His Gift 1(10)

“Not as innocent as you’d think,” I said, lifting my chin defiantly.

“No?” His thumb pressed my lower lip, making my lips part.

I felt a rush of heat down between my thighs. His fingers were strong, but his caress was gentle. I wanted to lean my head into his touch. I wanted to kiss his thumb and suck the salt off of his skin.

His eyes burned a deep, rich green and I could smell his aftershave as he came closer. I trembled as he put his hand on my shoulder and held me still as he stepped behind me.

What was happening right now? I didn’t understand what the heck this guy was doing, or what he wanted. One hand kneaded my shoulder gently as he moved out of my sight. His other hand came around my waist and rested on my hip.

His fingers trailed down from my shoulder, his fingertips grazing the back of my arm. I shivered. I wasn’t about to move, but my entire body was ready to jump as I felt his hands press on either side of my hips.

“This dress doesn’t fit you,” he said.

I gulped a breath.

“I—I know. It’s my friend’s dress,” I said.

He stepped closer to me. He didn’t touch me with anything but his hands, but I could tell that he was closer. His body heat radiated through the air between us, and his breath was warm on my neck.

“Take it off.”

***

“Excuse me?” I couldn’t believe that I had heard him correctly.

“Take it off.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused for your insolence,” Jake growled. “Now take off the damn dress.”

Before I could figure out how to respond, he pulled me backwards. I fell off balance and landed against his chest. His arms wrapped around me. His muscles were hard and—

Oh, Lord, his cock was hard, too. He was pressed up against me from behind and I could feel it, thick and throbbing against my lower back. My heart pounded in my ears and all the room seemed to spin.

This wasn’t… I couldn’t. I really couldn’t.

I was a virgin.

He couldn’t have known it, of course. I had no idea what to do with a guy. I mean, I had an idea, but nothing specific or detailed. I’d never even gone past second base with anyone.

And now he was acting like he wanted… well, I couldn’t imagine what he wanted. More than I was capable of, that’s for sure.

“Lacey.”

I took off the shawl. Already I felt bare. My cleavage was full to bursting out of the front.

“Now the dress,” he said.

I reached up as though in a dream and tugged on the zipper. I didn’t know how to stop him. Even the idea of asking him to stop seemed completely absurd, as though it was impossible not to follow his orders. That was how absolutely in control he was.

Steph had told me once, one night when we were staying up late and drinking wine with our cupcakes, that I ought to find a mature man who, in her words, “knew what the hell to do with your body.”

Well, heck, I’d thought. I didn’t even know what to do with my body. How could a man have any idea what to do with me? Now, though, with Jake standing behind me, I knew exactly what Steph meant. Because this man knew what he wanted. He would know what the hell to do with my body.

Once he saw what was under the dress, he might not want me anymore, though. And hey, as long as I got out of here alive, that was fine by me. But as I peeled the dress down over my body, I found myself hoping that he wouldn’t kick me out. Even with my blue bra and black panties mismatching.

I found myself hoping that he would want to keep me.

Could I do this? Could I lose my virginity to some random man? Even if he was handsome as sin and richer than the world?

The dress fell down to my bare feet. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turned to face him. He looked down, taking my body in an inch at a time. It was so long before he looked up at me, his lips parting slowly. He looked hungry.

“Take off your bra.”

“I… I don’t…”

“You don’t want to?”

He had me there. I wanted to. The desire in his eyes scared me, but it also made me feel something that I hadn’t felt before.

Lord, I felt so wanted.

“Take it off.”

I turned my back to him and unhooked my bra. Then I let it drop to the floor along with my dress. With my toes, I delicately kicked it away.

Then I crossed my arms over my chest and turned back around.

“You’re a temptress,” Jake growled.

There, again. That low thrum in his voice that turned my insides to thick cream.

“I didn’t think a man like you could be tempted.”

“By this? By you? Oh, Lacey. Lacey.”

Before I could react, he was in front of me. Jake raced his hand down my arm, skimming my bare hip. It came to a rest cupping the outside curve of my ass. I bit down hard on my lip, trying to push back the feelings that tangled through my body and tore at my nerves.