“That’s right,” he said with a smile. “The name is Crispin… Mr.Clover if you’d rather.” He followed with a softer almostprotective kiss. “Call me by my name and I’ll make your dreams cometrue so hard, you won’t ever call for those other fuckers in yoursleep again.”
In response,she couldn’t help the giggles from taking hold of her. She didn’tknow why she was laughing but the intensity in his voice made hergiddy beyond reason.
“You think I’m joking, do you?” To her relief, he smiled whenshe gazed up at him.
“Not at all.” She flexed her fingers where he held them. “I’mlooking forward to it, if you must know.”
“Well then…” He leaned in and purred into her ear. “Why thefuck are we standing around out here?”
Chapter 19
To say Gwen wasexcited would be putting it lightly. To say she was nervous wouldbe a huge understatement. As for her rising anxiety, it was throughthe roof! Not that Crispin seemed to have noticed and for that Gwenwas grateful. She didn’t want him to think she had changed hermind. As nervous as she was, she was ready to go there with him,wherever that might be.
Upon theirreturn to the Lemon Tree Inn, the second Crispin locked the door totheir room, he grabbed her and kissed her so fiercely she couldn’teven remember her own name, let alone worry about anything else.There was no gentleness in that torrid all-consuming kiss, nortenderness within his imprisoning embrace. Yet oddly enough, shefound strange comfort in his arms.
That littlebite at the end, the scrape of his teeth against her bottom lip,followed by a swipe of his hot tongue was what nearly did her in.“Wow, what was that for?” Gwen gasped when he eventually pulledaway, pinning her with a challenging glare.
“To give you a taste of things to come. But before we takethis... any further, I need to clarify a few things.”
“Like w-what?” she asked, placing her fingers on her bruisedlips, still reeling from his ferocious kiss.
“Get yourself together. I’m sure you need a moment. Meet me onthe bed when you’re ready.” All she could do was nod as though in atrance. “Good girl, now don’t keep me waiting too long,” he said ashe helped her off with her coat. “Oh, and keep your clothes on...for now.”
Keep my clothes on? Gwen gave herhead a shake as she closed the bathroom door behind her. Easiersaid than done, she thought, washing her hands and rinsing her facewith cool water. Being so hot and bothered, all she wanted to dowas strip everything off, from her bulky sweater to herpassion-soaked knickers. But he’d been rather clear in hisinstruction and she didn’t want to do anything that might upsethim. He had gone hot and cold a few times throughout the day, andright now she wanted him hot and to stay that way.
She took deepcalming breaths and tried her best to keep her heart from racing,but every time she closed her eyes, she saw him looking at her ashe had just now and her highly sensitized body refused to be toldwhat to do. Not by her, anyway. For a moment, she wondered exactlywhat it was they needed to clarify. Crispin had been quite seriousabout whatever that was, so it must be important. Hopefully, itwasn’t anything weird or too complicated. Maybe he simply wanted totalk about safe sex or something. As she straightened herself upand attempted to steady her shaking knees, she took one last breathbefore leaving the bathroom.
In Gwen’s absence, Crispin took a good look around theiruninspiring bedroom, the whole time dreaming up ways he could useit to his advantage. The coat hook behind the bathroom door lookedpromising. If he had known this trip would turn into what it wasclearly about to become, he would have come prepared. Staring atthe hook, he thought about his black box of toys hidden underneathhis ornate iron frame bed at the House of Goths. He then turned tothe bed in their current room and scowled at the useless solid woodheadboard. What the fuck was the point ofthat?
Making the mostof it, he turned off all the lights, with the exception of the lampon the far bedside table. At the sound of Gwen’s return, he turnedin her direction and fought to control himself just a wee bitlonger. When she stood there, staring at him with those eyes ofblue-grey as if awaiting instruction, he couldn’t help but smile.This was going to be easier than ever. Every second spent with her,assured him of the fact. Even still, he would never assume it.Therefore before anything could happen, they had to talk.
Without furtherado, he took her by the hand and drew her close. He then sat herdown on the edge of the bed. He could sense she was nervous and inneed of reassurance. Unable to resist, he ran his hands down herhair and cupped her face between his palms. When she smiled at him,he winked before excusing himself.
In thebathroom, he very slowly removed his shirt, button by button,gazing at his reflection in the mirror. He needed to do this right.It was first and foremost in his mind. He had been in thissituation countless times. Most of them went well, others not somuch. Yet tonight, this was the first time, he actually cared andneeded it to go well.
***
Crispin didn’tmiss it when Gwen flinched as he re-entered the bedroom. Yet fromthe heady look on her face when she gazed at his bare chest it wasobvious she was already halfway there. Approaching with calculatedsteps, he drew
