“I want to kiss you.”

That silenced her. She was flabbergasted.

His gaze fixed on her mouth. He moved in closer, his body almost touching hers. “Let me kiss you, Vanni.”

“I…”

She wasn’t sure what to do or say. He didn’t really give her a chance to come up with a response. His mouth descended over hers. She closed her eyes and was amazed at how soft his lips were. His tongue swiped her lower one and she gasped. He used that opening to deepen the kiss.

Smiley took charge of her mouth in a way that left her grasping his shirt just for something to cling to. He pressed tighter against her until they were chest to chest and she was pushed against the yielding couch cushions. The passion he hit her with left her reeling when he suddenly stopped. He pulled away a few inches. She opened her eyes to stare into his. Her heart hammered and she panted as if she’d just been jogging. She was speechless but he wasn’t.

“We have chemistry. You do know me, Vanni. Stop thinking and just feel.”

He went for her mouth again, cupping her face with one of his hands to keep her in place. She didn’t fight but instead closed her eyes again and welcomed his hot mouth meeting hers. She opened up to him without any urging the second time. There was no gentleness in the second kiss, more of a raw hunger. She met it. Her body did remember him and yearned to be touched.

He seemed to know it since his free hand firmly gripped her thigh and slid higher. The cotton shirt rode up over the back of his hand as he used his thumb to stroke her thigh, inching up. She moaned against his tongue and he rumbled in response. He broke the kiss and they stared at each other again.

“Spread your thighs wide and scoot your ass to the edge of the couch.”

She glanced down and realized how high her shirt had risen. She released him and grabbed for the hem, trying to shove it down to hide her exposed pussy. Smiley moved faster, releasing her thigh and face. He captured her wrists before she could recover her modesty. He shook his head.

“Don’t hide from me.”

“Let go.”

“We’ve shared sex but I’ve never seen you here. It was too dark to enjoy the sight before. Spread open and show me.”

“You’re seeing. All you have to do is look down.”

He slowly shook his head. “Not enough. I want to see all of you.”

“I’m not taking off my shirt.”

“Put your hands up and hold the top of the couch.”

“Why?”

His smiled. “You know what I want to do.”

She shook her head. “I don’t.”

His eyes narrowed and his expression grew somber. “How many males have you known, Vanni?”

“Two.”

“Didn’t you ever show them your sex? Didn’t they ever want to spread you open and appreciate you?”

She swallowed. “No.”

He emitted a deep, sexy rumbling sound.

“Why are you making that noise?”

“I’m turned-on. I rumble. It’s a good thing. We’ve shared sex. Share this with me. Let me see you, Vanni. I know how you feel here because I’ve been inside you. It was the best feeling I’ve ever experienced. Reach up and hold the top of the couch. You will enjoy me seeing you.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You’re beautiful and there is no need to be shy. My nakedness does not embarrass me. Your nakedness makes me hurt with wanting to touch you.”

“Well, you work out and you’re in perfect shape. I’m not.”

“I like your shape. It is a turn-on.” Smiley moved her wrists, lifting them high, and then bent them until her hands touched the back of the couch. “Hold on right here and don’t let go. Close your eyes if it helps you relax, Vanni. You’ll enjoy what I do to you.” He lowered his voice and murmured, “Please?”

“We shouldn’t be doing this. It’s too fast.”

“I’ll go slower. Will you hold on to the couch?”

She dug her fingers into the cushion. He eased his hold on her wrists and stunned her by gripping her hips and yanking her closer to him. It spread her thighs and he turned his hip, pressed between her knees and widened them. She looked down and bit back a curse. The shirt had bunched at her belly, leaving her completely exposed from the waist down. It was bright in the living room and everything was in perfect clarity.

He lowered his chin to stare at the V of her thighs. “Beautiful. I can’t wait to taste you.”

She tensed. “I know people do that but I don’t.”

His head snapped up and his eyes widened. “What?”

“Oral sex, right?” She figured her cheeks were probably neon red at that point. “I don’t. I’ve never.”

He just continued to gape at her. It made her feel kind of like a freak, as if something were wrong with her. She felt the need to explain.

“I have given. I just don’t get.” She released the couch cushion and tried to grab her shirt to shove it down but he captured her wrists again, holding them in place.

“Stupid human males. What was wrong with them?”

“It just never happened.” She tried to wiggle away but it was hard to do with her wrists being held and Smiley’s hips between her knees.

He shook his head. “I’m not letting this go. Grab the couch again and hold still.”

“I’m not comfortable with that.”

“You will be by the time I’m done.”

“Let go.”

“Not a chance.” They stared at each other until he lifted her arms again. “Grab.” He pressed her hands against the top of the couch. “Close your eyes if it helps. We are going to do this.”

She shook her head. “You just wanted to see and now you want to do more than that.”

“You’re shy. You don’t like males to see you naked or to have your pussy exposed?”

“That’s right.”

Smiley’s pretty eyes lit with amusement. “I sent Wager away from the front door but there is another guard posted in the backyard. I didn’t make him go away.”

“Why are you telling me that?”

“He’ll rush in here if you yell out. We’d have company in less than thirty seconds.” He tilted his head toward the slider. “He’d smash through it thinking I was harming you, which I’d never do. You don’t want him to see you naked, do you?”

“No!”

“Keep that in mind. Be very quiet, my little Vanni. I’m going to show you what you have missed. Otherwise they will rush in here to save you from me.”

She gasped when he suddenly released her wrists and gripped her rib cage. He lifted, pulling her right off the couch. He was strong enough to lay her on the carpet before she realized what he intended. He lifted up, let go of her and then gripped her behind her knees. He bent them up and spread them as he slid lower. She couldn’t miss the grin on his face right before he lowered it precariously close to her sex.

Her mouth opened but she remembered his warning. He reminded her in case she’d forgotten though.

“Relax for me, little Vanni. You will enjoy this. Try to keep quiet. I’m not shy about sex but you are.”

“Smiley, whatever you’re going to do, don’t. I—”

She gasped again when he ignored her and all she could see was the top of his head. The feel of his tongue swiping across her clit was something she wasn’t prepared for. It was hot and wet, the slightly rough texture a shock to her system. It felt good though, as a sensation of extreme pleasure jolted upward. Every muscle in her body seemed to go rigid.

He rumbled again, creating vibrations. She clawed at the carpet, forgetting how to breathe. He closed his mouth around that tiny area and applied more pressure with his tongue, rubbing it back and forth.

Vanni moaned. “Oh god.”

That seemed to encourage him because he grew more aggressive. His mouth clamped down firmly and he sucked on her clit. His tongue pushed against the sensitive bundle of nerves without mercy. Vanni thrashed her head and had to use her hand to cover her mouth to muffle the sounds she made. She felt as if he’d hooked her to a live electrical wire.

She began to perspire and she tingled all over. Her nipples beaded and the shirt rubbed against them as she writhed on the carpet. They were super sensitive. It was too much, too intense. The urge hit her to slam her legs closed and she tried but Smiley kept them open. He continued to play with her until her back arched and she wondered if she’d snap her spine.