Chapter 23
It was Khal’s turn to be concerned. Watching Tasha, he felt a flash of lust because she was so damn beautiful and she’d survived a horrific ordeal. He appreciated her strength and intelligence even more now.
However, her statement about a video…no, several videos…of a very powerful, ruthless man like Nathan King, warned him that Tasha had no idea of the danger she was still in.
“Tasha, tell me about the videos you have.”
She shook her head. “No, that wouldn’t be a good idea,” she told him with a lighter tone. She looked happier now. The sparkle was back in her eyes. That sparkle had been absent during the telling of her nightmare at the hands of that bastard King. But she looked better now.
“Tasha, what did you do?”
She laughed and perched her soup spoon on the edge of the delicate porcelain bowl. “I protected myself,” she told him. “If anything happens to me, then several organizations will receive one or more videos starring the bastard saying things that would utterly destroy his charming reputation.” She shrugged. “I’m protected as long as I stay alive.”
Khal didn’t think he’d ever been more turned on in his life. A very powerful man had threatened her, and this woman, this slender, gentle, brilliant woman, had turned the tables. The predator had become the prey.
“You’re magnificent!” he growled, then stood up, pulling her into his arms.
Tasha squeaked, but willingly went into his arms.
Khal paused, staring down into those beautiful, brown eyes. “You’re not afraid of me anymore?” he asked, remembering how she’d become scared at the evidence of his passion earlier.
She smiled brightly up at him. “No,” she told him in a whisper. “In fact, if you don’t kiss me soon, then I’m going to–”
Tasha didn’t get the chance to finish. His mouth covered hers, smothering whatever threat she might have offered.
Lifting her up into his arms, still kissing her, Khal pushed through one of the doors, taking her to his bedroom, relieved that they’d been dining in his private quarters instead of the family dining room this time. He hadn’t wanted to be disturbed, but hadn’t imagined this happening. But now, he had Tasha and her magnificent brilliance and bravery all to himself.
She clung to him, her mouth moving over his as if she was just as desperate for him as he was for her. He wanted to become one with her passion and her delight. And he wanted to give it back to her, to honor her bravery and triumph.
Laying her down on the bed, he stared at her for a moment, stunned by the shimmer of heat in her eyes. “Are you sure you want this?” he rasped out.
“Yes!” she replied, lifting one leg. She pressed against the mattress, scooting back. Then pushed up on her elbows. “To be honest,” she let her eyes move over his shoulders, “I’ve wanted this for months now. I’ve wondered if you’re just as grouchy in bed as you are in the office.”
Khal lifted a dark eyebrow. “I’m grouchy?” he asked, tugging at her slacks. He didn’t bother to drape them carefully over a chair. He didn’t have the mental bandwidth at the moment. When he looked down at her bare legs, his breath caught in his throat. Her slim legs were long and lean, her calves muscular with pink toenails. The plain, cotton panties were black with a touch of lace at the top, but nothing extravagant. And yet, their simplicity still made him hotter. Perhaps it was the mystery of what lay underneath. Or maybe it was the fact that she’d chosen black panties. However…they had to go. Reaching up, he tugged at the material and tossed them out of his way.
Unfortunately, he only had a brief glimpse of her hidden treasure because, and this was a surprise, his Tasha turned shy all of a sudden.
“Open your legs for me, Tasha,” he urged, sliding his hands along her thighs, enjoying the silky softness of her skin. “I want to see all of you.”
“Umm…I think…”
He straightened and quickly unbuttoned the dress shirt he was wearing, encouraged when she stopped talking, her eyes eager, watching as he bared himself for her viewing pleasure. He swallowed a laugh when Tasha licked her lips, but didn’t stop undressing, suspecting that she didn’t want to be the only one naked.
When he pushed his shoes off, then dispensed with his slacks and boxers, standing in front of her completely naked, he knew that he’d been right. Tasha was already reaching for her soft sweater, but he stopped her, wanting to do that himself.
Pushing her hands out of the way, he let his fingers slide underneath the sweater, enjoying the soft skin and the way she shivered at his touch. When his hands encountered her breasts, he paused, watching the reaction in her eyes. Her breasts weren’t too large or too small. They were absolutely perfect, filling his hands with their abundance.
“Khal,” she whispered, an ache to her tone.
“Yes?” he asked, his thumbs flicking over the pert nipples still hidden by her bra.
Every time he did that, she seemed to jerk. Her head fell back, and every muscle in her body reacted, becoming softer, more pliant.
Needing to see her, to truly view every inch of this magnificent woman’s body, he gently tugged the sweater over her head, tossing it away. Then he gazed down at her, his eyes moving hungrily over her breasts. Her bra cupped the creamy mounds lovingly and he was jealous, for a moment.
“Khal?” she prompted and he looked at her, noticed the worry in her eyes.
“You’re beyond gorgeous,” he growled, leaning down to kiss her.
He moved over her, kissing her over and over again until he felt her body relax. Only then did he stroke her soft curves, pulling her against him, needing more. But he was very aware of her nervousness. It had returned twice now and he wanted her to trust him. So, instead of thrusting into her as he wanted to do, he kissed her. Again and again, smoothing his hands over her back and her arms, not touching her anywhere else until he knew she was ready.
He recognized the exact moment that she relaxed and started enjoying the moment. In fact, she pressed her hands against his shoulders and…shockingly, shifted their positions so that she straddled his waist. Her core pressed against his abdomen, but in this position, his hands were freed and he made good use of them.
