13. VERENA GRAVENHURST #2
“Verena,” he warns, voice low, but I don’t miss the way his eyes drink me in.
Heat simmers in them, and the way he says my name sends a trail of heat up my neck.
I may not have feelings for Loxen, but fuck, the alcohol in my system is screaming for me to climb that man like a tree.
My back hits my bedroom door with a soft thud, and creaks open.
Standing on the threshold, he catches up to me in two long strides, resting his hand on the doorframe.
He looks down at me like he despises me, yet he’s intrigued by me at the same time.
“It’s too dangerous to be walking in this town alone at night. Promise me you won’t again.”
I tip my chin up to him. “Careful, Lox,” I drawl, slowly pulling the strings of my corset loose, the alcohol fueling my confidence. “It’s starting to seem like you care about me.”
His biceps flex against the doorframe, and desire coils tighter inside of me with each second his eyes trail my body. When they meet mine, he looks haunted. “And what if I do?”
I swallow, loosening the last string enough that the violet corset slips from my flesh. My heavy breasts bounce free, my chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. “Then show me.”
Loxen’s eyes darken, but don’t waver from mine.
To a stranger, he might seem unbothered.
But in these few weeks, I’ve learned to see past his facade.
The way his shoulders tense and his voice drops an octave when he’s irritated.
The way his hands flex at his side when he hears something he doesn’t like, as if he’s resisting the urge to break something.
And just like now, how he tries to look annoyed when I crack a smile, but his eyes always flick to catch it.
Loxen’s chest heaves as I slowly inch my skirt down my hips, exposing the onyx lace underwear clinging to my skin.
“You’re staring,” I tease, smirking up at Loxen as I peel the skirt from my hips. I shouldn’t taunt him, but the alcohol is warm and heavy in my veins, loosening my tongue.
His jaw tightens. “You’re drunk.”
“And you’re predictable,” I shoot back, wobbling just a little. “Always putting on an act like you don’t care.”
“Don’t push me, little crow. I’ve never claimed to be an honourable man, and I may find your brazen tongue a far more dangerous use than taunting me.”
“Oh?” I let my eyes drag over him slowly. “What are you going to do? Glare at me harder?”
He steps past the threshold, and tension buzzes in the air.
“You know,” I say, slipping my thumbs under the waistband of my underwear, exposing my hips just enough to make his breath stutter, “I’m starting to think you like it. Me, annoying you. Getting in your head,” I tease.
His nostrils flare. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Sure I do.” I sway a little closer.
“Stop. You’re clearly over inebriated, Verena,” he grits out, his eyes darkening.
“Nope.” I pop the “p”, delighted by the way his composure shatters even for a moment. “I think you—”
I awkwardly hop on one foot, trying to remove my panties in a slow and seductive manner, but instead fall to the side, grabbing hold of the bedpost for support before hitting the floor.
Embarrassment rushes through me. Loxen watches as I stumble my way to the mattress and sink down onto my plush comforter.
“You’re being a brat,” he says, stepping closer but not touching me, and I can hear the amusement in his voice by the show he’s witnessing firsthand.
“I-I’m not—”
“This is all a game to you, isn’t it?” He smirks. “You think because you’re drunk you can do things that you’d never do when you’re sober.”
“I can do whatever I want,” I argue, tilting my chin up to him, though my voice is breathless.
Something inside me cracks open at the heat behind his eyes. I part my thighs for him slowly, watching hunger flicker across his face.
“Careful now, little crow.” His words are a warning, yet I hear what I want to hear and take them as encouragement to go further, dipping my hands between my thighs.
“Fuck,” is all Loxen says and runs his fingers through his dishevelled hair.
He turns his back to me, still as a statue, as if fighting a battle in his own mind on whether he should walk out the door and leave me be or turn around and fall into the madness I’m presenting to him.
He exhales a breath and hangs his head low as defeat takes hold of his morality, and slowly turns back towards me.
He creeps forward, kneeling next to the bed.
I keep my eyes locked onto his face while rolling two lazy fingers over my clit.
“Please stay,” I beg under my breath, and I watch his Adam’s apple bob on a harsh swallow.
A shiver skitters down the length of my body when I become all too aware of his close proximity.
