisp of defiance swept through me and I twisted to face him while freeing my bra before he could stop me.

"Goddamnit, Zia."

I pulled the straps free and dropped the bra to join my dress on the floor. He swallowed hard as his gaze traveled down my body and back up again, a harder set to his jaw firmly in place and his fists clenched at his side. Not to mention the hunger in his eyes that guaranteed I was wet for him.

"Are you sure? This won't be soft or easy. I'm just not capable—"

"Please, Vincent." I pressed a hand to my trembling stomach before I slid it down and into my panties, until I settled my fingertips on top of my clit and rubbed in soft, slow circles. "I need you, too."

He watched, his body frozen as I dipped into the gathering moisture feeling more powerful than I'd ever felt before. My doubts and fears weren't gone, but they were receding by the second.

"Jesus, woman." He grabbed my hand and pulled my fingers free. "I'm not sure you understand what you are asking for, but you'd damn well better be prepared to use your safe word if you need it. Is that understood?"

I nodded and he shook his head.

"Fucking say it," he growled.

"I promise. I'll use my safe word if it's too much, but it won't—"

He swooped in and cut me off by slamming his lips against mine, immediately pushing his tongue into my mouth. I greedily accepted everything he gave and gave it back twice as good. When he broke the kiss and pushed my fingers into his mouth and licked them clean, I let loose with a low moan. That had to be about the hottest thing I'd ever seen him do.

He lifted me and carried me to the bed, wasting no time removing my panties before spreading my legs wide.

"This fucking pussy is mine. All mine. To do whatever I want with it. Touch it, eat it, fuck it. Whatever the hell I want." The intensity of his nearly black eyes devouring me as he spoke slayed me. I didn't know if he expected a response, but I was willing to give it no matter what.

"Yes." I gasped.

A wicked smile crossed his face as he hooked his arms under my thighs and lifted them over his shoulders, while at the same time grabbing both wrists and pinning them to the bed under my legs. In this position he had complete control and I could only wait. As his head lowered, my breath caught, waiting for that first touch of his mouth.

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