Page 54 of Never Tell Lies

My hands twisted as we rose to the top floor. What if I wasn’t good enough? He was so much more experienced than me. What if I wasn’t skilled enough? Or pretty enough? His thumb rubbed against my nape, sending delicious shivers down my spine and once more quieting my thoughts as if he could hear how loud they were getting. I looked up at him.

“How do you know to do that? Are you psychic?”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m not psychic. Just observant.” He cast a shrewd eye down at me. “You play with your necklace when you’re worrying.” I looked down. I hadn’t noticed my iron grip on my necklace, but I didn’t release it. “Also, this,” he reached for my mouth and carefully eased my bottom lip out from between my teeth. “But I like it when you do that.” The moment stretched between us, broken by the doors opening right into the suite.

I stepped into the room and found myself in a space straight out of Luxury Living. A small circular table stood in the centre of the foyer and I left my clutch on it as I stepped further into the room. My jaw dropped. This wasn’t a hotel room, it was a fucking penthouse. Not that I knew what a penthouse looked like exactly, but this had to be close.

To my left was a kitchen, complete with charcoal countertops and chrome finishings. A glass dining table sat in the centre of the open plan space. I trailed my fingers along the smooth surface as I turned, taking everything in.

In front of me, cream drapes framed windows and beyond them was a vast balcony. To my right was a cream three-piece suite and a huge flat screen mounted on the wall. The wall broke off on either side. On the left a corridor, leading off to who knew where, and on the right was a staircase. I had a pretty good idea where that led to.

I could feel Alfie’s watchful eye, trying to gauge my reaction as I took in my alien surroundings. I turned to face him.

“It’s a bit of a shithole, isn’t it?” His face stilled for just a moment before it broke into the most beautiful smile. “Alfie! I made you laugh!” I giggled, feeling the tension melt away.

He clenched his jaw as if he was trying to stop the laughter escaping but it was too late. He was capable of joy and now I knew it. He ran a hand over his jaw, trying to hide his smile. Surprising myself, I reached up and curled my fingers around his wrist, pulling his hand away. I was tired of him hiding that smile from me.

His gaze held mine searching, searching for what? Surprising myself further, I stepped into him and lifted up on my toes. Alfie had kissed me so many times, always possessive, always controlled, but what if I…

I brushed my lips against his and felt him stiffen against me, breaking the kiss.

“What are you doing?”

“I can’t kiss you?”

He didn’t answer me, just stood there, as if trying to decipher me. My heart was beating so hard, I was sure he could feel it through my chest. I reached up, gently touching my fingertips to his face and kissed him softly. His lips felt like silk against my own. I wanted to stay in this moment forever but I pulled away. Did he like it? He looked from my eyes to my mouth and back to my eyes again.

“Do it again.” His voice was hoarse, a desperate plea hidden behind the order. My mouth found him immediately. He stood still, letting me kiss him, his lips following my lead. It felt strange to be in control.

His fists clenched at his side before he suddenly broke away. “Enough.” Before I could respond, his hand found my throat and any control he’d allowed me before was gone. He dominated my mouth, taking every sliver of power back before releasing me, breathless. My body swam, awash with a whirl of emotions.

“Alfie…” I breathed, not knowing what to do, how to tell him how overwhelmed I was.

“I know, baby. I know.” He straightened, his eyes locked on mine as he shrugged out of his jacket, folded it, and lay it over the back of a dining chair. His tie went next, folded neatly on the table. I followed the trail of his fingers as they deftly undid each button of his shirt, revealing his porcelain skin inch by inch. He shrugged off his shirt and lay it over the jacket.

I gazed at him in awe. An odd, proprietary feeling came over me. This man was made for me, a living embodiment of my every fantasy. He felt like mine. I traced my fingers over his skin, wanting to explore this man that was bespoke to me. He watched, wary yet curious once more as I travelled the planes of his forearms, feeling the muscle under his skin as I explored further. His shoulders were strong, powerful. My fingertips skated down over his pectorals, dancing over the ridges of his abdominal muscles and dipping into the V of his hips.

Following my baser instincts, I knelt and licked the indent of his hip bone, kissing across to the other side and licking there too. I looked up at him, catching his hooded gaze, and with a nerve I didn’t know I had, I leaned my cheek lovingly against the bulge of his erection still encased in his trousers. I held his gaze as I nuzzled him gently, wanting so badly to unzip him and take him in my mouth.What is happening to me?

His hand fisted my hair as his jaw clenched with desire. I expected him to undo his trousers and take advantage of my mouth, but instead he lifted me, pulling me to my feet. He devoured me once more, kissing me until my lips felt swollen. He pulled away and my mouth followed his, desperate for more. He gave a low chuckle.

“How can a woman be so powerful yet so needy?”Powerful?I wasn’t powerful. I was helpless in his arms. He turned me. I held my breath as he lowered the zip of my dress, revealing skin from the nape of my neck to the small of my back.

This was it. Nerves hit me like a freight train, and just like before, he was there to ease them away. He planted small kisses down my spine as he parted the material, small kisses that singed my skin, distracting me from fear. He pushed the dress down my arms, and in one smooth movement I was naked, save for my night blue underwear set and heels. He could see me. Alfie Tell could see me.

He stalked around me until he faced me again. I watched him, waiting, my heart about to beat out of my chest. Tension hung between us as taut as a bow string as he looked over my body. I fought the urge to cover myself, to hide my insecurities from his silent appraisal, and forced myself to stay still and let him look at me.

I met his gaze as he stepped to me and gasped when he reached between my thighs and cupped me, his touch harsh.

He eyed me, a look of ownership.This is mine,it said.

To emphasise his unspoken words he squeezed me, the pressure on my aching core making my thighs tremble. I bit my lip to hold back a groan. He gave me that knowing smile and I lunged for him, his steel greys widening slightly in surprise as I claimed his mouth as mine.

I pulled away, eyeing his mouth and then him.This is mine, my look told him.

With a growl, he slammed me back against the wall, lifting me until my legs clamped around his waist, pulling him to me so tightly he had no need to hold me up.

We ravished each other.

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