EIGHTEEN

Shutting down the water an hour later, Lukas walked out of the shower and dried off. He eyed the boxers he’d thrown on the counter. Fuckers weren’t going to do much good hiding his dick that refused to behave now that he and Dale were in the privacy of their bedroom.

The minute they’d come in from the garage and headed this way, Mr. Let’s Get It On had stood at attention.

He yanked on the boxers and pulled his robe off the back of the door. It was too fucking hot for it, but he shoved his arms through the sleeves anyway because he wanted to make sure Dale was okay, and she wouldn’t pay any attention to his questions if he strolled out naked with his dick pointing at her.

He opened the door—

She was in the center of the room.

Standing on her head.

“What the hell are you doing?” He approached, moving slowly so his robe wouldn’t part and show her just how gorgeous his cock thought she looked in workout gear. That ripe, apple-shaped ass? Goddamn him.

“Sirshasana,” she whispered in a breathy voice. Her forearms were laying flat on the floor to create a frame around her head. She’d put her hair in a loose bun, but strands were already escaping.

Lukas realized that instead of his efficient server; he was seeing his yoga instructor for the first time.

He watched, enraptured, as her legs started to go over, and at first, he thought she was falling, but it was too controlled. One long, graceful limb stopped, but the other continued all the way until her toes touched her hands, leaving her in a tight arch that left her leg extended straight up.

He lowered himself to the bed. “Your form is stunning.”

“Shhh.” Even her shush was slow and measured.

Two minutes later, she came up on her hands, and her leg went back up so she was in a full handstand. Back over she went, but only until her legs were horizontal, which sent her back into an arch he wouldn’t have believed if he hadn’t seen it with his own grateful eyes. Her head came up, and she looked straight in front of her with her legs extended above her as a visor.

He was able to enjoy that pose for another two minutes before she went back into a handstand. Her legs slowly fell to the sides…sweet Chriiiist…then crisscrossed like they’d done when she’d been sitting beside the pool earlier today talking with Farah about flowers she didn’t think they’d needed for the wedding ceremony that would take place on Sunday. Lukas was fascinated by the concentration on her face.

Two minutes after that, she gradually untangled her legs, brought them and her hips down to swing in front of her like a slow-moving pendulum only to send her legs straight up again until they were…behind her fucking arms and shoulders, her feet over her head.

He waited as long as he could before quietly asking, “What is that called?” Foreplay?

“Tittibhasana. Or Firefly.”

The strength in her arms and legs, her core, her shoulders… “This is why you have such a spectacular body.”

Her eyes unhurriedly came up from the floor to center on him. “If you don’t close your mouth, I won’t let you play with it after I’ve had a shower.”

Not a minute later, and with more speed but no less form, she went back into a handstand and gracefully went over to walk right out of it.

Lukas purposely allowed her to walk by him with a mischievous little wink. She closed herself into the ensuite, and he didn’t even break the door down when he heard the shower go on. He wanted to.

He stood there and retied his robe, and was still standing facing that fucking barrier hiding her from his eyes ten minutes later when she emerged, her hair damp, her skin rosy and lush, the very air around her free from anything resembling tension. She wore only a towel. His cock throbbed while his balls tucked up tight and died a painful death.

“I need to ask you one question before we play. Just one.” She passed by him so close her arm brushed his. Instead of smelling of his soap and shampoo, she once more carried the scent of exotic berries because she’d used the toiletries she’d taken from her bag when they’d first come upstairs.

“Is it a yes or no question?” She disappeared into the closet, and when she came out less than a minute later, she wore a pair of black see-through panties that rode low on her hips, and a short black babydoll nightgown with hot pink straps. Between her perfect-handful breasts was a matching hot-pink bow that he wanted to tear apart with his fucking teeth.

“No.”

“Aw.” She gave him a pout as she went over and too-slowly—there was no way her back had to arch that much—climbed under the covers.

“That ass is begging to be used.”

Her hand slipped as she adjusted her pillow and she bumped down onto her elbow. The abrupt movement knocked her hair forward so that it swept down to hide one eye. The visible one was wide with a surprise that turned into a wary possibility. She leaned over to offer him a beautiful view of one plump cheek that she palmed and gave a good squeeze to. “Is it?”

