Enlightened by Alice Raine Read Free Book Online Page B

hard not to burst into tears. Again . I was so overwhelmed by all the thought Nicholas had put into this that I hardly knew what to say, or how to express my immense happiness and gratitude. I hardly believed that all this had been arranged by a man who less than a year and a half ago had declared that he wasn’t sure he was capable of sustaining a real relationship. Shaking my head at the enormous changes that I’d witnessed in Nicholas Jackson during our time together, I licked my lips and drew in a deep, fortifying breath that helped keep my tears at bay before I turned to him.
    ‘You are an amazing man,’ I whispered. My words were such an understatement for the gratitude I felt, but I was so lost for what else to say, so instead I slipped my arms around his neck and pulled his face down to mine for a kiss that might better express how much I appreciated his incredible gestures. Running my tongue along the seam of his lips, he immediately granted me access with a low growl before our tongues began twirling and rubbing across each other, exploring and arousing and quickly making things rather heated.
    A polite cough behind us had me pulling away from Nicholas with an embarrassed flush as I realised that the hotel manager was still behind us and patiently waiting. Oops . Cringing I screwed up my face, knowing that I now had to turn around and face the man who had just witnessed me practically humping Nicholas on the pathway, and my blush deepened even further. My step away was hindered by Nicholas, as he kept a firm hold on my forearm and flashed me a warning glance that I didn’t understand at all. It wasn’t until I allowed him to guide me in front of him that I realised what his earlier expression had been about – he had a monster hard-on and needed me to stay in front of him to cover it.
    Trying not to grin at his predicament I obediently placed myself before him and smiled apologetically to Paul, who I noticed had a fairly decent colour to his own cheeks as well. ‘I’ll show you in and leave you to … er … unpack ,’ he stuttered, sounding like he knew exactly what we would be up to the second the bedroom door closed behind him – and it certainly wouldn’t involve any suitcases.
    Once we were in and Paul had made a speedy exit I took a second to look around the room. Just like the setting and main building, the room was beautiful; a huge bed dominated the space, made up with soft cream linens and complete with a high-backed leather headrest. At the foot of the bed was an elegant roll top bath and spanning the opposite wall were floor to ceiling windows, revealing a private balcony and breath-taking views over the lake.
    ‘Wow … Nicholas, this is just …’ My words dried in my throat as I turned and saw a familiar look of lust burning in Nicholas’ eyes as he stalked towards me. Oh God . Lust flooded my body as just one brief look at his expression had my knees weak and my heart rocketing in my chest. ‘I believe I promised payback for your earlier teasing,’ he murmured as my gaze fixed on his hands where he had begun slowly undoing his shirt. His words caused my gaze to flash to his and from just a second of his heated gaze I felt a low, heavy pulse start between my legs. I’d thought that with all the excitement of the hotel tour and talking to Paul that Nicholas might have forgotten his earlier words, but the dark, desire-filled look on his face left no doubt that he fully intended to fulfil his promise to ‘make me beg.’ I could hardly wait.
    Licking my parched lips I found myself frozen to the spot and holding my breath as he completed his journey across the room and arrived at my side. His eyes were heavy lidded and the small smile that tweaked the corner of his lips told me that he enjoyed teasing me just as much as I enjoyed the thrill it gave me when he was in control like this.
    ‘I’m going to strip you now, Becky,’ he informed me in a low voice as his hot breath fanned