Page 15 of His Own Heaven

Tightening his hand in her hair, he pulled her head to one side and leaned down to murmur in her ear. “Do you know how to sew?”

A choking noise came from the back of her throat. “I beg your pardon?”

“It’s a simple question, Lucy,” Toby said, straightening so he could stare down at her guarded expression. He ignored Charlie, smirking at him over the top of Lucy’s head. “Yes or no?”

Lucy swallowed hard. “Uh, yes, Sir. I can sew a little, stitch on buttons, mend small tears, that sort of thing.” She licked her lips nervously. “May I ask why?”

Releasing her hair, he slid his hands to the front of her blouse and fingered the thin, silky fabric, teased a fingertip under the edge of the plunging neckline and tugged it away from her warm body. “Because I’ve changed my mind,” he said. “I do want to undress you myself.”

Then he ripped her top clean in half, the sound of tearing fabric an exclamation mark punctuating the mood in the room.

Any wariness that lingered in Lucy’s gaze was completely obliterated by the lust he saw there now, the emotion darkening her whisky-coloured eyes to a deep amber that shone with need.

Toby tipped his chin at his brother. “Strip her. I want her naked and on her knees.”

Charlie got to work and tugged the remains of Lucy’s shirt off, then worked her skinny jeans down her legs—and not in any way that could be construed as sexy. Lucy rolled her lips between her teeth and laughed silently as Charlie struggled to remove the skintight denim.

“How the bloody hell did you even get these things on?” he grumbled, practically turning the jeans inside out to pull them off her legs.

“Trade secret,” she said, snickering, her hands on Charlie’s shoulders for balance as he yanked the clothing free of her feet.

Toby lifted his hands to his own shirt and began slipping the buttons loose, but when his brother finished stripping off Lucy’s outer layers, leaving her standing there in nothing but bits of creamy lace pretending to be panties and a bra, he gave his shirt the same consideration he’d given hers and ripped it open. Lucy laughed freely whilst shielding herself from flying buttons. The sound was the perfect blend of sultry and joyous. It was a sound he could definitely get used to hearing more often.

After dropping his ruined shirt to the ground, Toby grabbed a wide cushion from the daybed behind him and tossed it on the floor by his feet. Then he looked at Lucy… and did a double take.

A flash of metal winked at him from where she stood under the soft conservatory lighting.

Charlie had removed her bra and was crouched behind her, helping her step out of her panties, which explained why he hadn’t said anything.

His brother obviously hadn’t seen what Toby was staring at, with his mouth hanging open and his heart pounding in his chest and his breath sawing in and out of his lungs like a fifteen-year-old kid getting his first real glimpse at actual boobs.

Lucy’s nipples were pierced, each rosy bud transected by a shiny silver bar.

Toby hadn’t thought his cock could get much harder.

He was wrong.

And sure, he’d seen piercings before, but he’d never seen them attached to breasts as gorgeous as Lucy’s. She was an ancient goddess come to life, her breasts so pretty and perfect they deserved to be worshipped. He reached out to touch her, to pluck at those hardened peaks and feel them against his fingertips, but pulled his hand back before he made contact. Any words of praise his brain could conjure dried on the tip of his tongue, because if he touched her now, he could kiss foreplay goodbye. If he felt the softness of her breasts, felt the heat of her body warm his touch, he knew he’d lose control.Him. Tobias ‘The Control Freak’ Bennett. He would take her hard, fast, and unprepared. He would hurt her.

Mustn’t hurt her.

Lucy shifted nervously as he continued staring at her, then lifted her arms to cover her chest.

“Don’t!” he said sharply, then breathed a small sigh of relief when she lowered her arms to her sides once more. “I’m a man of few words, Lucy,” he continued, reining in his emotions as he continued staring at her nipples, “but no one has ever rendered me speechless before.”

Charlie stood up then and frowned at the pair of them. “What are you talking a… bout,” he said, finally seeing what Toby did. His eyebrows shot up into his hairline. “Fuck me,” he breathed. “That’s hot.”

Lucy sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and ducked her head, a pale blush staining her cheeks. Toby immediately reached out and hooked a knuckle under her chin, lifted her face back to his.

“Don’t ever hide from me,” he said gently. “No matter what, okay?”

She smiled, and the blush on her cheeks darkened. “Yes, Sir,” she replied, standing taller again, her confidence shining through.

Toby traced his fingertips along her collarbone, enjoyed her little shiver and quick intake of breath when they glanced over the scarred flesh near her shoulder. “I enjoy hearing that word on your lips.”

“Which word?” she said, her lips twitching into a secretive smile. “Sir?”

“The other one. I hope to hear it a lot tonight. Starting now,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. “Get on your knees.”

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