Brothers of Paradise Series

I frown. I’d always thought they were the same. “How do they differ?”

Henry sighs. “Not once have I had this conversation with a girl. Of course you had to be different.”

I can still feel him against me-despite his own words, it doesn’t seem to be subsiding anytime soon. “I think the word you’re looking for is unique. Tell me how they differ?”

“Hmm. All right. Sometimes it’s just semi-hard, and it’s a nuisance, but you know it’ll go away. It happens. It’s not painful or annoying.”

“Yes.”

“Sometimes it’s…” He breaks off. “God, Faye. Fine. Sometimes it’s just plain hard, ready to be used.”

“Mhm.” Heat pools in my stomach at his words, at his body against mine. “And that’s what it is now?”

“No, right now it’s hard as a goddamn rock. But like I said, it’ll go away.”

I have to swallow before I can answer. Every part of me feels alive, nerve endings on alert. “That’s very interesting,” I murmur.

He gives a dark chuckle. “I can’t believe I’ve been reduced to this.”This is from NôvelDrama.Org.

“To what?”

“Lying next to a beautiful woman in the dark, answering platonic questions about my cock.”

My own laughter sounds startled. “I can’t believe it either. I’m a grown woman, and I’m asking you this?”

“Hmm.” He closes his hand around my waist, fingers softly digging into my skin. “You’re nervous.”

My instinct is to say no. To argue with him, to spar a bit. But maybe we’ve done that too much-the competitions and the games.

“Maybe,” I say. “But maybe I don’t want to ignore it until it goes away.”

His hand closes around my waist. I feel him throbbing, sudden and hot, against my hip.

“Hell, Faye…”

“I know,” I whisper hurriedly. “We can’t. You don’t have to tell me. But maybe talking about it is the closest we’ll get. Maybe it’ll help.”

“Mmm,” he says quietly. “I don’t think that’s the way desire works, sweetheart. Or erections.”

Something in me warms at the endearment. It sounds natural in his deep voice, husky now with arousal. I pull our interlinked hands higher, until they brush against the underside of my breast. “You haven’t thought about it? What it would be like?”

“Sleeping together?”

“Yes.”

Henry’s quiet for a long moment. “Yes, of course I have.”

The heat in my body spreads, until I feel like I’m too warm for this, for the cover and the camisole I’m sleeping in. “Tell me,” I murmur.

Henry shakes his head, the silkiness of his hair tickling my forehead. “I’ve told you too much already. Your turn, Faye. Have you thought about it?”

Only all the time.

“Yes.”

His thumb brushes across the heavy weight of my breast. “Tell me.”

I’m glad it’s dark and he can’t see my flushed face. We haven’t slept together-haven’t even seen each other naked!-and this still feels the most exposed I’ve ever been. “I’ve thought about how it would feel… having your arms around me.”

“Like I do now?”

“Yes. But skin against skin. I’d be able to run my hand through your hair. You’d kiss me, and you would…” My voice trails off, my cheeks hot with embarrassment.

“Courage failing you, Alvarez? Tell me. What would I do in your fantasy?”

“You’d unzip my dress,” I whisper. “All cool and professional, but your eyes would be… well. You’d just look at me for a long while.”

He gives a low grunt, a command to continue.

“And then you’d kiss me again. But your hands would be everywhere, on my skin, on my… well. You’d tease me for a long time without undoing a single of your own buttons.”

Henry’s hand has moved imperceptibly higher. “I think you overestimate my restraint where you’re concerned.”

“Well, it is a fantasy,” I defend myself. “What would you do instead? Take me quickly?”

I wanted to throw him off balance with my words, but Henry’s exhale is a dark chuckle. “Oh no, Faye. You’re right in assuming I’d take my time. I’d want you to shatter in my arms several times over before I let you help me”-a press of his hips and hardness against me-“find release.”

It’s hard to focus on being good. On keeping my hands to myself, on ignoring the pull of his body and words. Heat pools in my stomach.

Remember our positions, I tell myself. Boss. Assistant. Contract.

“That sounds… good.”

Henry laughs, pulling me in tighter so that his body is entirely curved around mine.

“Good? Faye, you have to admit it sounds fantastic.”

I wet my lips. “Will I lose a point to you if I do?”

“No,” he says softly. “I think I’ve already lost several tonight when I admitted just how much I want you.”

I roll my hips lightly against his hardness, and he groans. “Yes, you have an obvious disadvantage there. It’s hard for you to hide it.”

“Oh?” His tone is heated. “You’re hiding yours?”

“Women do have that ability.”

His hand trails down my stomach, rough fingertips lightly touching my skin, leaving fire in their wake. “Not very sportsmanlike,” he murmurs.