something she knew would shatter her.
Suddenly she clenched at emptiness as Blade abruptly withdrew from her.
“No. No. No, pleeease!” Kelly’s eyes flew to Blade’s desperately.
“You’re too close, love,” he crooned. “What did you want me to feel?”
Kelly looked at Blade’s features and cursed his control. Except for the heat in his eyes and the impressive tenting of his trousers, he looked completely unaffected by what he did to her while she had become almost completely lost in it all.
“I want you to feel as crazy as you make me feel.”
Blade’s jaw clenched. “My control hasn’t been tested so badly in years, Kelly. You respond beautifully to my every touch.”
Kelly knew that only because she loved him could she trust him enough to respond the way she did. She couldn’t let him know that yet. Once he knew of her feelings, it would be over. She tried to play it off, hoping he wouldn’t suspect.
“You said that it was because I’m ready.”
Blade’s features tightened and for a split second, Kelly thought she saw a glimpse of anger in his eyes before he hid it. With a flash of intuition, she realized that only because his control had slipped had it showed.
Thrilled that she could shake him, but apprehensive at the anger she sensed in him, she watched him warily.
“You don’t have to. I understand.”
“Don’t have to what, Kelly?”
“You know.” Kelly could feel her face flame.
“No, I don’t,” Blade snapped. “Say it, then be quiet, so I can finish.”
“You don’t have to make me come,” she blurted.
Blade’s smile only scared her more.
“Oh, you’ll come, Kelly. You’ll learn quickly that I keep all my promises. Something you’ll want to remember for the future.”
Kelly frowned. “But you stopped.”
“I did. I don’t want you to come until I’ve finished, and I’m tired of explaining myself to you. You are getting away with quite a bit because this is your first time. Don’t think that I will allow such things in the future.”
Kelly’s face burned. “But I don’t understand. You’ve touched me everywhere, touched everything.”
“No, love. I haven’t even begun exploring that gorgeous ass of yours.”
Kelly couldn’t prevent her gasp. “No. Please, no.” Shaking with terror, her eyes begged him.
Blade moved closer, wrapping his arms around her and began stroking her back.
“Sshhh, love. Everything will be all right. You trust me, don’t you?”
“But it hurts so much!”
“What does it feel like?”
“Like I’m being ripped in half. Please, Blade, not this. Anything else, just not this,” she wailed.
Blade pulled back slightly and studied her. She felt his hands, strong and warm on her back, but his face blurred as her eyes filled with tears.
“I know what I’m doing, my love. The pain you’ll feel from me will only bring you more pleasure. Erotic pain, love. Not cruel.”
Blade continued to study her. Kelly wasn’t sure what he saw, but he seemed to come to some sort of decision.
“I’m going to get you past this, love. To do this, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before.”
Blade took a deep breath as he continued to watch her and for the first time she thought she saw a slight uneasiness in him.
“I’m taking away your safe word for this.”
He ignored her cries and continued.
“No matter what, I won’t stop until I’ve finished. You can cry, scream, or shout your safe word at the top of your lungs and I won’t stop.”
“No! Please!” Kelly wailed.
Blade once again stroked her back soothingly.
“You came to me because you trust me, Kelly. Remember that.”
With that, his hands began a slow journey down her back until they reached her buttocks. She stiffened and braced herself for the pain.
Feeling his teeth nip at her breast startled her. When his tongue soothed over the slight sting and his mouth closed over a nipple, Kelly felt the tug all the way to her womb.
His mouth
Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child