Page 204 of Vexatious Queen

He stepped in behind me, his hand closing around my throat. The pressure was light, deliberate, and enough to spike my pulse.

“You’re a bad girl, Princess. Dragging me away from dinner. Making me want you like this.”

He nipped my ear and sucked the lobe into his mouth, his tongue brushing the diamond stud.

“Bend over.”

“You’re insatiable, Collier,” I said softly.

“You don’t know the half of it.” His hand slid away. “Now be a good girl and bend over.”

His grip locked on my hips. I barely had time to brace myself against the leather before he thrust into me, a broken sound tearing from my mouth. I bit back the next cry as he pulled out and drove back in, unapologetic.

“Fuck,” he groaned. “You feel unreal.”

He didn’t slow. Each movement stole my breath and left me shaking. The couch shifted across the carpet, wood creaking beneath us, but Nash only held me tighter. The sound of us filled the room.

Pressure coiled again, my body rocked with his, and every stroke hit deep.

“Come on my cock,” he ordered. “Right there. Don’t hold back.”

His rhythm turned rough, uneven. “Fuck… can’t⁠—”

He froze behind me, a low rumble emanating from his chest.

That was it. His loss of control sent me over the edge. My body tightened and broke apart, while stars burst behind my eyes.

We went still, the room quiet except for our breathing.

“I think you’re trying to kill me.”

He huffed a laugh. “Only if I go with you.”

He pulled out and ran a finger slowly up my leg, collecting our combined arousal as he went, then he touched my lip. I sucked it clean, smiling at the sound he made. He did it again until there was nothing left.

He smoothed my dress down, zipped himself up, and then kissed me—slowly, deliberately.

“I could do that again.”

“No.” I shook my head. “We’re going back.”

He sighed dramatically but took my hand and led me to the door.

“I have no idea how you do that,” I said, marvelling at his ability to see in the dark. Nash chuckled.

“Lots of practice.”

“Do I want to know?”

“Probably not, and no, it wasn’t because of other girls. It was best if my father couldn’t see me. So, I learned to move through the house with the lights off. It’s a habit now.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, hating that we couldn’t just wipe the stain of Lawrence’s memory completely from our lives.

“Don’t be, I’m not. At least not about that.”

Nash opened the door and peeked into the hall before stepping out. I followed, pausing only to readjust my dress. Nash smoothed my hair, and I helped him settle his from sticking out in all directions.

“You look stunning,” Nash said as I took his arm once more.