Wicked Things by Yolanda Olson
Bates
“Not anymore, Hollis. Never again,”I promised her as I let my hand trail down her neck, her stomach, before firmly gripping her inner thigh. “I’ll keep you safe if you’ll let me.”
Our lips gently grazed each other’s as she grabbed my wrist. I knew she wanted me to let go, but I couldn’t.
Deep down in my heart, I knew I had found the other missing half of my soul.
“Bates?”
Her voice trembled as much as her small body did, and the overwhelming need I felt to protect her only amplified.
“Yes?” I asked as my hand slid further up her thigh, brushing against the material of her skirt.
“Please go slow.”
“As slow as you need me to, pretty girl,” I promised as I let go of her thigh. Hollis almost looked relieved until I grinned and shifted so that I’d be able to pin her body underneath mine. “Too fast?”
She shook her head and placed trembling hands against my shirt. I looked down at her pale, small fingers, before I pushed myself back. With my knees on either side of her, I removed it so that I knew what it would feel like to have her touch another bare part of my skin.
Hollis was a delicate thing and I’d have to treat her accordingly, which was fine by me.
“Have you done this before?” I asked.
The thought suddenly occurred to me because of how damn hard she was shaking, and when she looked away for a moment, I rephrased my question. “Have you ever done this before, because you wanted to?”
She shook her head and I almost wanted to cry.
But I had to be strong for her.
I had to show her that this was something that would never be against her will, and I’d even let her take the lead.
Leaning down, I kissed Hollis more aggressively than I had done so before.
I was hungry for her in a way that I had never been for anyone else.
I wanted her to feel as pretty as she was.
I wanted her to know that this was what I wanted, but only if she allowed it.
So when she reached up with her fragile hands and pulled me closer to her, I knew that she felt the same.
Even if it was just for tonight.
