“Okay,” she said, turning her face toward him. He leaned down and kissed her mouth.
She remained frozen to the spot for several seconds after the door closed with Kam and Angus on the other side of it. Finally she roused herself. In the kitchen, she decided against the wine and instead chose a bottle of water. She chugged down a third of it in seconds. Something about opening those intimate gifts in front of Kam, and then his melting kiss, had left her parched and . . .
. . . thirsty for sensation.
• • •
When Kam returned to the condo with Angus in tow, Lin was nowhere to be seen. A ripple of anxiety went through him. Had he scared her off with his purchase? He certainly hadn’t thought so as he closely watched her reaction as she opened the packages, but maybe he’d been kidding himself.
“Lin?” he called.
“I’m back here,” came her clear voice from the direction of the master bedroom suite.
He exhaled in relief. “I’ll be there in a second.”
Anticipation started to build in him as he finally loosened the restraining bow tie. He washed up in the bathroom. When he walked into the bedroom, he froze in the act of unfastening the second button on his shirt. Lin stood by the side of the four-poster bed. She wore not only the lace and silk black gown he’d bought her, but also a thick leather cuff on both wrists and ankles. His cock swelled tight in automatic appreciation.
She’d brushed her lustrous hair so that it fell in loose waves down her back and one shoulder. The gown fit her like it’d been made for her; the lace clinging tightly to her slender rib cage and emphasizing her thrusting breasts. The top curves of her breasts were left exposed, the firm, feminine flesh looking like a delectable, erotic feast. He’d been right. The vision of her lithesome, graceful limbs and pale, smooth skin contrasting with the thick leather cuffs acted like a shock to his system, tensing his muscles, making his blood flow fast and hot, readying him in an instant.
He walked toward her, his gaze unwavering. He whipped off his bow tie and tossed it in the direction of an armchair. She wore that sober, watchful expression that always killed him a little, her large, lustrous eyes drawing him in like magnets.
“You look like something out of a dream,” he said.
A small smile curved her lips. “A good one, I hope.”
“The best.” He stepped forward and reached for one of her hands. He drew it out into an extended position. The skin on her inner arms was especially pale and vulnerable looking next to the thick cuff. He placed his hand beneath her elbow, lifting her arm, and lowered his head. He pressed her lips to the satiny patch of warm skin on the underside of her elbow, moving his head slightly, absorbing the exquisite softness of her skin. She gasped softly when he pressed the tip of his tongue to her fluttering pulse, tasting her.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said, straightening. “I’ve never told you, but I think it every time I look at you.”
Her small smile faded. It suddenly struck him how intense he’d sounded. He gave a small shrug and gently placed her hand back by her side. “I just thought you should know,” he said, removing his tux jacket and hanging it on the corner of the chair.
“Thank you,” she said somberly, watching him. He sat briefly, removing his shoes and socks. The skin of his chest, belly, and arms prickled beneath her stare a moment later when he hastily removed his dress shirt. He started to walk to her, but she met him halfway, her arms encircling his neck. He brought her against him, his hands opening at the small of her silk-covered back. She lifted her face, her lush mouth calling to him. Earlier when they’d talked and made love in front of the mirror, he’d never kissed her. That deprivation cut at him now, swelling his desire. He nipped at her pink lips briefly before he fell on her, kissing her deeply and thoroughly, drowning in her. God, he loved her mouth. She moaned and kissed him back with equal fervor, her supple body molding tight against him, the sensation of her firm breasts and hard, lace-covered nipples pressing against his bare chest, fevering him.
He lifted his head from the sweet heat of her mouth a moment later. He placed his open hands on either side of her jaw and met her dark-eyed stare.
“Can I restrain you to the bed?” he asked gruffly.
“Yes,” she said without hesitation, but he noticed the flicker of anxiety in her eyes. He caressed her cheeks and forehead with his fingertips. “I am going to use your gifts on you,” he said honestly. “But I’m not going to do anything until you’re ready. We’re both going to find out what you like and don’t like, do you understand? You have to tell me.”
“I understand. I’m not afraid,” she whispered. He bent to kiss her mouth yet again, touched by her courage and honesty.
She’d placed the bag of things from E at the foot of the bed. He found the restraint straps and attached them to the four corner posters, gauging how much length he needed from Lin’s height. “Come over here,” he beckoned to her when he’d finished. He turned to her when she approached, smiling for reassurance. “I’m going to take off your pretty gown,” he murmured, “and then you can lie down on your back. I want you to be comfortable.”
She nodded, her big eyes glued to his face. He ran his hands along her soft shoulders, rolling back the thin straps. When he lowered the straps to her arms, anticipation cutting at him, she started to draw through her hands, assisting him.
“No,” he said, meeting her stare. She slowly dropped her hands to her sides. “Give me this pleasure. I want to undress you. I want to control every move, because I want to own every gasp you make, every shiver, and every second of your pleasure. You may think that’s selfish. Maybe it is, because I plan to guide you to heaven, and if I do my job, I will have found it, too. Do you understand?”