“I can’t think of anything I’d want more,” Tony heard Lily say.
He quickly scrubbed the towel over his wet hair and tossed it on the sink. Tony thought about what Lily had said: anything I’d want more. Tony thought of one thing he’d want more, but goddamn if he was able to find it. Maybe he never would. All he wanted to do now was get dressed, get the hell out of there, and find the nearest bottle of Scotch.
Chapter Fourteen
Lily stood in front of the stove, cursing at the bubbling sauce. It had been over two weeks since she’d seen Tony, and the anxiety about how he was doing was finally getting to her. “Adam, come look at this. Tony taught me how to make marinara with sausage, but this looks too thick.”
From behind she heard the tap of a knife hitting the cutting board. “Let me check it out. My mom used to make a killer marinara with stuff she picked from her garden. She wasn’t Italian, but she loved to cook.”
Lily eased back when Adam stood behind her to examine the red sauce in the pot. “See,” she said and stirred the wooden spoon around. “It isn’t holding together right.”
Adam cradled her hand in his palm, and they stirred the sauce together. When he brought the spoon to his mouth, she hissed. The tip of his tongue darted out and tasted the sauce on the end of the spoon. The action was so benign, but somehow the sight of his pink tongue made her girly parts liquefy and her breath hitch.
He glanced over. “What?” he asked before replacing the spoon back in the pot.
Lily could feel her cheeks heat. “Nothing.” She let him take her hand in his own to start stirring again. “So, what do you think?”
He pecked a kiss on her lips. Sure, at the moment she needed to tend to the mess of a sauce, but her greedy body was telling her something entirely different. She spun around and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so she could press her lips against his mouth. At first he eased against her, wrapping her waist in his strong embrace. She thought she’d gotten the upper hand, and she pushed her tongue against the seam of his lips, coaxing him to open for her.
“My Lily Flower is feeling hot again?” he asked, then swatted her bottom.
She yelped and started to jump back against the stove. Adam quickly spun her around to keep her from getting burned. “Careful, baby. Come here.”
Lily felt every muscle in her body melt as he threaded his fingers through her long hair and massaged her scalp. As his other hand cupped her ass, she felt cradled in his hold. He was cherishing her, keeping her safe, and earning her trust. As timid as she’d felt when hugging Keith, afraid of his judgment when his hands would touch her ample curves, there was nothing but worship and love when she felt Adam’s hands slide across her backside.
He dipped his head to press a kiss on her forehead. “I won’t let you get hurt. Ever. Do you believe me?”
“Yes, Adam,” she whispered as she rubbed her cheek against his T-shirt-covered chest.
He slipped his fingertip under her chin, tilting her attention up at him. “Look at me, Lily Flower. Tell me again.”
“I believe you. I know that you’d never hurt me.”
Adam leaned down to softly kiss her lips. The warmth of his breath eased through her mouth, making her push against the hard planes of his body. The strength simmering under his clothes vibrated through her sensitive skin. She remembered the way he’d held her hair on the mattress with his knees. The sting of each pass of the belt still radiated through her senses. It was as if the blackness of her passion could be wielded by the sound of his voice. The lick of the leather was an afterthought compared to the lush timbre of his deep voice.
Adam ran his fingers through the loose hair framing her face. “You will submit to me, Lily. I will bring you every passion you desire, but I have only one request. You must give yourself over to me and trust that I’ll always know what’s best for you.”
Could she do that? The heat from his hands rested on her cheeks before his fingers did. It was more than a gesture. It was the promise of everything she’d ever wanted. Pain with pleasure, balanced by trust and honesty. She had to at least tell him the truth.
Lily rested her hands on top of Adam’s as his thumbs rubbed a gentle pattern back and forth on her reddening cheeks. “Adam,” she started, then stopped to start again. “Adam, I need what was given to me that night. I crave my pleasure in a way that lets me go. It’s one of the only freedoms where I can just be me. No judgment. No fear. I want that. No, I need it.”
Safety. That’s what the core of her being knew when Adam cupped the back of her head and pressed it to his chest. He kissed the top of her head. “I can give you everything you need. I understand. What we shared on that bed was so precious to me. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Your trust and submission are things that will always bring me to my knees. So,” he said as he slipped his hand down to cup her ass, “did I get an A on the test?”