Page 76 of Ruthless, But for Her

And she surprised him by doing just that. The coverlet dropped to expose the top of her breasts, and he was sorely tempted to do some exploring himself, but a promise was a promise.

Her fingers found the plane of his stomach first, hesitant, then bolder when he didn't stop her.

“You can touch harder than that,” he said against her throat.

“I don't want to hurt you.”

He laughed, low. “You won't.”

She grew braver. Cassia's hand was sliding lower, past his navel, when he caught her wrist and brought it back to his chest.

“Not yet,” he said. “Tonight isn't about that.”

“Then what is it about?”

He lifted his head to look at her. “You. Learning what your own body wants. Nothing more.”

“Should I...you'll need to remove this, I think.”

The coverlet.

No sooner had the words left her lips than he tore it from her body and began his own exploration. He ran his fingers along the sides of her breasts. Peaked her nipples, first with his fingers and then his tongue, ignoring her gasp when his head lowered into her chest.

He listened to every sound she made. Noted when she arched into him. It was only when his hand moved between her legs that she became shy once again.

“Trust me,” he whispered into her ear, unsurprised to find her wet and ready for him. At his second finger, Cassia's breath caught. When his thumb circled at the same time his lips found hers, coordinating the thrust of his tongue and his fingers, Ashton reveled in the sounds she made.

Pure pleasure, and he offered it to her.

“Why did you stop kissing me? I like your kisses.”

“I like yours, too. But I want to see your face.”

“Mmmm,” she murmured as his fingers moved. “Why?”

“Because,” he said. “My guess is that you've never found release before, and I want to see your beautiful face when you do.”

“You think my face beautiful? Ashton, please do not stop doing that…” She pressed up and down against his hand. So damn close.

“I wouldn't dare.”

“Release?”

“Aye, release.”

“What is... Ashton... Ashton, please.”

She asked, he would deliver.

Before Cassia could stop him, he was between her legs. Parting them. Burying his face where his fingers had been, replacing them with his tongue.

“Ash—”

He didn't know if she meant for him to stop or something else. But first, he wanted to hear her scream, a dangerous proposition given their circumstances.

With his tongue now working beside his thumb, he did the one thing most men couldn't. The one thing he'd learned the hard way.

He held back. Putting aside his own pleasure, Ashton licked and circled her sex ever so slowly, knowing from the way she'd grabbed his head, from the movement of her hips... she was close.