What the Lightning Sees: Part Three Read Online Free Page A

me to promise?” I whispered.
    “If you want out—for whatever reason—I want you to tell me straight away. Don’t wait until Millie or someone else accidentally falls on your penis, or you hate me or something.”
    I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling. “I promise. No one is having anything to do with my penis except, hopefully, you.”
    “I mean it. I don’t want to be one of those women who are totally oblivious to what’s going on under their nose. I don’t want to be made a fool of.”
    She sounded so sad as she spoke and my chest ached for her. By opening up to me, she’d given me so much power. The power to take advantage of her, to hurt her, and there was nothing I wanted less. She’d asked me to be careful with her heart and I don’t think I’d ever felt so much responsibility, so much . . . love.
    “I promise,” I said. “You have my heart, too, you know. We need to keep each other safe.”
    “I promise you, too.” She reached up and brushed her fingers over my cheekbones.
    Her touch had its usual effect on me and my dick started to stir. She glanced at my crotch. “Sorry. It’s just been like a millennia since I saw you naked.”
    “It’s been a week,” she said poking me in my abs, which did nothing to stave off the blood rushing to my cock as a result of my being wrapped round her like this.
    “Yeah? It feels like longer.”
    “For me, too,” she said as her hands swept over my ass and she looked up at me from under her eyebrows. “Sounds as though we need an early night.”
    I groaned as her hands reached the crotch of my jeans. Holy fuck, it almost hurt I was so hard. I was going to have to make her come several times with my mouth so she didn’t notice when I erupted after being inside her for a second.
    “Actually, I have something for you that I think you might like.” She grabbed me by the hand and led me toward her bedroom.
    “I only need you.”
    She reached for my shoulders and guided me to sit on her bed as she went to her dresser drawer and pulled out a brown paper bag. She twisted her mouth and a blush spread across her throat. I had to glance away; she looked so ready to be fucked.
    “What is it?” I asked.
    She handed me the bag and then covered her face with her hands. I was intrigued. Why was she embarrassed about buying me a gift?
    I pulled apart the edges of the paper, my eyes flicking from the bag to her and back. Her mouth was slightly parted, and she was staring at my hands instead of my face. I didn’t know what I was seeing at first, then realization trickled into my brain. It was coiled rope, not heavy, more like cord, white, smooth and about half an inch thick. I pulled it out of the bag, fingering the silky fibers twisting together like a never-ending helter-skelter. My pulse banged against my eardrums. She was giving herself to me. After everything I’d told her, she was still mine. My chest tightened with expectation, hope and something more.
    Haven took a step toward me. “I didn’t know if it was the right—”
    “It’s perfect.” I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. “I like that you like it.”
    “I do. It’s as if I’m giving myself over to you.”
    I filled my lungs, needing a beat. I didn’t want to rush. Whatever we were doing, exchanging, it needed to be savored.
    “Undress,” I said. I tried to say it as if her gift hadn’t brought me to my knees. She wanted me in control and that’s what I would give her.
    She hesitated as if it took longer than usual for the words to turn to meaning in her head. She pulled her dress over her head in one graceful movement, uncovering black lace underwear.
    Watching her, knowing what was next, relaxed me.
    She released the clasp of her bra, revealing her beautiful breasts. Her creamy, smooth, white skin might have been marble from the perfection of it. Even one of Rodin’s sculptures, but I knew how soft and warm it was. The memory of her heat buzzed over my