Betrayal (Infidelity Book 1) - Aleatha Romig Page 0,37

though he might only be holding my hand, my entire body warmed with his presence. Still driving along the coastal highway, with the city growing larger in the distance, Nox turned toward me, and I immediately noticed something different in his expression.

“Charli?”

“Yes?”

“Our time is…” He inhaled. Squeezing my hand, he narrowed his light blue gaze. “Damn, I don’t know what to do with you.”

“Excuse me?”

Shaking his head, he slowed the Boxster and pulled off the road onto a scenic vista. Though sunset was still over an hour away, the sky before us was filled with colors. Purples and pinks dominated the horizon as the orange globe of the sun cast yellows and reds in all directions. The blue water shimmered. “I know you don’t really know anything about me, but I can tell you, I am rarely—no never—” he corrected, “hesitant about my demands.”

“Your demands?” My voice came out an octave higher than I planned.

“Do you remember my telling you that my tastes are unique?”

“Yes. No California wine.”

His smile returned. “Well, there is that. I wasn’t speaking of wine.”

I nodded. “Yes, Nox, I remember.”

“Have you had a nice week, so far?”

“I would say nice is an understatement.”

He moved his hand higher on my thigh. “I don’t usually ask for what I want.”

My eyes widened. “You don’t. Does that mean you take it?”

He shrugged. “Yes, but when it comes to sex, I’m not saying it’s ever been against anyone’s will. I can’t remember a time it wasn’t plainly offered or at least assumed.”

“Are you asking if I’m offering?”

“I’m glad you’ve enjoyed yourself this week. I’m ready, more than ready, for you to enjoy yourself more. I’ve tried to go slow on pushing those limits. But damn, time isn’t on our side.”

I tried to swallow, but my mouth seemed suddenly dry. Chelsea’s words came back to me, telling me to have fun and also to think about me. “I promise to let you know if I’m not comfortable.”

Nox nodded. “I’ve been giving this a lot of thought.”

I held my breath.

“And I want to explore those limits tonight. I want you to do something for me. Will you?”

I looked from side to side. There were other cars parked along the highway. In front of us there was a railing and steps. The people in those other cars had probably parked and gone beyond the railing, down the hill, to watch the sunset. That didn’t mean we were alone. There were cars passing by at a regular rate.

He squeezed my thigh, bringing me mentally back to him. “Charli?”

I let out the breath. Does he seriously want a blow job right here, before our dinner?

“What do you want me to do?”

“No, it doesn’t work that way. I want you to trust me. I want you to trust me with this one night. I want to spend tonight showing you a small sliver of my unique taste. Then, tomorrow night, our last night together, you can decide if we go back to nice or we explore more limits. Do you trust me?”

I nodded. His offer excited me in a way I’d never imagined. “Yes, I do.”

“And?”

“And…” I gathered my courage. “…I’ll do whatever you want.”

The relief in his expression at my answer took away any doubt. Yes, if for only two more days, I would trust him. “I’m not sure exactly what this means,” I admitted honestly.

“It means tonight you do exactly as I say. Don’t question or overthink it. If you can do that, I promise you more than nice. I promise you a night you’ll never forget.”

Though I felt as though I, Charli, was betraying Alex, the woman I’d worked so hard to be, I agreed.

Nox leaned forward and opened the glove compartment. “First, I want you to slip off your panties and put them in here.”

My eyes must have given me away, because that wasn’t the first demand I’d expected him to make.

He splayed his large fingers under the hem of my dress. “The point of this is that I shouldn’t have to explain. However…” He grinned. “…I seem to make exceptions for you and I’ll do it again, just this once. Take off your panties, as I said, so that I can think about you—imagine you—exposed under this lovely dress. I want to know that as we dine, with you seated in the chair next to me, if I move my hand…” His hand inched higher. “…I have access to you. I want to touch you in plain sight while no one