“Learn to speak plainly when we’re in bed,” he ordered.
“Or what?” She was giddy, so happy with being his lover she felt like the sun was lodged inside her.
“Or I may not give you what you want.”
They were both silent a moment, bodies quieting.
“You did,” she said softly, adjusting her head against his shoulder. “Thank you.”
He didn’t say anything, but his hand moved thoughtfully in her hair.
A frozen spike of insecurity pierced her. “Did you like it?”
He snorted. “I have just finessed my way through initiating a particularly delicate virgin. My ego is so enormous right now, it’s a wonder you fit in the bed.”
* * *
Viveka woke to an empty bed, couldn’t find Mikolas in the penthouse, realized she was late for the gym and decided she was entitled to a bath. She was climbing out of it, a thick white towel loosely clutched around her middle, when he strolled in wearing his gym shorts and nothing else.
“Lazy,” he stated, pausing to give her a long, appreciative look.
“Seriously?” Before that bath, she had ached everywhere.
His mouth twitched and he came closer, gaze skimming down her front. “Sore?”
She shrugged a shoulder, instantly so shy she nearly couldn’t bear it. The things they’d done!
She blushed, aware that her gaze was coveting the hard planes of his body, and instantly wanted to be close to him. Touch, feel, kiss...more.
She wasn’t sure how to issue the invitation across the expanse of the spa-like bathroom, but he wasn’t the novice she was. He took the last few laconic steps to reach her, spiky lashes lowering as he stared at her mouth. When his head dipped, she lifted her chin to meet his kiss. Her free hand found his stubbled cheek while her other kept her towel in place.
“Mmm...” she murmured, liking the way he didn’t rush, but kissed her slowly and thoroughly.
He drew back and tried taking the towel in his two hands.
She hesitated.
“I only want a peek,” he cajoled.
“It’s daylight,” she argued.
“Exactly.”
If she had feared that having sex would weaken her will around him, the fear was justified. She wanted to please him. She wanted to offer her whole self and plead with him to cherish her. Her fingers relaxed under the knowledge she was giving up more than control of a towel.
As he opened it, however, and took a long eyeful of her sucked-in stomach and thrust-out breasts, she saw desire grip him with the same lack of mercy it showed her. He swallowed, body hardening, jaw clenched like he was under some kind of deep stress.
“I was only going to kiss you,” he said, lifting lust-filled eyes to hers. “But if you—”
“I do,” she assured him.
He let the towel drop and she met him midway, moaning with acquiescence as he pressed her onto the daybed. Her inhibitions about the daylight quickly burned up as his stubble slid down her neck to her breast where he sucked and made her writhe. When he slid even lower, scraping her stomach then her thighs as he knelt on the floor, she threw her arm across her eyes and let him do whatever he wanted.
Because it was what she wanted. Oh, that felt exquisite.
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded when he lifted his head.
“Can you take me?” he growled, scraping his teeth with mock threat along her inner thigh.
She nodded, little echoes of wariness threatening, but she couldn’t take her eyes off his form as he rose and moved to the mirror over his sink, found a condom and covered himself.
When he came back and stood over her, she stayed exactly as he’d left her, splayed weakly with desire, like some harem girl offered for his pleasure.
His hands flexed like he was struggling against some kind of internal pain.
“Mikolas,” she pleaded, holding out her arms.
He made a noise of agony and came down over her, heavy and confident, thighs pressing hers wide as he positioned himself. “I don’t want to hurt you.” His hand tangled in her hair. “But I want you so damned much. Stop me if it hurts.”
“It’s okay,” she told him, not caring about the burn as she arched, inviting him to press all the way in. It hurt, but his first careful thrusts felt good at the same time. The friction of him moving inside her made the connection that much more intense. She rose to the brink very quickly, climaxing with a sudden gasp, clinging to him, shocked at her reaction.