53. （SLOW）burn
VERENA
53
Ispent the entire week in a state of high alert, every nerve ending tingling with anticipation. It was as if I was starring in my own personal version of Fifty Shades of Torture, where the leading man had perfected the art of edging. Seriously, the man was trying to kill me softly with his kisses. Long, slow, toe-curling kisses that made my eyes roll back in my head and my knees buckle. And that’s all he was doing. Kissing. Teasing. Taking me to the brink and then pulling back like some kind of sadistic romantic.
Let me give you the rundown of my week in paradise (or purgatory, depending on how you look at it).
Monday started with a sunrise picnic on the beach. Jae had made mimosas and croissants, and we watched the sun come up over the water. It was idyllic. Romantic. And then he kissed me senseless right there on the blanket. Just when I thought we’d be taking things further, he pulled back, grinning like he’d won the lottery. We spent the rest of the day building sandcastles and collecting seashells while I tried not to strangle him with seaweed.
Tuesday, he brought me breakfast in bed. Pancakes with fresh berries and whipped cream, my favorite. He lounged next to me, feeding me bites and kissing me every time I opened my mouth to protest his maddening restraint. By lunchtime, I was ready to throw the plate at him. Instead, we went for a bike ride along the coastline, stopping at a little café where he flirted outrageously with me, making me blush and curse his very existence.
Wednesday, he took me sailing. Yes, sailing. We rented a boat, and he somehow managed to steer it expertly while simultaneously driving me insane with his touch. Every time he adjusted a sail or pulled a rope, he’d brush against me, sending a jolt of electricity through my body. We anchored in a quiet cove for lunch, where he made sandwiches and, of course, kissed me until I was squirming. Torture. Pure torture.
Thursday, we had a cooking class. He found a local chef to give us a private lesson in making seafood paella. There I was, chopping vegetables while he whispered dirty promises in my ear, his breath hot against my neck. By the time we finished cooking, I was ready to throw him onto the counter and have my way with him, but no, we had to sit and enjoy our meal like civilized people. Torture, I tell you.
Friday, he booked us a spa day. Massages, facials, the works. And let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like being relaxed into a puddle of goo by a professional masseuse only to have Jae kiss you stupid the moment you’re alone. Every. Single. Time. The sexual tension was so thick I could have cut it with a butter knife.
Saturday, we went on a hike through a nature reserve. It was beautiful and serene, with the sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling. And then there was Jae, holding my hand, helping me over rocks, and stealing kisses every chance he got. By the time we reached the waterfall at the end of the trail, I was ready to push him into the water just to cool off my raging hormones.
Sunday was the grand finale—stargazing on the beach. He set up a telescope, and we spent the evening lying on a blanket, looking at the stars and talking about everything and nothing. And, of course, kissing. Lots and lots of kissing. It was romantic and sweet and just about drove me to the edge of sanity.
So, here I was, at the end of a week of pure, sweet torture, lying on the couch in the beach house, staring at the ceiling and wondering how I was going to survive the long drive back to the city. The man had made all my favorite meals, taken me on fantastic dates, done the sweetest things imaginable, and somehow managed to keep things PG-13 the entire time. It was enough to drive a girl mad.
I heard the door open and close, and a moment later, Jae walked into the room, looking like he’d just stepped out of a GQ magazine. His shirt was unbuttoned just enough to be distracting, his hair tousled in that perfect way that made me want to run my fingers through it. He smiled when he saw me, that infuriatingly sexy smile that made my heart skip a beat.
“Hey,” he said, sitting down beside me and leaning in for a kiss.
I pulled back, narrowing my eyes at him. “If you kiss me one more time without following through, I swear to God, Jae, I’m going to lose it.”
He chuckled. “Lose it, huh? That sounds interesting.”
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Maybe a little,” he admitted, pulling my hands away and kissing my knuckles. “But I promise, it’s all part of the plan.”
“Plan?” I echoed, raising an eyebrow. “What plan?”
He grinned, leaning in to whisper in my ear. “The plan to make you mine. Completely.”
My resolve melted under his touch. “You’re already driving me crazy, Jae. I don’t think I can take much more.”
