Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 154368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 617(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 617(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
My thighs clenched.
Damn, baby.
His hair was slicked back from his face, still damp, emphasizing the sharp cut of his cheekbones. The strong line of his jaw. The way his neck met his collar, that slice of tattooed skin visible just above the white fabric.
Diamond cufflinks glinted at his wrists.
His hands were in his pockets—casual, patient—but there was nothing casual about the way he watched me approach.
Those dark eyes tracked my every step.
Hungry.
Possessive.
Ready to devour.
My mouth went dry.
This man.
He was sin wrapped in silk.
Danger draped in designer.
He's the villain in a fairy tale. . .
I smirked.
The one who stole the princess and made her grateful for it.
And God help me. . .my body and I were very grateful.
And even from my distance, I saw him stop breathing for a few seconds.
I finished walking through his empire to reach him. Past even more Dragon markers crouched on rooftops.
And Kenji continued to watch every step.
His eyes never left me. His body had gone completely still—the kind of stillness predators achieved before they struck.
Soon, I reached the clearing by the river.
And Kenji moved. “Tora.”
He crossed to me in two strides, took my hands in his, and just. . .looked. His eyes traced every inch of my face. My braids pinned up simply. The column of my throat. The phoenix gown that shifted and shimmered like a living flame.
"Tora. . ." His voice was rough. Almost pained.
"Yes?"
"You are ruining me, Tora. I've looked at this city too many times. Planned wars over it. Killed for it. And right now, I can't see a single building because you're standing in front of me."
My cheeks heated.
"This gown." His thumbs stroked across my knuckles, and his grip on me tightened like he was afraid I might disappear. "You. Standing in my war room dressed like fire. Walking through my city to reach me."
He pulled me closer. "I missed you. . .it was only an hour, and I missed you like it was a year."
I damn near swooned. "I missed you too."
His forehead touched mine.
We stood there for a moment, breathing each other in.
Then his hand slid to the back of my neck, and he tilted my face up.
The kiss was different this time.
Not the claiming fire from my office doorway.
This was slower.
Erotic.
His mouth moved against mine with lust, memorizing the shape of me and imprinting desire into my skin.
And that's when his scent hit me.
Smoked sandalwood and candied ginger. It flooded my senses—rising off his muscular body, drifting from the open collar of his shirt, and wrapping around me the way his arms hadn't yet.
Fiery and warm, but sweet.
Wood left to smolder.
Sugar just starting to burn.
Fuck.
I inhaled against his mouth.
Drew him deeper.
Let that irresistible scent curl into my lungs and settle behind my ribs.
He tasted the way he smelled—dark, sweet, and dangerously warm. His tongue found mine, unhurried, and my hands fisted the satin lapels of his jacket because my knees were doing something unreliable.
When he pulled back, his breath was uneven. His thumb traced the hinge of my jaw. "Do you know how many seconds are in an hour, Tora?"
I shook my head. My lips were still tingling.
"Three thousand, six hundred." His voice was low and rough at the edges. "I felt every one, waiting for you. Imagining how sexy you would be when you walked to me."
“And did I disappoint?”
“Fuck no. I almost tore off that gown.”
“Maybe you should have.”
A dark groan left him, and I decided to push him even further.
I leaned back and scanned the breathtaking 4D Tokyo. “I think it would be quite nice to be fucked here.”
His whole body went taut. I watched it happen—the stillness, the jaw clench, the way his hand flexed at his side like he was physically stopping himself from reaching for me. "Careful, Tora. I converted my war room into a restaurant for you. Don't make me convert it into a bedroom."
“I don’t want to be careful.”
He sneered. “I have a big night planned for us. Patience.”
I smirked. “As if you have patience.”
“I am the Dragon. Patience is how I always win.”
I chuckled.
Then he stepped back—reluctantly, I could tell from the way his hands lingered on mine—and guided me toward the table. "Come. Sit with me."
And that told me that whatever he had planned, it would be even bigger than this moment because I knew my man, and he was a horny bastard that never missed an opportunity to fuck me.
He’s pacing himself? Oh shit. What sort of freaky stuff are we going to be doing tonight?
Kenji pulled out the silk cushion for me, arranging it with care, then helped me lower onto it. The phoenix gown pooled around me in rivers of red and gold, spreading across the floor like I'd brought my own sunset.
Once I was settled, Kenji didn't go to the other side of the table.