Seduction in Ink - Dating the Devil series

Chapter 2: Consent is key

The room suddenly became warm again as the candles reignited and the drawing on the floor disappeared.

Amelia took in her familiar surroundings and the man—no, demon—who looked to be so very out of place, surrounded by old books and the glow of candlelight.

"What now? I don't feel any different."

Lucian draped himself onto the chaise like a model, readying himself for the painter to capture his allure. "Of course, you don't feel any different."

Annoyed by his nonchalance but curious to test the limits, Amelia picked up the pen and stared at her blank page with a determined glare.

"Are you trying to burn a hole in your parchment, angel?" Lucian mocked in a sarcastic voice.

Amelia grumbled. "I am waiting for all this knowledge about intercourse to come to me."

Lucian chuckled, running a hand through his long raven hair. "The deal was that I teach you my knowledge and expertise, not that you will become an expert yourself."

Amelia crossed her arms, "you are very sure of yourself, are you not? Proclaiming yourself an expert when I only have your word to go on."

Lucian's eyebrows raised, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of surprise and amusement. He leaned back in the chaise, studying Amelia with an appreciative gaze. "Oh, angel, your sharp tongue really matches the fire in your eyes. If you want a taste of my talents so desperately, you only need to ask."

"No, I need you to teach me how to write about it. How to describe it, sell it, not show it."

Lucian threw his hands up in surrender. "Very well. Show me what you've got so far."

Amelia handed the lounging demon her work, feeling her stomach drop as he read it intently. His sculpted features remained unchanged as those blazing eyes took in every word with the utmost attention. She didn't know what she expected would happen, but seeing him so emotionless made her far more nervous than if he were laughing at her, like Wallace did.

"What is supposed to be enticing about this whole scene? The curtains in the room get a more vivid description than the couple laying underneath them." Lucian asked.

He sounded so genuine that Amelia struggled to answer, so he continued. "And I know some men are into sadomasochism, but even to them, reading about a vice-like grip on their balls will surely give rise to feelings of pain rather than arousal. You must seduce your reader, make them want more."

"So, it is balls? Plural. I knew it." Amelia pulled the papers out of Lucian's hands and corrected her paragraph. Her pen worked like a swift sword and within seconds her fingers were once again covered in ink.

Observing her from his comfortable position, Lucian smiled. "Did you hear a word of what I am saying?"

"Yes, yes. I am an awful seductress. I don't need you to clarify what I already know." Turning around in her chair, Amelia faced Lucian once again. "But I am curious to know more about male anatomy. Do men feel their appendix between their legs at all times?"

Her doe-like eyes and flowing ginger curls exuded such an air of innocence that juxtaposed so much with her endless curiosity that Lucian couldn't help but be intrigued by it. "Shall I undress so you can study me?"

The blush that overtook Amelia's features, rendering her speechless, told him all he needed to know.

Lucian leaned forward, his voice dripping with charm. "Amelia, my expertise lies not only in my knowledge, but in my experience. I have wandered the earth for centuries. I have gone through the labyrinth of desire. While you, from what I can gather, have never even seen a man naked."