Page 88 of Knotting With A Stranger

Something softens in his expression, a glimpse of tenderness beneath the dominant Alpha exterior. “You’re not losing yourself. You’re discovering a new part of yourself. There’s a difference.”

“What if I don’t like what I discover?”

His lips quirk into a half-smile. “From where I’m sitting, there’s a lot to like.”

The compliment, delivered with such casual certainty, warms me from the inside out. Before I can overthink it, I reach out, my fingers closing around his erection. He’s hot and hard, impossibly smooth against my palm.

James hisses through his teeth, head falling back slightly. “Fuck, Lily.”

“That’s the general idea,” I quip, feeling a surge of power at having affected him so visibly.

His eyes snap back to mine, and the inferno I see there nearly melts me on the spot. “Smart mouth. I can think of better uses for it.”

The suggestion sends a jolt of electricity through me, awakening nerves I didn’t know existed. I’ve done this before, but never with someone like James, never with an Alpha. The thought should be intimidating. Instead, it’s thrilling.

“Show me,” I challenge, my voice huskier than I’ve ever heard it.

“You sure about this, baker girl?”

“I’m sure.” Through the heat haze, the confusion, the fear, and the doubt, one thing is crystal clear—I want James. Here. Now. Deep, down in my throat. “I want this. I want you.”

Something possessive flashes in his eyes. “Say it again.”

“I want you,” I repeat, leaning into his touch. “I’ve craved you since we first started chatting on the phone. Then I see you, and you have those cheekbones.”

A laugh rumbles through his chest, genuine amusement breaking through the sexual tension.

“They’re very distracting.” A smile tugs at my lips. “Almost as distracting as your ass in those jeans.”

“So, you were checking me out,” he says. “And here I thought you couldn’t stand me.”

“Oh, I couldn’t,” I assure him. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t notice... certain attributes.”

His laugh fades into a devilish smirk. “And now?”

I shrug, aiming for nonchalance despite our current position. “Now, I’m wondering if you can back up all that Alpha posturing with actual skill.”

It’s a bold challenge, one that makes his eyes narrow dangerously. “You’re playing with fire, little baker.” James’s hand slides into my damp hair, cradling the back of my head.

“Maybe I like getting burned,” I counter, echoing words I’ve said before but meaning them differently now. “Maybe I need it.”

James studies me for a long moment, as if weighing my sincerity. Whatever he sees in my expression must satisfy him, because his grip on my hair tightens just enough to send a tremble through me.

“Open up,” he commands. His gaze lowers to his cock.

I obey without thinking, letting instinct guide me. James’s groan of approval vibrates through me as I press my lips over the tip of his cock. His pre-cum is salty, sweet, soft, warm, and all mine. He groans, a deep, guttural sound that reverberates through my body. I open wider and take more of him in, slowly, deliberately.

A heady rush of power washes over me, despite my technically submissive position. I might be on my knees, but I’m the one making this powerful Alpha lose control. And the heat is overwhelming, the carnal pleasure a burning ache between my legs.

“Good girl,” he praises, and the words send an unexpected thrill through me. “Take your time and slide those beautiful lips lower.”

Time is the last thing on my mind. My heat has ramped up again, turning my blood to liquid fire, and I’m desperate for any form of relief. I push him farther into my mouth. God, he’s so big.

James’s hand guides me, not forcing but suggesting. His other hand cups my cheek, an oddly tender gesture given the circumstances.

“Look at me,” he commands softly.

I raise my eyes to his, and the darkness I find there nearly undoes me. He’s watching me with such force, such hunger, I feel simultaneously vulnerable and powerful.

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