Seduction in Ink - Dating the Devil series

Chapter 6: Look but don't touch

The house was as silent as the grave, but Amelia's mind buzzed with conflicting emotions and Lucian's words echoed in her ears.

"Come to my room tonight."

She paced back and forth, her mind racing as she contemplated her next move. Deep down she wanted to give into her desire, but that voice in the back of her head made her cautious. What if this really was wrong? What if this became public?

Staring at her rejected courtly romance novel her thoughts returned to Wallace and his feelings for lord Montgomery. Feelings that society said were wrong. That couldn't become public.

Feelings he couldn't act on.

But she could.

She had a choice to do what she wanted. And Amelia wanted whatever Lucian could offer her. Regardless of whether it was dangerous or wrong.

She made her decision, and her curiosity spurred her into action. With only a candle to light her way, she silently slipped out of her room, tiptoeing down the corridor towards Lucian's chamber.

Each step she took toward his bedchamber felt heavy with anticipation, her thoughts consumed by the events of that day. No matter where her mind turned, the demon kept coming back, refusing to be ignored. His touch, his lips, his smell, his voice, his eyes.

Arriving outside Lucian's door, she took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay beyond. With a cautious hand, she turned the doorknob, pushing it open just enough to slip inside. The soft glow of the candle in her hand cast a warm hue over the room, illuminating the space and creating an intimate ambiance.

Lucian's room felt familiar yet foreign, an extension of the enigma that surrounded him. The faint scent of sandalwood filled the air, mingling with the soft rustling of the curtains. Her heart quickened as she caught sight of Lucian standing near the window, his back turned to her. His silhouette was bathed in moonlight, casting an ethereal glow that highlighted the contours of his true form.

Their eyes met, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. Lucian began to speak first. "You came."

"You sound surprised."

He took a step closer to her, "I am." His horns disappeared and hair shortened as he morphed into the appearance of lord Ciaran.

"Don't," Amelia called out. "I want you to be yourself."

Lucian stared down at her with wide eyes before letting himself go in a gasp and looking at her in all his demonic glory.

"What is your lesson for tonight?" Amelia asked curiously.

His grin widened and he took another step closer. "That is partially up to you. Do you want a repeat of yesterday or something new?"

Amelia's eyes sparkled when a wicked idea came to mind. "A little bit of both."

The laugh that erupted from Lucian was dark, low and–oh–so seductive. "As you wish, my amtum."

Lucian hooked his finger under her chin, tilting her face up to his, his thumb brushing her lower lip. Amelia's eyes fluttered, he had completely seduced her with this one gesture, and she wanted to capture his lips and kiss him breathless.

But she couldn't reach his lips. Even on her toes, Lucian managed to keep his lips just out of her reach. "Please–Lucian, kiss me," she pleaded.

His chuckle tickled her cheek. "Begging so quickly?"

"Only because you are being so difficult."

"I'm merely teasing you in order to observe all your curious expressions." Lucian finally gave in and captured her lips tenderly. "Amelia, I want to see the expressions on your face tonight. Are you comfortable with that?"

"Lucian – I – I think," Amelia blushed when his lips kissed along her jaw but continued, "I'd like to see you as well."

The lips froze against her skin. Large hands wrapped around her waist and before Amelia began to regret her confession she saw the look in his eyes. They were blown wide with lust.

He guided her to the edge of his bed. "Lay down in whichever way is most comfortable for you."

Amelia figured he was going to enter at the other side of the bed, but to her surprise Lucian stepped away from the bed and started to unbutton his shirt while keeping his back to her.

"Are you comfortable?" Lucian asked before letting his shirt slip to the floor.

The sight took Amelia's breath away.

He looked like a marble statue of a long-forgotten god. One from Rome or Ancient Greece that people would put on pedestals in order to admire the perfection of those muscled arms and well-shaped shoulders that tapered down into that slim waist were his spine formed a line down the centre, begging to be touched. Dear lord how she longed to touch him – ached to touch him.

Especially when he turned around to reveal his toned chest.

"If I had known my naked chest would render you speechless, I would have never bothered with a shirt."

"May I touch you?" She asked.

"No"

The answer shook Amelia from her trance and she sputtered like a fish on dry land.

"Change of plans. Come sit on this chair."

Amelia reluctantly sat down with her hands neatly folded in her lap.

Lucian stared at her for a moment. "Not like that. Hands under your butt, and don't move them. Can you do that for me, my amtum?"

"Yes."

Placing her hands under her thighs, she pressed them in place between her legs and the chair, before looking up to Lucian again. His eyes never left hers as he slowly walked up to her. His long dexterous fingers tracing her leg, burning through her nightgown as they went across her stomach, up the side of her arm, over her shoulder all the way to the back of her neck as Lucian took his place behind her. Before Amelia could say a word, Lucian grabbed her hair, pulling her head to the side so that her neck and collarbone lay bared before him.

"You smell so delicious, Amelia. It's like your body is calling to me." Lucian whispered in her ear, his breath ghosting across her neck. She was almost begging again for him to close that bloody distance when his lips pressed against her pulse.

Amelia gasped in delight, her nails digging into her thighs. "Don't stop," she pleaded, her jaw dropping open and her head falling back. How could something so sinful, feel so good? She didn't feel this kind of pleasure and anticipation rolling through her in the carriage. Her kneels began to buckle and her trapped hands started to shake, so she released them under her thighs.

Lucian pulled her hair, twisting his head away from her just far enough to hiss, "Don't make me repeat myself." He pulled harder.

Amelia yelped, slapping her hands back under her legs, a heat pooling between her thighs. His mouth graced her neck, sucking softly, his tongue laving the sensitive flesh. She moaned in response, when his teeth teased her skin.

His kisses against her flesh left her whimpering, and made her mouth run dry while down below it felt like she was overflowing. It was too much and yet not nearly enough, making Amelia reach for him as soon as he released her hair and came to stand in front of her.

"Hands, Amelia."

She whimpered. "Please. I beg you, Lucian."

"Put them back or I'll tie them back."

Her hand slapped back on the chair, fingers twisting under her legs. Lucian placed his legs on either side of her thighs, hovering just high enough above her lap that she could feel the heath radiating off of him, but couldn't feel him.

"So eager," he said in a husky voice. "You're so eager. I like it." His finger hooked under her chin, pulling her face closer to his. "Do you even know what you are eager for?"

Amelia's eyes shot down before her thoughts could even stop it and that's when she saw it.