Chapter 169 169
She caught his wrist in her small hand, stopping the slow movement of his fingers against her skin.
“I… I think you need to clear your head,” she whispered softly, attempting to push him away.
He didn’t seem to catch the meaning behind her words. Instead, he continued staring down at her as though she were something rare and precious something he could never quite get enough of.
But Jacqueline knew better than to believe that look meant anything.
“Damien,” she murmured again.
The sound of his name seemed to tighten something inside him. His grip on her thigh subtly strengthened.
“Why do you say my name like that?” he asked, his voice low and rough.
She blinked at him, completely puzzled.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Her breath caught as his thumb began tracing slow circles along her skin.
Instinctively, her hand closed around his thumb, gripping it firmly to stop the maddening motion. Even the smallest touch from him sent heat racing through her body and that was dangerous. He shouldn’t have that kind of effect on her.
“You know exactly what I mean,” he muttered. “You say it like a prayer… like I’m your whole world.”
Her eyes widened slightly at the accusation.
Unable to hold his intense gaze any longer, she turned her face away and cleared her throat.
“You’re imagining things,” she said awkwardly. “I say everyone’s name like that. Mathieu. Dominique. Alexandre.”
Her words trailed off uneasily.
“Don’t play games with me, Jacq,” he warned.
Her brows knitted together.
He kept leaning closer and closer, invading her space until it was difficult for her to breathe properly. His cologne surrounded her, thick and intoxicating, making her thoughts blur.
“I’m not playing games,” she muttered, irritation rising in her chest. She pushed against his chest, but he didn’t move an inch.
Frustration bubbled up and she looked away again, refusing to give him the satisfaction of staring straight into her thoughts.
“You need to stop doing that,” he said with a quiet snicker.
Her scowl deepened.
“Stop doing what?” she snapped, still refusing to meet his eyes.
Suddenly he pulled her closer.
She gasped sharply when she felt the unmistakable pressure of his arousal against her.
Instinctively she pushed against his chest again, trying to put some distance between them but he was far too strong.
“Stop tempting me,” he growled. “You’re driving me insane.”
Her gaze snapped up to meet his.
There was something dangerous in his eyes something fierce and predatory.
But beneath it, she could clearly see the desire burning there.
“A small correction,” she said sharply. “I’m not driving you crazy. You were already crazy.”
His eyes narrowed instantly, his jaw tightening.
Oh.
So that struck a nerve.
Good.
“Watch your tone with me,” he ground out through clenched teeth.
She met his glare without flinching, lifting her chin in open defiance. Anger sharpened her features, and somehow it only made her more striking.
“What if I don’t?” she shot back.
“And take your hands off me. Now.”
That was the final spark.
His entire demeanor shifted.
In one swift motion, his hand tangled into the thick waves of her hair, gripping it firmly before pulling her head back.
Her neck arched upward as his face hovered just inches from hers.
Fury burned across his expression.
“I don’t tolerate disrespect,” he snarled.
Then his mouth crashed down on hers.
One of her hands struggled to loosen his hold on her hair while her other arm was trapped awkwardly between their bodies.
She tried not to respond.
She truly did.
But the force of the kiss was overwhelming.
At first she remained stiff, barely reacting but her body betrayed her.
After a few seconds her lips softened, and she found herself kissing him back.
A deep, satisfied growl rumbled from his chest as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss.
She answered him with equal intensity, their mouths moving together as their tongues met and tangled.
Her body jolted when he thrust his hips forward, making it impossible for her to ignore how strongly she affected him.
His hand slid away from her knee and disappeared beneath the loose fabric of her shirt. His fingers brushed across her bare skin, sending a tremor through her.
Her heart stumbled when his rough palm closed over her breast through the thin fabric of her bra, squeezing firmly.
She instinctively tried to shrink away, but he tightened his grip on her hair, forcing her chest forward while his hand continued kneading her breast.
Her legs wrapped instinctively around his waist as he pressed himself against her again and again.
She needed air.
Yet at the same time, she didn’t want this moment to end.
Her lips closed around the tip of his tongue and he growled softly in response.
A shiver ran through her when his hand slipped beneath the cup of her bra, pulling it down so he could touch her bare skin.
She gasped as his fingers closed around her breast.
Heat flooded low in her stomach when he pinched the sensitive peak.
Breaking the kiss, she turned her face away, drawing in several desperate breaths.
But Damien didn’t stop.
His lips moved along the curve of her neck before he pulled her face back and claimed her mouth once more.
Her eyes burned with the intensity of everything rushing through her veins.
The need rising inside her frightened her.
She wanted him.
Not just his touch she wanted to consume him completely.
The feeling built higher and higher until her stomach tightened painfully.
A broken cry escaped her lips when he rolled the sensitive peak between his fingers.
Her control shattered.
Then he pressed himself against her again, grinding against her most sensitive place
And the sensation overwhelmed her.
A cry tore from her throat, swallowed instantly by his demanding kiss. His mouth grew more insistent, his tongue deepening the kiss as her body trembled through the powerful release.
Her hand pressed weakly against his mouth, forcing a small space between them so she could breathe.
She panted, her entire body trembling with the lingering aftershocks.
She hadn’t known it could feel like that.
That same man every time he touched her set her entire body ablaze.
“T-thanks,” she murmured between uneven breaths as she slowly lowered her hand from his mouth.
She was acutely aware of the rigid heat pressing against her as she pushed him away.
This time he stepped back.
Carefully, she slid down from the counter, her legs unsteady as she fixed the displaced cup of her bra.
“I… didn’t ask for that,” she said quietly, her eyes focused on the floor. “But… thank you anyway.”
For a brief moment, her gaze flickered to the unmistakable bulge in his sweatpants before she quickly looked up at him again.
“And don’t overthink what just happened,” she added calmly, her voice surprisingly steady. “Don’t drag your conscience into it.”
She offered him a small, almost casual smile.
“We’re just two adults enjoying ourselves. No strings attached.”
With that, she walked past him, leaving him standing alone in the kitchen.
She hadn’t returned the favor.
If he wanted more
He would have to ask for it.