“Ready for the drive back to the city?” he asked, pulling out his suitcase and giving me that devastating smile. “I’m having our cars transported so we can ride together in a little surprise I rented for you.”
I nodded, though my mind wandered to the long drive ahead. We walked out to his car, and my jaw nearly dropped. He had a sleek, sexy convertible that looked like it was made for beach drives and city escapes. The kind of car that made heads turn and hearts race.
As we got in, I couldn’t help but admire the smooth leather seats and the gleaming dashboard. Jae slid into the driver’s seat with an easy confidence that made my pulse quicken. He reached over, placing his hand on my thigh, his fingers warm against my skin. As he started the engine, he began to inch his hand up my leg.
I groaned, the tension from the past week bubbling up to the surface. “Jae, you’ve been teasing me all week.”
He glanced at me with a sly grin. “Oh? Have I?” I shot him a look, half-exasperated, half-amused. “Good things come to those who wait,” he teased, his voice a low rumble.
I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my cool. “I miss the good old days when you were begging me for a taste.”
His grin widened, and he leaned in slightly. “We can go back to that if you’d like.”
“Really? Yes. Absolutely.”
He chuckled, his hand continuing its slow journey up my thigh. “How about we compromise?”
“Compromise?” I squeaked.
“Stay at my place, and I’ll go back to begging,” he said, his fingers dancing along my thigh, making my pulse race.
I bit my lip, considering his offer. “Stay at your place, huh?”
“Yeah,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, seductive murmur. “You’re trying to get your new book up and running. You don’t need to spend money on a new place. Spend it on getting your book out there.”
I squirmed in my seat, trying to focus on his words despite the way his touch was driving me crazy. “You’re serious?”
“Dead serious,” he replied, his fingers tracing tantalizing circles on my skin. “I want you close, Verena. And if it means I have to beg, then so be it.”
“I’m just…not sure that I’m ready, Jae,” I whispered.
We drove in a charged silence, the tension between us crackling like a live wire. As we pulled up to a red light, Jae leaned in, his breath hot against my ear. “Maybe you need a taste of what that could be like,” he whispered, his voice rough.
He inched his fingers higher up my thigh, his touch making me tremble. “Please, Verena,” he murmured, his voice a low, pleading whimper. “Stay at my house.”
“Jae…”
“Please,” he whispered again, his lips brushing against my earlobe. “I need you. I need to feel you close. I’ll beg, Verena. I’ll do whatever it takes. Just stay with me.”
His fingers moved higher, teasing the edge of my skirt
. “You don’t know what you do to me,” he groaned, his voice breaking. “I’ve been aching for you all week, and it’s driving me insane. Please.”
The sound of him begging, his voice filled with such longing, sent a thrill through me. I could feel his need, and it mirrored my own. I hesitated, the words on the tip of my tongue.
“Verena,” he continued, his voice cracking with emotion. “I can’t stand being apart from you. I need you. I need this. Stay with me. Let me take care of you.”
My resolve melted under his touch, his pleading tone unraveling me. “Jae…”
His hand moved higher, his fingers brushing against my inner thigh. “I’ll make it worth your while,” he promised, his voice a whisper. “I’ll do anything. Just say you’ll stay.”
“I…can’t. I need you to prove to me first that you’ve changed.”
The light turned green, and Jae’s hand moved back to the wheel, leaving my thigh tingling with his touch. I tried to steady myself as we drove deeper into the city. The familiar skyline loomed ahead, and I tried to focus on anything other than the way his fingers had felt against my skin.
We hit a patch of traffic, and Jae took the opportunity to slide his hand back onto my thigh. His touch was warm, his fingers tracing slow, teasing patterns. “What’s going on?” I asked, my voice barely steady.
“Let me prove myself, baby.”
His fingers moved higher, and I could feel the heat radiating from his hand. “Every second away from you is pure hell, and I can’t take it,” he murmured.
The traffic started moving again, and Jae pulled his hand away, gripping the wheel with a white-knuckled intensity. I let out a frustrated sigh, the ache between my thighs growing unbearable. My mind was a tumultuous combination of desire and doubt, each touch of his fingers a reminder of the precarious edge we balanced on.
