She pulled back with a laugh. "How about I make you blind with ecstasy, then?"
He strained against the ties. "It would appear I'm all yours, sweeting."
How she wished that were true. Amanda left the bed and moved to the tray. As she picked up the warm honey, she remembered the boiling oil the Romans had used on Kyrian.
Remembered the look on his face as they poured it over his skin, scalding him.
Her heart constricting, she moved back to where he lay at her mercy. She held the bottle over his chest and saw the shadow pass across his eyes as he too remembered.
Kyrian involuntarily cringed as the warm honey first touched his bare skin. But there was no scalding pain. No blisters forming or skin burning. It actually felt good.
Relaxing, he watched as Amanda drew small circles in the honey, smearing it around his nipples where she dragged her nails, sending chills over him, and then down to his stomach.
She set the honey aside, then slowly licked every bit of it from his skin. He writhed in blissful pleasure as she laved him. Her tongue delved into his navel, making him even harder for her.
She laughed low in her throat as she looked up at him from his lower abdomen. Then she moved up his chest with one long lick that culminated at his Adam's apple. Hissing, he leaned his head back to give her greater access to his neck, and when she lightly bit his skin, chills shot through him.
"Amanda," he breathed.
Smiling at him, she left the bed and grabbed a small bowl.
Amanda didn't know where her boldness came from. Never had she behaved this way, but she wanted to save Kyrian at any cost. Besides, something strange was happening to her as she did this for him. It was as if some part of her were gaining its freedom.
Shaking the thought off, she dipped her fingers into the bowl of whipped cream, then brought them to his lips. She traced the outline of that poetic mouth with her thumb.
Kyrian licked the whipped cream from his lips as Amanda straddled his waist. Oh, the feel of her wetness on him. It drove him wild. And when she moved, grinding herself against his swollen shaft, he thought he would die from the pleasure of it.
"Let me feed you, Commander," she whispered, then slowly she used her finger to feed him the whipped cream.
Kyrian swallowed as his emotions swirled. She was re-enacting Valerius's cruelty. But there was no pain from her. Only an ecstasy he'd never known before.
Locking gazes with her, he offered her a tentative smile.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked.
"Because I care for you."
"Why?"
"Because you are the most wonderful man I have ever known. Granted, you're stubborn and infuriating, but you're also kind, strong, and giving. And you make me feel so..."
He arched a brow.
Amanda sat back and eyed him. "Now what's that supposed to mean?"
"What?" he asked innocently.
"That look."
Kyrian frowned. "What look?" He tried to reach for her, then remembered his restraints. How odd that he could have forgotten them.
Amanda dipped her head down to kiss him.
Kyrian moaned at the feel of her lips on his, of her tongue darting in and out of his mouth, carrying with it the taste of whipped cream.
She pulled back. "Do you like that?"
"Yes, I do."