Page 28 of Forty Days and One Knight
Her smile lit up her face, and it annoyed Darius that his body had a physical response to it. He quickly sat and willed his dick to behave. Shit, he was thirteen years older than her, and she was a rape victim—he shouldn’t be thinking about her in any sexual way. But when she smiled at him like that, all thoughts of him treating her like she was a kid sister fled his mind. The next few months were going to be an exercise in mind over body.
“Darius?”
He nearly jumped across the room when she placed her hand on his knee. Gulping, he tried to ignore the heat being transferred through his jeans to his skin. “Hmm?”
“I asked you a question.”
She had?
His brow raised. “Um, sorry, I—uh—zoned out for a moment.”
She giggled. “Apparently. I asked if we could spend some time together, when you are not working. Now that we are not running for our lives, we will need to get to know each other better—our likes and dislikes. When the palace announces our engagement, the media will want to see us in public and will be asking questions. It is best that we know how to respond.”
Darius couldn’t think with her hand on his leg. He laid his on hers, tucked his fingers under her palm, and moved both their hands to the couch next to him. Before he could let go, Tahira set her other hand on top of his. Darius lifted his gaze to hers and was startled to see tears welling in her eyes while her bottom lip trembled.
“I am sorry, Darius. You—you do not have to go through with this. We will tell my parents it was a mistake and not to announce—”
The despair in her voice and eyes was his undoing. Using his free hand, he quieted her by setting two fingers on her lips. "Shh. I made you a promise, and I'm not going to back out now. I care about you, Tahira. We’ll get through this—together.”
Her tongue peeked out to moisten her lips, but it caught the pads of his fingers as well. He knew it hadn't been intentional on her part when her eyes widened, and she pulled back a few inches. But it was too late. Darius's dick was throbbing as he stared at her mouth. What he wouldn't give to find out if her pillowy lips were as soft as they looked.
Her youth wasn't a problem for him—he'd dated women over ten years his junior before, as long as they were mature beyond their years—but Tahira’s innocencewasan issue. In almost every way, she was still a virgin. She didn't remember most of her assault, and he assumed she'd never actually seen a naked man in the flesh.
A thought occurred to him. After they divorced and if she remarried, how would she explain her naïveté to her new husband?
Seriously, asshole? You're looking for an excuse to get her into your bed?
Well, technically, she'll be in your bed after the wedding. How would you both explain why you're sleeping in separate bedrooms?It was a good thing Darius could sleep almost anywhere, because it looked like he'd be spending the months after their wedding sleeping on the floor next to her bed.
Shit!Every time he thought this scheme of his was going to be easy, his mind found all the reasons why it wasn't going to be. But he couldn’t turn his back on Tahira now. Without revealing the reasoning behind the sham marriage, Darius was the only eligible male candidate. Ian and Dr. Moreau were already married.
"I care about you too, Darius." She hesitated, seemingly uncertain, but then, before he knew what she was doing, she closed the distance between them and brushed her lips against his.
His cock jumped for joy, but a stunned Darius held himself still. The last thing he wanted to do was scare the hell out of her. Maybe Ian had been right. Darius could use the time before the divorce to help Tahira get past her rape—if she was willing. They wouldn't need to have intercourse—she would probably want to wait and share that particular intimacy with the man she eventually fell in love with—but kissing and petting would give her some experience. He could even show her what it was like to have an orgasm, if she wanted him to. He would just have to take care of his own needs when he was alone.
Her voice was so soft, he almost didn't hear her. "I am sorry. I have never been so forward with a man. I do not even know how to kiss a man—I have never done it before. I am sorry if I did it wrong."
What?
Tahira moved to stand, but Darius squeezed the hand he was still holding, causing her to freeze. Her gaze was on the floor as a blush bloomed on her cheeks. He squeezed her hand again. "Tahira, look at me."
When her bottom lip quivered and she didn't move, he brought his hand to her chin and turned her head so she was facing him. Her cheeks grew even redder—her bruised one and the finger marks on her jaw still enraging him—and her gaze was on his chest. He tilted her chin up and dropped his voice to what he hoped was the commanding tone he'd heard his Dom friends use on their women. "I said, 'look at me,' Princess." When her eyes finally focused on his, he continued in a soothing tone. "You didn't do anything wrong and being innocent is nothing to be ashamed of." His thumb caressed her jawline. "In fact, I think it makes you that much more attractive."
Seconds passed as they stared into each other's eyes, and Darius found himself bewitched by her wholesome expression. Her pink tongue darted out again, and his gaze zeroed in on her plump mouth.
"Would ... would you teach me how to kiss? I—I mean, we will have to kiss once for the public after the ceremony and I—”
Not letting her finish, Darius leaned forward and cupped her jaw with both hands, drawing her closer. He was going to hell, but damned if he could stop himself from saying, "I'd be honored, Princess. Close your eyes."
Instead of her lids shutting, her eyes grew wide again. "Why—”
"Do you trust me, Tahira?”
She nodded as best she could with her head in his hands. "More than anyone, Darius. I know you would never hurt me."
She was right. He'd cut off his left nut before ever intentionally hurting her. "Then close your eyes."
Shit, if that tongue of hers peeked out between her lips one more time, he was going to suck it into his mouth. She was killing him, but a gentile kiss was as far as they were going to go tonight. As he patiently waited, her eyelids finally dropped.
