Kraving Khiva by Zoey Draven

Chapter Five

He was still touching her.

And Eve felt like putty in his hands.

Khiva hadn’t said a word since she told him she would stay. They were still standing next to the window and she was pressed up against the front of his massive bulk. She felt his cock pressed into her belly, because of their height difference. Through the silk, she felt it pulse against her, reminding her why she’d come.

It was a strange foreign sensation, feeling the obvious arousal of a male, but Eve felt…calm. As if his touch was a drug.

She shivered when he dragged his fingertips up the expanse of her back, all the way to her neck, before moving down again.

And it was right then that Eve acknowledged she was happy with her decision to come to Madame Allegria’s. This was what she wanted. Touch. To feel close to someone.

Khiva’s body was emanating heat and she felt it seep into her skin, into her bones. His chest rumbled with a sound, a pleased sound, and they were so close that Eve felt it more than she heard it.

But right then, right when his hands skimmed past her hips, gliding over the cheeks of her backside, Eve’s stomach growled. Loudly.

Khiva’s hands paused and Eve’s face flamed.

“Sorry,” she said quietly. “I haven’t really eaten today.”

Frankly, she’d had no appetite until right then, at the worst possible time.

Khiva’s eyes glowed from the light of the fire burning in the hearth. Slowly, as though reluctant, his arms drew away and Eve almost sighed, feeling the loss his touch already. He crossed over to a small panel next to the door and pressed a button. The panel began to glow a soft blue.

At her confused expression, he said, “I have sent for a meal.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to,” she said softly. “I’ll be fine.”

The look in his eyes could only be described as searing when he returned to her.

“You need the energy,” he rasped, “for the rest of the night.”

Eve’s breath hitched at the implication. Her lips parted, trying to think of a way to say what was on her mind.

Eventually, she just went with honesty.

“I don’t know if I want to have sex tonight,” she said. “I…I know that’s why I came here, to experience it for the first time, but being here now…I’m not sure I’m ready to be honest.”

Khiva’s eyes were dark as he said, “There is no pressure here, Evelyn. We can build our time however you wish.”

She couldn’t help but ask, “Have any of your, um, clients come to you and not wanted sex?”

The corner of his lips twitched. “Veki. No,” he clarified. “Like I said, females come to the Krave for one reason.”

Eve’s eyes strayed to the carpet. It was of an Old Earth Moroccan design, she knew. It had bright, preserved colors of purple and maroon.

“Do you think I’m strange?” she asked quietly.

“Not strange, no,” he said. “Unique, yes. There is no rush, Evelyn. I am yours for our time together. We can do anything you like.”

Before she could say anything, there was a knock at the heavy door. Khiva pulled it open and Eve couldn’t help but run her eyes over his broad back, at the shifting muscles that worked in unison underneath his tight shirt.

Her sex throbbed again and her breasts felt heavy under her silk dress. Never had she felt such attraction to a male before…and Khiva wasn’t even human.

Eve couldn’t see whoever had delivered her meal and Khiva closed the door, bringing in a large tray filled with platters, before she could. Khiva set the tray down on the small steel table, which was next to a closed black door that she assumed was a washroom. The silverware clattered as he uncovered three separate plates of food, gesturing for her to come over.

Her stomach growled softly again at the sight and smell of food. As she approached, she saw there was a huge steak with a dark glaze, a whole basket of warm bread with rosemary butter, and a slice of chocolate cake with thick frosting.

There was only one set of silverware, however, and she raised her brows at Khiva. “I think you overestimate my appetite.”

His lips twitched. “Soon, I will know your appetite well, female.”

Even Eve knew he wasn’t referring to the food and she sat down in the chair he pulled out for her with a warm face. He sat in the chair next to her and drew closer so that their thighs touched.

“Don’t you want any?” she asked, gesturing to the food.

“Veki,” he answered, “I am not hungry for food.” Eve sucked in a small breath. Then he said, “I will enjoy watching.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“Food is like sex,” he rasped. “Both give pleasure. And you are a sensual being, so watching you will be…erotic.”

Eve blinked, surprised that he called her ‘sensual.’

“’Sensual’ is not a word I would use to describe myself,” she confessed softly.

Khiva shook his head. “You are not a male. You do not see what I do.”

Eve picked up her fork and knife after placing the lace napkin across her lap. Her hand shook as she sliced off a small chunk of the steak, dipping it in the glaze.

Eve wasn’t good at receiving compliments, so she didn’t say anything in response. Instead, to avoid meeting his eyes, she leaned forward and took a bite of her steak.

Immediately, flavor burst on her tongue from the glaze and her eyes fluttered in response. The meat was impossibly tender and melted in her mouth. Eve had possibly never had a better steak in her life and she was a foodie at heart, always dragging Genni to try new restaurants that she read about in the Gazette.