With deft fingers, he reached behind her and released the clasp of her bra, tossing it in the general direction of the floor. Tasha was now naked! The woman he’d wanted for so long was now naked and in his arms, kissing him with little nips followed by slow, sensuous kisses that blew his mind.
Rolling over again, he shifted so that her legs wrapped around his waist and her hips cradled him. Looking down, he pulled back and saw her breasts for the first time. They were even more beautiful than he’d expected! Tipped with rosy nipples that were hard and seemed to taunt him. Khal wasn’t strong enough to ignore that temptation and lowered his head, kissing the tip of her right breast before taking it into his mouth. His tongue lashed over that tip, causing her to moan. She arched her back, pressing that beautiful nipple into his mouth. Then he felt her fingers dive in his hair. Those soft fingers teased his scalp while he sucked at that tip. He would have laughed when her fingers tugged at his hair, but he was too turned on. Moving to the other breast, he gave it the same attention, laving the tip and sucking, nipping slightly then repeating each step, trying to determine which touch she liked best.
“Khal!” she gasped, pulling his head away.
He looked into her eyes, her fingers still caressing his scalp. When she didn’t say anything, Khal grinned, then went right back to her breasts. After several more gasps and moans, he decided to explore a bit more. Moving lower, he kissed and nipped at the soft swell of her stomach, where he could already smell her arousal. The scent was intoxicating and he moved lower, pushing her legs apart.
“You’re beautiful,” he groaned as he spread her legs wide for him. He ignored her whimper, focusing on those glistening, pink folds and the sweet, delicious scent of her. With his finger, he teased the folds, sliding ever so slightly over that nub, then moving away. Next, he circled the nub with the tip of his finger, finding different places that elicited a squeak versus a moan, mapping out her pleasure spots.
Only then did he allow himself a taste of her. Licking and sucking, using his fingers to slide into her heat while his mouth sucked and teased that nub, he revved Tasha up until…!
“Khal!” she screamed as her first release washed over her, her hips shifting against his mouth while her fingers pulled at his hair. She wasn’t pulling his mouth away. Yet. So, he continued his ministrations until she gasped and tried to wiggle away.
Working his way back up Tasha’s glorious body, he smiled at her whispers and sighs, feeling triumphant that he’d given her so much pleasure so easily.
“Thank you!” she whispered, smiling and wrapping her arms around his neck. “That was incredible!”
He chuckled and realized that he’d completely missed exploring her neck during his first foray along her sensitive body. Rectifying that, he nibbled at the spot right behind her ear, smiling to himself when he heard her groan.
“It’s not over, love,” he warned, sliding his hand down her back and outer thigh. “I think there’s a whole lot more to come.”
She laughed and he enjoyed that sound. But he wanted more. He preferred the moans and gasps of pleasure. Hearing her cry out his name as he gave her mind-boggling pleasure made his own head spin with desire. So that was his goal.
Tasha smiled up at him, shifting her body. He knew what she was doing, but he had other plans. Rolling over, he settled her so that she was straddling him again, but he shifted her lower, pressing her core against his shaft. “Show me what pleasures you, love,” he ordered, holding her hips so she was poised right above him.
“I…” she started to say, but stopped when he thrust his hips against hers. Her eyes widened and she braced her hands on his chest. But Tasha surprised him. Instead of shifting so that she could take him into her body, she looked at his chest, licking her lips as her fingers moved tentatively over his pectorals.
“I like this,” she whispered, her fingers trailing paths of fire in their wake.
“I like it too,” he told her, closing his eyes for just a moment. But then her fingers moved to his abdomen and they whipped open. He looked at her fingers, then nearly had a heart attack when her soft hands fitted around his shaft. Nothing in his entire life prepared him for the sensation of her fingers encircling his erection like this. “Tasha!” he hissed, groaning when her thumb circled the ridge. He felt as if every part of his body was poised to explode!
“It’s true,” she whispered, then scooted down a little, lowered her head and…took him in her mouth! Dear heaven, he knew he was going to die. But hell, what a way to go!
When her tongue flicked over his shaft and her hands cupped him lower, he could barely move. Then her mouth started shifting right along with that tongue movement and…!
Jackknifing straight up, Khal dislodged Tasha from her ministrations. For a moment, she yelped in protest, but before she could finish, or even start, her argument toward continuing, he had one of her legs over his arm and he thrust into her. That stopped her argument and he stilled, absorbing the sensation of being buried deep inside the woman he’d wanted for so long!
Looking down at her, Khal realized that she was silent as well, her head pulled back, her neck exposed as she clutched at his shoulders.
“Move!” she whispered, rolling her hips as she tried to get him to continue.
Khal grinned triumphantly, thoroughly enjoying this new side of Tasha. Hell, everything about Tasha was new and amazing. She was blossoming, showing different aspects of her personality that she’d kept hidden over the past year. And every revelation was fascinating!
“My little dictator,” he chuckled, wanting to grab her hands and pull them away from his body. They were tormenting him and he wanted this moment to last. He wasn’t sure if he would get a second chance with Tasha, so he needed to make this as good for her as possible.
Because Khal didn’t want just one night with her. In a flash of clarity, he realized he wanted a lifetime with her. He wanted every night and day with her. He wanted to know her so intimately that he could almost read her thoughts.
Thinking of that possibility, he started thrusting, watching her features in an effort to know what she liked and what turned her on. Just like with his mouth and fingers, he shifted in various ways until he felt her nails dig into his skin. And that was all it took. He started moving exactly like that, bringing her pleasure higher and higher until…!