He went to her. “Begging. Do you always go to bed with your hair damp?” She shrugged and took the hand he held out. He pulled her to her feet, and she grinned when he whipped the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her. “One question.”

“That will turn into a thousand.”

“Not with what I’m sporting at my hips. One quick one that I hope won’t ruin your mood, but I’m afraid might.”

Her gaze flew to his groin. “Then let me take care of you first.”

He groaned, his dick jumping, trying to get her attention. “Get on the bed. On that side.” He gave her a push, and she fell back. Her laugh sounded almost as beautiful as how she looked doing it.

“Why don’t you just have me?” she asked as she got herself where he needed her. A good distance away. “We can talk after.”

Tempting, but, no. He sat, but then found it annoying that she was so far away. He curled his fingers around her ankle and tugged her over. Their eyes held as she slid across the sheets. When he wrapped his free hand around her calf, her lips parted and she, too, reached out. She didn’t stop him from holding her or try to pull him closer. She just laid her hands over his. He was shocked by how cool they felt, but not by their beauty. He watched in silence as she warmed first her palms then the backs of her long fingers.

Her nipples were hard. From being cold? Or was she turned on?

“Would you like me to adjust the A/C?”

“No. I’ll be fine in a minute. I thought a cold shower might help shut down my need for sex because I saw the thinker in you come out of the bathroom earlier and I knew you’d want to ‘talk.’” Her eyes went skyward as she inched closer. “But the shower didn’t help because you’re still here, which means I still want sex.”

He couldn’t love that any more. “Tell me what happened to your brother.” Then I’ll fuck you until we both pass out.

Her playful mood died right before his eyes. She pushed away, ending up in the center of the bed, sitting on her hip. “I already told you more than I’ve ever told anybody else.” Her legs were bent and off to the side, leaving her feet in front of him. He touched the tip of his little finger to the top of her pinkie toe. She jerked it away.

“Put it back, Magdalena,” he ordered with a steady look. “Right now.”

It took two heartbeats before she was straightening her leg to give him his toy back. Her feet were as perfect as the rest of her. Long and graceful. Toenails painted an elegant nude. He took her foot and lifted it to place a kiss on her arch. Her hands slapped down on the mattress as she shuddered then ground her teeth loud enough for him to hear. She jerked, squirmed, and cringed all at once.

“Can’t do that,” she gasped, holding herself tight. But she didn’t pull her foot away. “Ticklish. I peed my pants once when my friend didn’t stop tickling me. Broke his nose. Fifth grade.”

Lukas barely swallowed the laugh that shot up his throat. “Did you.” Barely making contact, he leisurely ran his thumbnail from her toes to her heel, and watched in fascination as she imitated a person being electrocuted.

“No! Please, don’t!” She flipped onto her back, dislodging the sheet, and ended up arched, her breasts straining the sheer material of her nightgown, her legs straight, her hands fisting her hair.

“You look like you’re having an orgasm.”

“I’m not!” she wailed. “Don’t do it again. It’s torture!”

Because he had a cruel streak, he did it again, and she howled his name like a little wolf.

“Luuuukaaaas!”

Fuck. He could have watched her all goddamn night. But he wasn’t that cruel. Not all the time. But she didn’t know that, he thought as an idea came to him.

He released her with a suddenness that left her foot bouncing on the mattress. She swiftly dragged herself into a sit with a final shiver he wanted to see again after she came in his mouth. With a look he tried to make as sinister as possible, considering he was aiming it at her, he went to the dresser and removed four ties from his drawer.

“I’m going to bind your wrists and ankles to the bed and tickle you until you tell me what I want to know.”

She pressed herself against the headboard, breathing heavily, reminding him of her first night here. “No, you’re not,” she said with full confidence.

Because she was already that secure in the knowledge that he wouldn’t hurt her?

But could she read him when he lied?

He grabbed her ankle and had it firmly tied to the short post within seconds. The other took a little longer because she tried to fight him. When he got to her first wrist, she said something that altered his plans.

“You can torture me until I pass out, I won’t tell you something you don’t need to know.”

It was easier to do her second wrist because she gave up the fight.