I struggle to think of something defiant to say, my dominance wavering under his stare.
The way his eyes roam over my breasts has fire licking at my core.
I feel alive under his gaze, and the ache between my thighs has me on the verge of begging—for him to touch me, for him to kiss me, for him to bring me to release.
His eyes cloud over with arousal, and it fuels me.
“Keep touching yourself, show me what you would do if I weren’t here right now.” He gives in to his reluctance, and a smile of victory claims my mouth.
I take two fingers into my mouth, swirling my tongue, coating them with my saliva.
He watches my every move, never looking away.
I trail my fingers down the centre of my body, between my breasts, ever so slowly, pausing to pinch and tease my nipples.
A small whimper escapes me from the pleasure the sweet sting brings. Loxen’s brows knit together.
“Now, we can do better than that, can’t we?
” His smile returns as I continue to drag my fingers down, reaching my most sensitive flesh.
My eyes burn into his face as I watch his tongue swipe over his lower lip, a lip I would love nothing more than to bite—hard.
I shouldn’t be enjoying this. This man frustrates me every time we have a simple conversation.
And Reed, what about Reed? A scowl takes over my expression, and my conflicting feelings in the moment are making my head spin more than the alcohol I consumed.
The sound of Loxen’s laughter fills the room, and I’m snapped back in the moment from the melodic sound that has graced my ears.
I glare at him, which only increases his laughter.
“Don’t look at me with such hateful eyes, little crow. It’s evident you’d love nothing more than for me to slip my fingers inside of your panties.” He flashes me a wicked smile, continuing to bait me.
“Spread your legs wider, love. Show me how wet you are for me.” I do as I’m told, dipping two fingers inside my needy pussy, coating them with my arousal.
He watches me intently, his lips parting at the sight of my bare flesh.
Loxen towers over me, and I catch a glimpse of his hard length straining against the zipper of his jeans.
He moves to the end of my bed, drinking me in, as I lean back against the headboard.
“Fuck, you’re so beautiful.” His voice is raspy and breathless, and when I dip my fingers into my dripping centre, he releases an approving groan.
Loxen watches me like he’s burning this moment into his memory, like even if the room caught on fire, he wouldn’t dare peel his eyes away from my flesh.
Tracing circles around my clit, I continue to plunge my fingers deep inside myself, imagining they’re his, making me cry out in pleasure.
My clit rubs against the palm of my hand, and I release a small whimper.
I look at Loxen, gauging his reaction. He bites his lower lip, and I struggle not to reach over and grab it between my teeth.
“Does that feel nice, little crow?” I nod my head, pushing against the swelling nub a little harder. I alternate between rubbing my tender bud and plunging my fingers in and out of my pussy while we stare at one another, the intensity of the moment like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
“Do you picture my face when you touch yourself at night, whimpering my name into the shadows as you bring yourself to ecstasy?”
I moan, unable to form words. He’s edging me, and I don’t know how much more I can take.
“Oh God, Lox,” I cry out in pleasure, the sensation building so rapidly, I’m about to lose control.
“That’s it, say my name, Verena. I want to hear it come from your pretty lips while you come undone for me.”
The room is spinning, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to come down from this high.
“Loxen, please…touch me! I need you…”
“Are you begging me, little crow?” A sinful smirk spreads across his lips, but he makes no movements to come any closer.
“Lox, I’m going to—” My orgasm tears through me, breaking down my walls and sending a sensation so intense throughout my entire body. I close my eyes, riding out the euphoric wave that washes over me as I listen to Loxen’s words bring me through to the end.
“You’re beautiful, Verena, insatiable and fucking beautiful.”
My breathing is laboured as I lie in bed, trying to steady myself after sending my body so far over the edge.
I open my eyes, immediately looking for Loxen, but he’s nowhere in the room.
Sitting up abruptly, I take in my surroundings and see that I’m entirely alone.
I didn’t even hear him leave. Why did he sneak away?
I try to work out my feelings in the moment, but fail to do much of anything with exhaustion taking over my body.
My eyelids grow heavy, and I can feel sleep pulling me under. I think of Loxen, and the way he looked at me tonight, holding onto the image in my mind as I let myself drift off into deep slumber.