He arched into my touch, and then grabbed my hand, curling my fingers tighter around him until I knew it had to be just this edge of painful. Still, I tightened them even more, and leaned down to bite his chin, run the tip of my tongue along his bottom lip.

He growled and yanked my head up, kissing me again.

It was a rough, hungry kiss, and it filled every empty, aching spot inside me.

Shit.

His hands went to my hips, and he hauled me closer. It threw me off balance and I grabbed his shoulders, steadying myself. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and I shivered as he caught my hips, dragging me up and down over his cock. My skirt had ridden up, and my panties were no protection from how wet he was making me.

The slacks he wore, something pricey and elegant, were starting to show my arousal. I thought maybe I should get embarrassed about that. Isadora would be coming in soon.

But I didn’t care.

I didn’t care about anything except the way he felt, the way his body felt beneath me, against me.

And his mouth –

I cried out when he sat up and closed his mouth over my breast. Through the material of my bra and blouse, I could feel him. Wet tongue, the sharp edge of his teeth.

There was nothing subtle, nothing hesitant or reluctant.

He didn’t even slow to ask permission.

He just took.

I should have been appalled.

But when he flipped me over onto my back and pressed me into the couch, I wasn’t appalled.

I was...turned on.

So fucking turned on.

He moved between my thighs and started to rock his hips against me.

I shuddered.

One big hand cupped my ass, and I couldn’t stop the startled whimper when he moved his fingers, partially exposing the crevice between my cheeks.

“I want to feel you, hot and wet, and wrapped around my dick,” Ash said against my lips. “I want to hear you, begging and desperate, screaming my name as you come.”

I bit his lower lip.

He jerked his head up, staring down at me, eyes glittering.

I stared into his eyes. “I don’t beg.”

Curling my legs around his hips, I arched up.

Through my lashes, I could see his eyes narrow. He drove his cock against me, and I felt a shudder go through his body.

“I make men beg,” I said, smiling at him tauntingly.

A look of challenge came across his face and he caught my wrists.

I didn’t resist as he dragged them over my head. It sent a hot, delicious little thrill through me as he stretched them higher, almost to the point of discomfort. It arched my back, lifted my breasts to him. He lowered his head until he could nuzzle the delicate skin of my breastbone.

“I don’t beg either, Toni.”

“Then I guess it’s a stalemate.” My voice was breathless.

“No.” He licked me. I felt the blazing heated path of his touch all the way up to my neck. Then he stopped and whispered in my ear, “For it to be a stalemate, we’d have to start the game.” He ground his hips against me. “I haven’t started yet. Are you sure you’re ready to play?”

Hell, yes.

I rolled my hips against him and he growled.

“Are you?”

His mouth came down on mine and this time, there was a savage intensity that hadn’t been there before. His hand slid down to grab my thigh while the free one now pinned both of my wrists. He started to move between my thighs with deliberate slowness and my breath caught.

I knew in an instant I was in trouble.

He rocked against me until he had me hovering on the edge of orgasm and we hadn't even taken any clothes off.

Then he stopped, his lips leaving mine to feather teasing little kisses over my face until I lost the edge.

Oh...he was evil.

He settled between my legs again, but this time, instead of kissing me, he raked his teeth down my neck and began to work his way down, down, down...

“Tiger cubs need milk!” I blurted out.

He stilled, then lifted his head, looking at me with confusion.

I closed my eyes and started the mnemonic I'd learned in my anatomy elective two semesters ago.

“Tiger cubs need MILC. Ankle bones of the foot are talus, calcaneus, navicular, medial cuneiform, intermediate cuneiform, lateral cuneiform, cuboid.” I finished it and opened my eyes.

Ash was staring at me, flabbergasted. I'd actually made him speechless, which I suspected didn't happen often.

Narrowing my eyes, I started on the muscles of respiration. “Don’t exercise in quicksand. Diaphragm, external intercostals, internal intercostals, quadratus.”

“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.

It was hard to shrug with your hands stretched out over your head, but I tried. “I’m...amusing myself.”

He surged up over me, and pushed his face into mine, his eyes burning. “I’ll fucking amuse you.”

“Oh, honey.” I kissed his nose, mostly because I knew it would piss him off.

He growled at me before letting go of my hands to shove his fingers into my hair. I watched his control slipping, and I loved it.

Hands freed, I slid mine down his chest and cupped him through his pants. “Sex organs...” I traced my thumb over the faint ridge at the head of his cock. “The glans.”

Ash shuddered and shoved himself into my hand.

I squeezed my hand around the width of him and stroked down, wondering if he was really as big as he felt. “The shaft.”

“What, no cute little word puzzle?” he muttered, his voice hoarse.

“Who needs one?” I smiled up at him, having fun despite the heat that felt like it was going to swallow me whole. I was determined to show him that I wasn't his toy. “Everybody knows what a cock is. Sadly, not everybody knows how to use one. Do you?”

He pressed his mouth to my ear. “Get naked. I’ll show you.”

I was so tempted.

He slid his hand up my thigh and then between, cupping me. “I know something about female anatomy, Miss Gallagher. Shall I demonstrate?”

My eyes almost crossed when he ground the heel of his hand against me, but I still managed to keep myself coherent enough to speak. “By all means. I appreciate the educated lay person.”

“This is your clitoris.” He flicked it lightly through my panties and I shivered.

“Sometimes called the clit. Stroking it, biting it, can bring one hell of a response.” He gave me a wicked smile. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

My wail was cut off by his kiss, his tongue thrusting into my mouth, plundering every inch as he stroked me through my soaked panties. I was going to die if he didn’t bring me to climax.

And he didn’t.

He raised his head to look at me. He slid inside the leg of my panties. He didn’t touch me where I ached to feel him, not yet. “Your mons.”

I shuddered and arched before I could stop myself.

A grin canted his lips up. “Your labia.” He stroked my folds, separating the larger, fuller lips from the smaller to demonstrate that he knew the difference there. Not that I was doubting his knowledge of anatomy. Not anymore.

“And here...” He circled my entrance, dipped the tip of one finger inside. “Your vagina. I prefer cunt or pussy, but I would assume someone as educated as you would want to be technical.”

“We’re not in class.” My voice came out breathy and rough.

“True.”

He dipped his head and bit my nipple through my clothes. To my chagrin, I let out a sound that was very much a squeak.

“That being the case...” Ash thrust two fingers inside me and my body jerked, arching up to ride him. “I want to feel your pussy wrapped around my dick, Toni. And I will. As soon as you beg me.”

I might have, in that moment, with my body throbbing and aching.

But I couldn’t breathe. The need was too much and I couldn't form the words. Shooting my hand down, I caught his wrist and moved against him, harder, faster.

Fuck him and his demands.