The Tantric Principle(12)

He squeezed her fingers and startled her out of her reverie. When she looked up, his gaze was dark and haunted, full of raw need and ghosts of his own past. She caught her breath at his own nakedness, and felt her heart pause, just a moment, then resume its beat.



“You know who you are.” His voice filled with urgency, as if warning her what he said was of utmost importance. “You have a gift not many people have, and if they do they refuse to listen. You took risks and you never compromised your soul for another human being. You, Arianna Devlin, are a hell of a woman.”



His words shook her to the core. Arianna struggled to keep her emotions from brimming over the cup which always held a tight lid. This man saw who she was. He watched her struggle in class through postures, had thrust into her body and made her come over and over, but was able to see a part of her she always hid—the shame she felt for never giving her parents what they wanted, for being who she needed to be. Deep down, she had always apologized for those emotions. Grant Madison made her feel powerful. She wondered if she would ever think of herself as that poor, ashamed girl again.



Her fingers trembled over the stem of her glass as she carefully set it down. She used her napkin to pat her lips, then pushed her chair politely away from the table.



“Come upstairs,” she said. “Now.”



Grant didn’t hesitate. He threw a wad of cash on the linen tablecloth and followed her out.





Chapter Four





The door closed behind him.



Grant turned. They stared at each other from across the cheap carpet in the hotel bedroom. The lighting cast a half glow over the queen sized bed, muting the furniture and the walls and everything else that existed. The heat between them rose. Simmered. Pulled.



“Take off your clothes.” His demand was rough, controlling. She shivered. His grace and gentleness all day in the studio vanished, leaving a hungry sexual male predator who wanted all aspects of power. She recognized her physical soul mate, recognized the sheer need within her core to be the one in charge, to be the one who held the command and made her mate bend beneath her and melt to her sexual will.



Tonight, she was a creature of surrender.



Arianna felt on the edge of an ancient discovery and fought the fall. “I want to see you. I want. . . . “



He took a step forward. His voice whiplashed across the room. “I won’t ask you again.

Take off your clothes, Arianna.”



The woman a few days ago would have laughed and walked across the room, confident in her nature of dominance. That woman would pull off Grant’s shirt, massage his erection, and make sure her rules were followed.



Arianna hesitated. He watched her with a fierce command. Waited for her surrender.



She reached up and unbuttoned her green satin blouse. Unhooked her pants and let them slide down her legs. Her fingers trembled as she pulled down her red lace panties but his nod of encouragement kept her going. She hadn’t been wearing a bra, so her breasts felt heavy and ripe immediately under the heat of his gaze. She stood before him, naked, and waited.



A pleased smile curved his lips and he seemed to relax. He crossed the room and stopped in front of her. His hands lifted to unhook her hair from the clip, and combed his fingers through the silky, straight strands. Murmuring low endearments as if to soothe a frisky mare, his hands began a slow exploration of her body. Using the lightest touch, he teased each nipple to a tight red bud. Stroked the flat lines of her stomach, her hips, and up and down the length of her spine.

All the while he touched her, he kept whispering erotic demands, for her to relax and submit to him, until his voice in her ear was like an aphrodisiac, and her eyes half closed as she gave herself completely up to the sensation of being under his control. He traced the line of pubic hair, brushing with the barest of touches, giving her teasing glimpses of his finger against her swollen folds and growing wetness. Arianna moaned and opened her legs for him for better entry.



Grant rewarded her submission by giving her more. His head bent and he took her nipple in her mouth, sucking hard and deep, his tongue flicking the hard nub back and forth. Arianna felt the cry of need start in her belly and tear out of her mouth, and he laughed deep, one fully clothed leg nudging her ankles fully apart so she was completely exposed to him while he remained covered.



Arianna gulped for air and fought the last moments of her surrender. “No,” she gasped.



“Take off your clothes. Let me take you in my mouth. I want to feel you.” His teeth carefully bit her nipple in punishment. A mingle of pain and fierce pleasure shook through her. “My rules, baby. No more talking. Just let yourself go and give me everything you have. I want it. I can take it.” And with that, his fingers plunged hard between her legs.