Page 7 of Sinful Chains

“You’re staring,” he murmured as he reached for a shrimp.

I swallowed hard. “It looks delicious.”

He smirked. “Me, or the food?”

I rolled my eyes playfully as he dipped the shrimp into the sauce, smiling when he leaned in and held it an inch from my lips. The sharp, tangy smell of the cocktail sauce made my mouth water.

Storm watched me. Waited. Patient and controlled.

“Open.”

I opened my mouth and took a bite, leaving a little for him, which he promptly sucked out of the tail.

He reached for an oyster shell, carefully tipping it into his palm.

“Open,” he ordered again, his voice a little rougher.

Not a fan of oysters, I parted my lips just enough, allowing him to press the shell against them. He tilted it slowly, letting the oyster slide onto my tongue, cool and briny. His thumb brushed my lower lip, wiping away a stray drop of liquor.

I swallowed, letting the flavor linger. Somehow, it tasted better coming from him.

“You like that?” he asked, his gaze darkening.

“Don’t you know what I like by now?”

His low chuckle warmed me. “I’m what you might call a lifelong learner.”

“Really, Professor?” I tilted my head. “I would have thought you’d be teachingme.”

“Oh, I can do that, too.”

I clenched my thighs together, stimulating myself. “After everything we’ve done, I’m not sure I need to learn anything else.”

He reached out to trail his fingers lightly over my wrist. “Trust me, sweetheart. You do.”

After dinner, we didn’t make it far past the restaurant exit before he pulled me in, his mouth crashing into mine. The kiss was slow and deep, his fingers curling around the back of my neck, holding me there, drinking me in.

I melted into him, wishing we could stay like this all night. I had plans for him, things I wanted to do and experience, just the two of us. The way he was kissing me, I justknewwe were on the same page, but then he pulled back, his eyes glinting in the moonlight.

“I enjoyed having you all to myself tonight,” he said.

“The night doesn’t have to end.”

His eyes dropped to my lips. “I have work to do.”

Frustration burned through me, the sting of rejection strong and unrelenting. “What could be more important than us, without a crowd?”

He smirked, brushing his thumb over my lower lip. “I’ll make it up to you, princess.”

“When?”

Even as I said it, I felt stupid. I sounded desperate, and that wasn’t like me. I just didn’t know how to navigate this yet. Once I taste something I like, I only want it more. I wanna binge and gorge until I get sick of it, then do it all over again.

“Soon,” was all he said. “And hopefully, by that time, you’ll be ready for me."

Chapter three

They say you can’tmiss what you’ve never had.

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