When we hit another red light, his hand was back, more insistent this time. His fingers danced along the edge of my underwear, teasing and torturing me. My breath hitched, my heart pounding as I fought the urge to give in completely.
“Jae, you’re killing me,” I whispered.
“I want you just as badly, believe me.”
I turned my head slightly, our lips almost brushing. “You’re the one who’s been teasing me all week,” I reminded him.
His fingers pressed more firmly against me, and I bit back a moan. “Maybe I was wrong,” he admitted, his voice rough with desire.
The light turned green again, and he pulled away, the car jerking forward as he accelerated. The tension in the air was obvious, each touch, each glance driving me closer to the edge. I struggled to keep my thoughts coherent, to focus on anything other than the way his touch made me feel.
We stopped for gas, and as he filled the tank, he leaned in through the window. “I bet you’d like it if I got on my knees and begged right here,” he said, his voice a rasp.
I looked around the crowded gas station, the buzz of people moving around us oblivious to the charged moment unfolding inside our car. A thrill shot through me, electrifying my senses. The very idea of Jae, this powerful, commanding man, being so desperate for me, made my pulse race and my breath hitch.
He straightened up, the muscles in his arms flexing as he replaced the gas nozzle and twisted the cap back on. My eyes traced the lines of his body, the way his shirt clung to his chest, the confident way he moved. Everything about him screamed control and dominance, yet here he was, offering to beg for me, to lower himself to his knees in a public place, all for me.
As he walked back to the driver’s side, I felt my heart pound harder. My mind raced, caught between the propriety of the moment and the allure of his words.
Jae slid back into the car, his hand immediately returning to my thigh. The warmth of his touch seeped through the fabric of my dress, setting my skin on fire. His eyes held an intense, silent promise in their depths.
“Does that turn you on, Verena?” he whispered, his voice husky. “The thought of me on my knees for you, right here?”
“Why does the idea of you being so…desperate for me turn me on?” I managed to whisper back, my voice trembling with a mix of excitement and fear.
“Because you know how much power you have over me,” he replied, his hand inching higher, teasing the edge of my underwear again. “And it drives you wild, doesn’t it?”
I couldn’t deny it. The thought of Jae, the man who seemed unbreakable, willing to break for me, was addictive. It made me feel powerful, desired, and utterly alive.
He leaned closer. “I’d do it, you know,” he murmured, his voice a tantalizing caress. “I’d crawl to you just to feel your breath on my skin.”
I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself against the overwhelming tide of emotions. “Jae, you’re driving me crazy.”
“Good,” he whispered, his lips brushing against my neck. “Because that’s exactly what you do to me. Every second I’m not touching you is pure torture.”
“Fuckkk.”
“See, baby? You could have this all the time. You just have to say yes.”
He turned the car on and pulled back onto the road, the tension between us thick and electric. My heart raced, each touch of his fingers sending waves of heat through my body. We drove in a charged silence, the city lights casting a warm glow around us as we neared his penthouse.
The sleek penthouse building loomed ahead, a symbol of his power and success. As we pulled into the valet area, he looked at me. “I’ll stay tonight,” I said, my voice trembling.
“Stay forever,” he countered, his fingers tracing patterns on my thigh.
“Tonight,” I insisted, my heart pounding.
“Forever,” he repeated, leaning in close. “And I’ll make it worth it.”
He sucked on my earlobe, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin, sending a jolt of pleasure through me. “Tonight,” I rasped, my resolve crumbling.
“Fine,” he whispered, his voice thick with desire. “I’ll settle for tonight.”
He tossed the keys to the valet and practically dragged me out of the car, his grip on my hand firm and unyielding. The city buzzed around us, but all I could focus on was the feel of his hand in mine, the promise of what was to come hanging in the air.
We entered the building, the cool marble floors and high ceilings a stark contrast to the heat building between us. The elevator ride was a blur, my mind spinning with anticipation and desire. As the doors opened to his penthouse, he led me inside, his touch never leaving mine.
The door closed behind us with a finality that made my breath catch. This was it. The beginning of something new, something real. And as Jae pulled me closer, his lips capturing mine in a searing kiss, I knew.
I knew he had me right where he wanted me.