Like, what are my choices?”
I laughed. “Too many to mention. Come on, Athena. You’re not the shy type. Everyone has something they don’t like. I’d rather not stumble upon that this evening, not when I want it to be perfect.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you a Dom?”
I laughed again. “You’ve been reading too many books. Just because I like to use sex toys doesn’t mean I’m into BDSM. And to answer your question, no, I’m not. Authoritative, yes, but not a Dominant. My preferences lie firmly in sex between consenting adults being a partnership, not one exerting control over the other, however consensual it may be. Besides, you’re hardly submissive material, darling. Far too opinionated.”
She ignored my comment, although I detected a brief pout.
“How many toys do you have in there?” she asked, glancing behind her toward my dresser.
“Lots.” I cradled her jaw and bent my head to kiss her. “Stop stalling.” I traced my tongue along her plump bottom lip. “Do you hate a tongue in your pussy?” I nibbled her earlobe. “Or sucking cock?” I trailed my nose down her cheek, breathing in her scent. “What about having your neck kissed?” I tested the theory, placing an open-mouthed kiss directly over her carotid artery where a pulse beat wildly. “What about anal?”
She blushed the color of beetroot, then ducked her head in a very un-Athena-like manner.
“I don’t know,” she mumbled. “I’ve only ever had sex once.”
I took a step back. Frowned. Her comment made no sense. “But we slept together,” I said, stating the obvious.
“Exactly.”
The underlying meaning to her admission slammed into me like a quarterback running for the line. That couldn’t be right. Athena had men falling all over her. I should know. I’d watched from the sidelines wanting to kill each and every one of them as she’d skipped off on their arm for yet another date. Case in point: my behavior with Charles.
“I’m the only guy you’ve had sex with?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
She kept her gaze averted. “Yep.”
“Why?”
This wasn’t the way I’d expected the evening to pan out, but getting to the bottom of this suddenly seemed more important than how fast I could get her into bed. This wasn’t some girl I’d picked up in a bar. This was Athena. My obsession. My queen.
She slowly raised her chin, still avoiding full-on eye contact. Her right shoulder hitched. “You’re the one, Ryker. I didn’t want anyone else. I tried, but it…” Another shrug. “It didn’t work out.”
I raked a hand through my hair. Jesus. I was lost for words. Slipping my arms around her waist, I held her flush to my body.
“I am going to give you a night you’ll never forget, and trust me when I say that’s only the start for us.”
Her lids closed, and she trembled in my arms. A deepening ache began in my stomach, fanning outward until my whole body throbbed with need. I kissed her neck again, relishing the softness of her skin, the smell of her. The way she felt beneath my hands, all womanly curves.
“Ryker,” she breathed. “Pl—”
I took her mouth, swallowing the rest of her plea. She moaned, tilting her pelvis to rub against me. My cock jerked, as anxious to move the evening along as I was. Fuck, I’d have to concentrate like hell to make sure I didn’t come in ten seconds.
I sank to my knees and parted her legs. “Next time, crotchless panties, okay, darling?”
“Wh-what?”
I snapped one of her suspenders against her leg. “I have to remove these, and I rather liked them.” I unhooked them, then slid her panties off, leaving her in only a bra, stockings, and high-heeled shoes. I buried my nose between her legs. “You smell damned sexy. So sweet, so delicious, so mine.”
Whatever word she planned to say came out a garbled mess as I rested one leg over my shoulder and pushed my tongue inside her. She dug her fingertips into my shoulders, the lower half of her body shuddering and shaking. I sucked on her clit, harder than I intended. She cried my name, an orgasm tearing through her, and if I hadn’t gripped her ass, she’d have fallen to the floor.
“God, I’m sorry,” she said, her skin damp with perspiration. “So lame.”
I got to my feet. “You’re perfect. Turn around.”
She obeyed immediately. I unfastened her bra, licking a path between her shoulder blades as I eased the straps down her arms, allowing the dainty item to fall to the floor.