Khiva inhaled a rough breath and suddenly Eve remembered herself. She swallowed the bite and sneaked a glance over at him.

“You see?” he murmured, his hand coming to rest on her upper thigh, which almost made her choke. His fingers played with the hem of her dress, which had ridden up. “Erotic.”

Eve licked her bottom lip, catching a stray drop of the glaze and his pupils flared, lingering on the spot her tongue had dabbed.

His fingers were distracting and the backs of them would brush the bared flesh of her thigh every time he smoothed the hem. Arousal flooded her belly and as if Khiva knew, his nostrils flared in response.

Somehow, Eve managed another bite of the steak. And another. And another. All while Khiva watched. She took a bite of buttered bread, which was equally as fantastic as the steak, and Eve thought Madame Allegria employed the best, unknown chef in all of Everton.

“Is it satisfactory?” Khiva rasped, still watching her with darkened eyes. Her sex gave another pulse just from his voice alone.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “This is amazing. Do you eat like this all the time?”

Khiva’s eyes flickered to the food. “Mostly, yes.”

“I would probably gain a hundred pounds if I lived here then,” she murmured, a soft smile on her face, feeling the food settle in her stomach, filling her.

Khiva’s gaze ran over her body and Eve had the urge to retreat. “I would not mind that,” he murmured. “But I enjoy your form. Very much.”

Her cheeks warmed. Her eyebrow rose, “You can’t be serious.”

It was Khiva’s turn to look confused. “Of course I am.”

“I’m considered…fuller by Everton’s standards already,” she found herself saying and she wanted a hole in the floor to swallow her up for saying it.

Khiva’s eyes flickered. “I never understood Everton females’ obsession with this ‘standard,’ as you say. While all females are beautiful in their own right, when it comes to sex, I am certain most males would want healthier partners. Half the time, I am worried I will hurt them.”

Eve swallowed and look down at her emptying plate. For a brief moment, she’d actually forgotten who he was…one of the Krave, who had sex with numerous women. She couldn’t help but wonder if Mrs. Langley had visited Khiva before and she felt the steak turning in her stomach at the thought, remembering the older woman’s moan as she climbed into her driverless car that night.

Khiva added softly, “Even though you say you think you are ‘fuller,’ I still need to be careful with you. Humans are much smaller than Keriv’i. We are much stronger. I could hurt you if I forget myself. Which I just might, with you.”

He said those last words so softly that it seemed he was saying them to himself.

And Eve didn’t know why, but that made her chest warm.

Khiva focused his eyes back on her, his fingertips still warm on her thigh.

“What do you want of me this night?” he asked softly.

After taking a single bite of the cake, Eve knew she wouldn’t be able to eat any more and she pushed the plates away.

“I…I don’t know,” she confessed, carefully laying her napkin next to the tray.

Khiva’s head cocked to the side and he leaned forward a bit, pressing closer. “May I make a suggestion?”

Eve blinked. “Yes.”

“You like to be touched, pax?”

Her lips parted. Had she been that obvious? Softly, she said, “Yes.”

His chin lifted up. “We can start there. We can finish there too, for tonight, if you do not want more.”

Her heart thudded in her throat. What did ‘touching’ mean exactly?

But she didn’t ask. Instead, she whispered, “Okay.”

A soft growl rose in his throat. “Would you like to touch me as well?”

Her sex throbbed at the question.

God, yes. She wanted to touch him.

“Yes,” she whispered, surprised at herself when she held his eyes and didn’t shy away. “I do.”

His fingers clenched around her thigh before they released.

Then he asked, almost with hesitation, “Where would you like to start?”

“Can I make a request?” she asked, looking down at his hand before meeting his eyes again.

His brow furrowed. “Pax. Of course.”

“I’m new to all of this,” she said. “And because of that, I don’t really want to lead anything. If I don’t like something, or want to do something different, then I’m not afraid to say so. I just want to…experience this without having to worry about the little decisions that go with it, like where to start or where to sit.” Taking a deep breath, she continued, “I know I’m your client and I know you’re supposed to follow my requests, but I’m requesting that you lead everything tonight. Will you?”

His pupils flared and Eve couldn’t help but wonder if he preferred leading.

Yes, she knew. She’d observed many men in her life and the way they acted. Some were gentle, some were aggressive, some were dominant, some knew exactly what they wanted.

Something told her that Khiva could be any of those things. But one thing she couldn’t picture him being was a follower.

“Pax,” he finally rasped. “I will lead tonight. But promise me that if you want a change, you will tell me.”

“I promise,” she said quietly, anticipation beginning to rise in her belly.

His gaze flickered to the half-empty plates in front of her. “Are you finished with your meal?”

“Yes.”

No sooner than she said that did he pull her from the chair, his hands wrapping around her hips in an almost possessive way. It made her belly clench at how erotic she found that.

“Good,” he murmured, his eyes connected with hers. “Then let us begin.”