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The paths we had walked might have been different, but in the end we were both bruised, bloody, and broken in a way others would never understand, with a void that beckoned our battered souls, always waiting to pounce in moments of weakness.
On tiptoes, I reached for him across the table, stroking his downcast face, and he leaned into my hand, soft stubble tickling my palm. A soft moan drifted across the table as my hand remained against his cheek, not willing to retreat when he clearly needed validation and reassurance. His eyes lifted to meet mine, and the hint of loneliness that usually marked his smoky grays was on full display.
Had he received any affection as a child? Did these small gestures melt his heart like they did mine?
When my stomach grumbled again, I retreated to my side ofthe table and reclaimed my dropped silverware. We finished the remainder of the main course in silence, though the earlier tension had dissipated, replaced with an uneasy angst. Glancing around the table once my plate was cleared, I searched for the promised chocolate cake.
Ruslan tracked me with veiled amusement. “What are you searching for?”
“Dessert. I love chocolate cake,” I replied, a bit deflated since it was nowhere to be found.
“Cedomir will be back with that. I like it hot from the oven, topped with frozen cream.”
“That sounds incredible,” I breathed, my body buzzing with anticipation of the decadent dessert.
He flashed a roguish grin. “I know. I have a horrible sweet tooth. I have to train twice a day to work off the calories.”
“Guess I should join you if I don’t want to be the size of a house,” I said.
“I can think of other ways to burn off the calories with you.” The low, seductive voice curled my toes, and an image of him moving on top of me flashed through my mind. I broke his gaze, hiding just how much he affected me with his provocative statement.
A knock sounded a moment later – thank the Goddess – and Ruslan waved a hand, the doors opening of their own accord. Cedomir carried a tray laden with massive slices of chocolate cake and two bowls of frozen cream. He placed one in front of each of us, then deposited a small cup of melted chocolate in the middle. He was gone as quickly as he came, and Ruslan turned his predatory gaze on me while the doors swung shut with an ominous finality.
Spooning the frozen cream onto his cake, he licked the spoon slowly, flattening his tongue over it as he pulled it from his sinister mouth. Next, he dipped his spoon into the cup ofmelted chocolate, drizzling the brown liquid like light rain across his plate.
Forcing a swallow through my thick throat, I turned my attention to my own dessert, mimicking his motions and drizzling chocolate over my slice. With a spoon, I stabbed at the frozen cream before scooping hot cake and lifting the combination to my mouth. It was rich and spongy, the perfect mix of sweetness with a hint of salt, while the heat of the melted chocolate contrasted with the cool cream. Each bite was like an orgasm in my mouth. I moaned with the same level of passion.
Ruslan’s eyes were black as he watched me like he would devour me, and I knew once this cake was gone, I was on the menu. He sat preternaturally still, his gaze never leaving my lips, and I was way too warm under his scrutiny, despite the flimsy dress I wore. I dragged out my last few bites, the fluttering in my stomach threatening to return them to my plate, and Ruslan flexed his hands repeatedly, one knee bouncing beneath the table and lightly shaking the floor. On my last bite, he lifted the cup of melted chocolate off the table, stirring it with his spoon to keep it from hardening. The second I swallowed my last bite, his chair legs scraped against the floor with a force that sent the hairs on my arms rising.
In two powerful strides, he caged me in his arms, and I barely had time for a breath before his lips crashed against mine. His kiss was furious, and he insistently swiped his tongue across my lips, begging me to open them. I acquiesced, moaning as our chocolate-coated tongues intertwined.
This was wrong, so wrong; and yet, my body felt electrified under his touch.
His strong hands grasped either side of my hips and forced me to wrap my legs around his waist. Without breaking apart, he walked us to a nearby couch, flattening me against it andpeeling my legs from his torso. “Wait here,” he instructed, making quick work of collecting the melted chocolate from the table.
My curiosity pushed me to my elbows, and my eyes roamed him as he knelt beside me. The silk slip was barely long enough to cover the tops of my thighs, and I wore nothing underneath. My position lifted the already dangerously high hem, and I tugged at the bottom in an attempt to cover what little dignity remained in my thrumming body. He growled and swatted my hand away, and I stilled, watching him warily as his hand found the strap on my shoulder, pushing it away so that it fell down my arm.
My breath snagged in my chest, my mind screaming no but my body screaming yes. I remained frozen, at war with myself, while Ruslan slipped the other strap off my shoulder. “Wait,” I said breathlessly, as the silky fabric came to rest near the crook of my elbow.
His vanilla scent overwhelmed me as he brought his face close to mine. “I told you that I want you to come to me willingly. I won’t take what isn’t rightfully mine, not from you.”
“I know,” I panted, shaking my head, guilt and lust shoving at each other to gain the upper hand in my emotional battle.
“Then what is the issue? Don’t deny that you feel this pull between us,” he growled, and I turned my head, the lie I almost released into the air hanging on my tongue.
Because that was the problem – an all too familiar thread pulled me to Ruslan, just like it had to Kazimir. But that couldn’t be right, unless this feeling was only the product of desire.
“Look at me, sprite,” he snapped, and I released a shaky breath, meeting his steely gaze with determination not to falter. “Let me show you how much you mean to me.” Those words held none of his earlier fire, the usual cockiness absent in his tone, and I wished he’d force me into this, so I could blame himinstead of myself. My anger was much easier to wield than whatever… this was.
“You’ll stop when I say stop?” I wanted confirmation, though with his reaction to what I’d told him of my abuse, I knew deep down that he'd never force anything on me that I did not want. The dichotomy of his persona had become more apparent over our time together; with me, he was different than when others were around.
“Yes,” he swore, sincerity dancing in his eyes.
Closing my eyes and inhaling sharply, I surrendered. A drop of something fell across my chest, and I remained absolutely still as Ruslan drizzled the melted chocolate across my collarbone and the dip between my breasts. The liquid was still warm, but not enough to burn, and the anticipation of each delectable drip had me clenching my thighs together. He dropped the spoon back in the cup with a clang and set it to the side. Hot breath fanned across my shoulder, and his lips found the pool of chocolate at my collarbone. Planting a featherlight kiss on the bone, he lapped at the delicious darkness adorning it, then drank from the puddle, smearing its remnants on my chest as he trailed his tongue across it. I bit back a groan, attempting to cover my reaction to his sensual touch.
I wanted that tongue somewhere else, and I hated him for it; but I hated myself even more.
He sucked and licked his way down my opposite shoulder, stopping to nip at the top of my arm before returning to my heaving chest. My breath was strained as I tried to hide the depths of my arousal, but when he sucked at the dip between my breasts, an involuntary gasp left my lips. I felt him grin against me before he moved on to the melted chocolate that threatened to stain the silky fabric as it mixed with a light sheen of sweat. His tongue mapped the peaks and valleys of my exposed breasts until none of the delicious treat remained.