Noting that, and smelling her, feeling her skin under his fingers, seeing the perfection of the female form she worked so hard to attain now helpless before him…Lukas gave in and allowed her to keep her memories to herself.

“Okay.” He went to the dresser to take his knife out of its ankle holster, then returned to hold it poised between her breasts. “Was this a purchase of yours or did Bianca choose it?”

“Bianca.”

While Dale swore at him, he sliced down the middle then cut through the straps at her hips so that the panties ended up just as useless as the nightgown. Placing the blade on the end table, he pulled the ruined fabric out from under her and tossed it to the floor behind him.

Skin, skin, and more flawless skin. “Naked and helpless,” he drawled as he shrugged out of his robe and all but ripped his fucking boxers off. “This should be fun.”

Her eyes zeroed in on his hard-on, and stayed there as she licked her lips and spoke. “Are you letting me off the hook?”

“Yes.”

Her gaze flicked up. “For real? You’re not going to manipulate me into sharing?”

He glared at her as he climbed onto the bed so that he was on all fours with her beneath him. “No. I’m not going to manipulate you into sharing who you are with me,” he growled as he bent and licked the underside of her breast. He sucked hard enough to leave a mark then came up the firm mound and pulled her nipple into his mouth. “Mmm…berries.” Through the fog permeating his brain, he wasn’t sure she understood what he said because he was sucking her as he said it.

“Untie my hands, Lukas. You deserve a reward.” The bed frame shuddered as she pulled on her bindings. Or was that caused by the shiver that rocked her, bringing with it goosebumps and stiffer nipples?

He came off her with a wet pop. “No. You’re being punished.” He went to her other nipple and shifted his hips down to drag the front of his cock around her navel.

“Punished?” she questioned in a breathy voice as he nibbled on her with his front teeth. “For w-what?”

“You’re a bad girl for not wanting to spill your guts to the man you’re marrying in a few days.” Gripping her hip, he pulled her over enough to expose her ass. Then he landed a sound slap that made her yelp and her tight glute jiggle. It was so fucking beautiful he had to spend some time there, so he fell to his side and got his mouth going.

“You better not bring out a whip and blindfold,” she warned as she squirmed to press into his face. “Untie me. Even one hand so I can touch you.”

Smoothing his hand over her reddened cheek, he shook his head and kissed his way over her thigh to her bare pussy. Since she was spread for him, he didn’t hesitate to split her lips with his eager tongue and delve into her wetness. He didn’t hesitate to bury his tongue as deep inside her as he could go. And he didn’t hesitate in saying, “You’re going to remain as you are until I make you as mindless as you are helpless.”

And that’s what he did. While she writhed and jerked, he tongued her, sucked her anywhere she seemed to like it, and he stroked her everywhere he could reach. All the while building her up with praise for the work she’d done to gift her husband-to-be with such perfection. He congratulated her on the person she’d turned out to be despite the shit examples she’d had growing up—aside from her grandmother, he made sure to point out. He told her how much he was looking forward to watching her mother their children, how he knew she was going to excel in the role.

But he didn’t tell her what he really wanted to.

That he loved her. That she’d become the most important person in his life. That he didn’t know what he’d do if he ever lost her. She’d somehow connected with him on a level that made it seem as if she’d always been there, and he suddenly wasn’t sure how he’d gotten to this point in his life without her.

When she was covered in sweat and looked on the verge of either crying or beating the shit out of him, he couldn’t tell, he came up and settled his weight on her. His cock slid into her soaked core with ease, and the snug little beauty clamped down on him.

“I’m sending my boys in now, Magdalena,” he informed her as he whipped his head to the side so the sweat dripping off his chin wouldn’t fall on her. As he began thrusting, increasing his speed as he went, her face contorted because she was coming for the third time. “One of them is going to succeed in creating my daughter tonight. I know it. Did you hear me, yagodka?” he ground out as his control started to disintegrate the more her pussy worked his length.

But she didn’t hear him because she was screaming, her limbs trembling. He got her wrists untied without losing his rhythm but could do nothing about her ankles because his release crippled him. Ripped him apart. Shattered him. Black spots danced in front of his eyes and his brain ceased functioning because he’d held off for so long.

His love’s arms tangled around his head and she held him together as he came undone.